Butch Otter - Chief Vaginal Officer...

[BlueIdaho]

Hi fellow Idahoans!

You know I was thinking, as soon as the Idaho legislature passes the forced ultrasound bill and the governor signs it - I think that makes him the chief vaginal expert in the state. At last, someone you can contact about all those reproductive health questions that never seem to get answered. Thank God he has a Facebook page so it's super easy for you to ask any questions you have about how things are going "down there."

I'm sure he's as anxious to get started as you are, so why wait? Why not post a question or two on his Facebook page today?

[femmocrat]

1. People are doing this to Brownback in KS.

Seems like an appropriate tactic, although I don't use FB. (I saw it on either Rachel's or Ed's show.) Some of the comments and questions were very witty.

[appleannie1]

2. One Senator in Virginia received a number of comments on his facebook. Questions even covered color

of flow, cramps, yeast infections etc. Finally he scrubbed his page to reflect he has done nothing since Sept. of last year.

[freshwest]

3. Couldn't take it, huh? What a wuss.

[Viva]

4. How is this enforced?

Who enforces this?

Is there a form that is sent to someone? Will they keep them on file? Can others then FOIA them?

If I were a doctor, and refused to do this, would "they" find out? And if so, what would happen?

Who pays for the ultrasound? Many who get abortions do so because they have no money. They can not afford to have a child. Many who have no money, have no insurance. They scrape together enough to terminate the pregnancy. Now they have to pay for an ultrasound on top of that? Isn't this a tax? Or at least a transfer of funds to the medical device industry.

This whole concept of is crazy...

Why not have people watch "fast food nation" before eating at a fast food restaurant. That food can kill you! Obviously people don't know. Isn't this the same kind of thinking?

I thought Idahoans wanted the government to leave them the heck alone. How does this law jive with that?

[BlueIdaho]

5. Welcome to Idaho...

The law is similar to laws in other states. It requires the doctor perform an ultrasound against their will and the will of the woman - there is also a written speech they must deliver at the same time. If the woman can't pay, it is to be done at an anti-abortion facility. Unfortunately the law is so badly written - it also states the ultrasound must be performed by the doctor performing the procedure. So in the end another ultrasound must be performed by the doctor and paid for by the woman. Depending on how far along the pregnancy is the use of a tranvaginal probe may be required. The author of the bill has been very clear about its purpose - this is not about women's health, this is about stopping abortions.

Republicans don't hate big invasive government, they just hate not being the ones to decide who gets oppressed by it. Elected Idaho republicans really don't care about the hypocrisy of mandating healthcare while opposing mandated health care. They are not stupid, just mean spirited.

[libodem]

6. Spot on

One of my friends sported a coughing fit when Brandi Swendell over ran her allotted speaking time at the statehouse this week.

I can't stand that meanspirited, nefarious, evil creature. What rock did she crawl back out from under? From under what rock, did she crawl back out. My awkward sentence problem. She is a snake, at the very least.

[Viva]

7. There is nobody in the room but the doctor and the patient.

So who forces the doctor to do this?

I am going to have to look up the law
http://legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2012/S1349.pdf

7.Within thirty (30) days after performing any abortion without certification and delivery of the materials, the attending physician, or the attending physician's agent, shall cause to be delivered to the director of
the department of health and welfare, a report signed by the attending physician, preserving the patient's anonymity, denoting the medical emergency that excused compliance with the duty to deliver the materials. The director of the department of health and welfare shall compile the information annually and report to the public the total number of abortions performed in the state where delivery of the materials was excused; provided that any information so reported shall not identify any physician or patient in any manner which would reveal their identities.

9.The knowing failure of the attending physician to perform any one
(1) or more of the acts required under subsections (6) and (7) of this section
or section 39-261, Idaho Code, is grounds for discipline pursuant to section
54-1814(6), Idaho Code, and shall subject the physician to assessment of a
civil penalty of one hundred dollars ($100) for each month or portion thereof
that each such failure continues, payable to the vital statistics unit of
the department of health and welfare, but such failure shall not constitute a criminal act.

So if a doctor does not do this
They have to tell the Department of Health & Welfare
Then they are fined
or should I say
Taxed for their moral beliefs.
This is as ridiculous as asking all those that go above the speed limit to self-report and send in speeding ticket fines.
Why would you do that?

It also says...........

. If the materials are not available from the director of the department of health and welfare, no certification shall be required.

What does that mean?
Will the Department of Health and Welfare send out handouts? If they are not on the ball, then this law does not apply?

Now I have not read many Idaho state laws,
but I have to quote Seth & Amy on this one
REALLY?

This law is supposed to be enforced by doctors
There is no mechanism to allow the government to actually see medical records
This is like making a law mandating that you wash your feet first in the shower and then your back
Who will know?
Why wouldn't doctors just "yeah, yeah, yeah" the Department of Heath and Welfare?

What I really want is that list of places that you can get a free ultrasound.
Next time I need one, I will take them up on that offer
I think they are burying the lead on this one
Idaho State Government Mandates Free Ultrasounds

[Ilsa]

8. I think this is how a doctor would get into trouble:

A woman gets pregnant, goes through part of the state mandated routine, and has her abortion.

Later, after relatives or pressure from someone, the young woman, perhaps very religious herself, but having been desperate to end the pregnancy, accuses the doctor of not following the law. Then an anti-choice lawyer steps in and begins to sue the doctor for malpractice.

We'd like to think that every woman having an abortion is clearly pro-choice. Blogs of workers at clinics indicate this isn't so, though. "Pro-life" women get abortions, then go right back to protesting the clinics that terminated their pregnancies. They always find a way to rationalize what happened, saying something to the affect, "My need for abortion is different. Those women are just sluts."

[idahoblue]

9. Government mandated health care

Can we not refuse any medical procedure?