Michigan’s veto-proof ‘rape insurance’ close to becoming law with approval of 4.2% of voters

[Galraedia]

Source: Raw Story

A legislative ballot initiative to ban abortion coverage in health insurance plans and require women to buy what opponents call “rape insurance” was approved by Michigan’s Secretary of State this week and is expected by many to become law because it cannot be vetoed by Gov. Rick Snyder (R).

On Monday, the Michigan Secretary of State certified that the group Michigan Right to Life had enough signature for the legislature to take up the measure. The group turned in 315,477 signatures, but only 258,088 — or 3 percent of the state’s voters — were needed. Snyder vetoed a similar bill last year, but Michigan’s constitution does not give him the authority to sign or veto legislative initiatives.

The initiative would require that all health plans — not just plans under the Affordable Care Act — be stripped of any abortion coverage, even in the cases of rape or incest. Women would have to purchase a separate rider to receive abortion coverage.

Because women could not purchase the coverage after they were raped, critics have referred to the rider as “rape insurance.”

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/11/27/michigans-veto-proof-rape-insurance-close-to-becoming-law-with-approval-of-4-2-of-voters/

[BlueJazz]

1. Who in the hell is Michigan’s Secretary of State ??....Phyllis Schlafly ?

Michigan is trying to catch-up with us dumb-fucks here in the South.
...and we don't like it no sireeee.

[alp227]

25. sorry, even with a Green Party member as SoS, the SoS has no choice but to say yes,

because the SoS is the one overseeing what goes in the ballots and has to follow relevant law.

[valerief]

34. Michigan has laws? I thought that was the state with emergency managers instead

of elected officials. That can't be legal.

[alp227]

35. for specific cities

detroit, pontiac, benton harbor I think

[valerief]

36. That's not law. That's plunder. nt

[another_liberal]

2. There is no way that measure is Constitutional.

Then again, with this Supreme Court . . .

[elehhhhna]

12. and what company will offer this policy, oh geniuses?

duh


what horseshit.

[ancianita]

24. Ya, like there's reliable rape predictability rates out there.

[7962]

38. Great point.

[AAO]

3. Then he'd better plan on seceding from the Union.

[ehrnst]

4. Can they make men purchase impotence insurance? (nt)

[riqster]

5. I don't think they can get up the support.

But who knows what will come next.

[okaawhatever]

20. Oh no you didn't.....I hear they're be stiff penalties for non-compliance. nt

[riqster]

21. If it comes to a head, yeah.

[christx30]

46. I hope not.

People that don't comply are certainly going to get the shaft.

[cosmicone]

23. Not hard enough support for those policies. n/t

[LeftOfWest]

6. And the woman hating goes on

scum of the earth misogynist slime.

“Nobody is anticipating being a victim of crime.” Exactly Meghan but they don't care, the right wing has to hate and live in fear of something or their already pathetic lives have no real meaning.

[elehhhhna]

14. Selfappointed vag'obsessed pussypatrol jackasses

[rurallib]

7. No siree - no GOP war on women - No siree!

jesus fucking christ what an insult to women!

[madrchsod]

8. it seems that our society is dissolving .....

it really makes me sad to think what my children , grand, and great children will be facing when i'm gone.

[Burf-_-]

9. when might we finally

start launching these people into the Sun.

[Union Scribe]

10. My state was taken over.

Sucker voters fell for a "moderate" Republican, who proceeded to rip his mask off revealing a rabid right wing ALEC puppet. He and his administration has repeatedly thwarted the democratic process to ram through legislation and initiatives like this, hurting workers, students, women, families. They don't care what the people want and don't bother hiding it.

This is why I don't give much of a shit about 2016 right now. 2014 is the chance to get this dark cancer out of our capital. Who knows how much more damage it will do before then.

[navarth]

30. All true but leave us not forget

The Michigan Democratic Party just seemed to be asleep at the wheel during the Snyder election. My hope is that they're getting their shit together, because it seems to me like they better hurry up.

As best I can tell, Schauer is our best hope to dump Koch/Snyder. I'll be giving him money and try to get more involved myself. But we still have this nuts legislature.

Makes me miss the old days of Jim Blanchard.

[Demeter]

32. The auto unions sat out Snyder election

I don't know why. It was stupid move on their part.

[navarth]

39. That is strange for sure.

I think it also ties in with The MI Dems not having their doo doo together in that election, and I have to wonder what's up with them now. They fired Mark Brewer and there's some new blood in there.

[Kelvin Mace]

11. Can't our side launch

a similar counter-initiative under the same legal tactic?

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. I don't understand how this works. Can someone explain?

Did the legislature vote for this after the signatures were handed in?

On edit: It looks like the legislature will take this up. And it's expected to pass? Looks like it's time to de-elect a few folks.

[alp227]

26. No, the legislature has to approve next.

http://www.freep.com/article/20131125/NEWS06/311250138/abortion-health-insurance-women-rider-rape-incest-life

The state Board of Canvassers will meet at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2 to certify the signatures and then the petition moves to the state Legislature, which has 40 days to approve, reject or do nothing with the legislative ballot initiative.

(Freep.com = the Detroit Free Press, not that right wing crazy town.)

[warrior1]

15. it's unconstitutional

[paleotn]

19. More than slightly nt

[warrior1]

16. women should stop

having sex with men until this is overturned

[warrior1]

17. Women should start moving out of Michigan ASAP

[navarth]

28. Thanks but no thanks

How about they stay here and do some voting. I understand your emotion but this shit will just follow them to another state in my opinion.

[Demeter]

33. I'd rather move out the men

but there are so few...

[navarth]

40. I don't want to go!!

And my wife doesn't want me to either. I recommend making friends with the good ones, don't throw us all out.

[Demeter]

44. Introduce me, then!

[navarth]

45. You're available? Ok I'll get on it! nt

[Rozlee]

18. I can't wait for the youth of our country to take the reins from these old teabaggers.

They're supposedly trending more liberal and secular and I'm sincerely hoping that in the future, they won't put up with these right-wing mullahs.

[okaawhatever]

22. This isn't a typical Republican/tea party topic. By denying the right for private insurance

companies to allow coverage for abortion procedures, they're trampling all over free market ideology. The right to lifers are sponsoring it, so the defense will be an interesting mix of bedfellows. If the insurance companies don't fight it it's because they don't want the fallout from the religious right.

BTW, this and other seemingly illegal measures are done to deplete the funds of Planned Parenthood and others who will have to pay tons of money to take this to court. This probably isn't just about the law itself.

[ancianita]

31. Maybe this is a case for the ACLU, instead. It would seem to remove rightful responsibility from law

enforcement and the criminal prosecution process, wouldn't it. Perhaps it would leave the prosecutions up to the insurance companies, which would, of course, pay if they lost, but perhaps the wins would mount against rapists because of insurance company 'deep pockets.' Speculation, of course.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

27. I hear the...

...cuckoos in the forest once more!

[ancianita]

29. Republican women, where the hell is your dignity! Get out of that party now!

[catbyte]

37. I. weep for my once-beautiful state. I'm afraid they're going to re-elect Rick The Dictator

Maybe I'm being too negative, but I don't know.

[navarth]

41. Am I allowed to do this?

http://markschauer.com/

I don't work for his campaign. I just want to stir the pot and get people aware that this guy is doing well in the polls and might be the answer.

I don't know if it's against the rules to post this link, hope it's ok.

[mopinko]

42. hell, start a thread.

it's fine. we should have more candidate thumping.

[mwooldri]

43. Eurgh :(

If this should ever come to pass, health insurance companies should strip (where possible) any reproductive medical coverage from their health policies (for both men and women) and offer a "Reproductive Health Coverage" rider for 1 cent a month on top of their normal insurance premiums that could offer abortion coverage. I guess it could be called Rape and Viagra insurance... but that's being crass...

I am hoping cooler heads will prevail, or if it comes the law of that state that someone who loves presenting cases in court present a few heaping dozens of lawsuits on the state that passes such a crazy and nonsensical law.