Last week, Oklahoma’s Democratic Governor Brad Henry, without comment, signed into law a group of five anti-choice measures. These laws include a parental consent (not notification) rule that for the first time will require minors in Oklahoma to obtain the approval of at least one parent prior to obtaining an abortion. The law also requires doctors to lecture women seeking an abortion about fetal pain, and treats the fetus as a legal human being when crimes are committed against a pregnant woman.
Democrats control the State Senate 25-23. Yet these measures passed that Senate by a vote of 38-8. And our Democratic Governor signed them into law.
The take-home point to remember: electing Democrats will do nothing to secure reproductive freedom unless those Democrats believe in reproductive freedom. Otherwise, they’re just more votes against choice, even if Democrats control one or more branches of government.
(This diary is crossposted in orange.)
