Hypocrisy Thy Name Is Bolling

By: Jess33
Published On: 2/29/2008 6:17:43 PM

On Wednesday, anti-choice Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling cast the decisive vote in the Virginia Senate to defund state family-planning clinics that provide low-income women with access to basic health care, such as contraception and screenings for breast and cervical cancer.

Bolling's vote - which broke a 20-20 tie in the Senate - was outrageous enough, but this politician takes hypocrisy to a whole new level.
Check out his web site and you will find (I am not kidding here) Bolling promoting public service announcements in which he encourages women in Virginia to get screenings for cervical cancer:

Busy women in today's modern world must make the connection between HPV, Pap testing and avoidance of a nearly preventable cancer. Urge the women in your life to get a Pap test. Pass on the information to friends.
Mr. Bolling, you just voted for an amendment that will deny cervical-cancer screenings to thousands of women in Virginia.

You can bet that NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia is going to tell everyone we know about this hypocrisy. At a time when so many Virginians cannot afford health care, you cut funding for the very services you encouraged women to get - services that are available at Planned Parenthood and other family-planning clinics.

We have your number - literally (it's 804-786-2078). Our public service announcement begins with a call to your office to express our displeasure with your vote against women's health.  

Comments



we need a pro-choice majority... (HokieDem - 2/29/2008 7:17:35 PM)
not just a Democratic majority badly in the General Assembly.  it's great to have pro-choice leadership, but when stuff like this can get through a Democratic senate we need help.  let me also point out how terrifying this makes the prospect of a Bill Bolling (or Bob McDonnell for that matter) governorship.  i can't imagine a Virginia with Bolling as Governor and Cuccinelli as AG, the women of our Commonwealth would be denied any basic rights by the end of that term.  i'm pretty excited for the day when white men in public office learn that women can make their own decisions and should actually have a say in their reproductive health.

there is no better reason than this to keep a Democrat in the governor's mansion next year, to at least give us a backstop against this ridiculous kind of amendment or legislation.



The right-wing's favorite scapegoat (Kindler - 2/29/2008 9:59:06 PM)
Planned Parenthood is one of the most courageous and effective organizations I've ever encountered.  They deal with real women with real problems every day, counseling them, providing services, helping rather than judging.

And the result of their efforts is to be the scapegoat of extremists and political opportunists who are desperate to distract the public from what's really happening in this country.

Let this be a wakeup call that we need to work even harder to elect Democrats who support Democratic values.  

And let me apologize to one woman -- Janet Oleszek, I'm sorry I didn't do more to get you elected.  We're paying the price with this shameful bill by Sen. Cuccinelli and all the other garbage he is sure to litter the state with while in office.



Perhaps $100,000 or so (Lowell - 2/29/2008 10:04:15 PM)
from a certain 11th CD congressional candidate who had tons of money and an enormous lead in the polls might have helped Janet as well?


Let's see how long it takes (vadem2008 - 2/29/2008 10:06:18 PM)
for the teen pregnancy rate to rise!


So (leftofcenter - 2/29/2008 10:48:51 PM)
what happens now? Is this really going to go through?


What Happens Next (Jess33 - 3/1/2008 8:24:40 AM)
The budget bills are in conference right now, and once both houses agree on a reconciled version, that version will go to the Governor.  So it depends on whether the Senate and House budget conferees keep the amendment in the reconciled version.  

I'll make sure to post if there are any developments.  :)  



Can (leftofcenter - 3/1/2008 9:23:42 AM)
we have hope that Kaine will veto it or do they have a veto proof majority?
This is very disturbing. I imagine PP is ballistic about now.


Payback on election day 2009 (Peninsula Pete - 3/1/2008 1:53:21 PM)
Bolling's vote on this and what is now the "UNCONSTITUTIONAL" regional taxing authorities should be revisited, should he be the Republican Nominee for Governor.  Its either him or McDonnell, both of whom supported illegal government bodies levying taxes.  

The Republicans will lose the majority in 2009 in the House and not a day too soon.



Why are you so sure (Teddy - 3/1/2008 5:03:32 PM)
the Republicans will lose the majority in the House next cycle? Which Republiboobs will we lose? And how about increasing the margin in the Senate, while we're at it?


I'm not sure at all. (Lowell - 3/1/2008 5:17:58 PM)
To the contrary, I think we've picked most of the "low-hanging fruit" and it will only get more difficult from here on out. Not impossible, but not easy either.