Thursday, October 03, 2013

Ken Cuccinelli Is Lying About His Anti-Woman Agenda

Cuccinelli's solution to abortion
No one tells bigger lies or lies more frequently than the self-anointed "godly Christian" crowd who seek to impose their fear and hate based religious views on all of society.  The folks I call the Christofascists.  Seemingly, the end justifies the means, so truth, veracity and basic honesty are quickly thrown out the window.  In the 2013 Virginia elections, we are seeing it constantly as the Virginia GOP's slate of Ken Cuccinelli, "Bishop" E.W. Jackson, and Mark Obenshain lie over and over again about their past extremist actions and statements.   In the gubernatorial race, Cuccinelli is shrieking that McAuliffe ads that slam Cuccinelli's anti-woman agenda, including his support for a "personhood" amendment that would have outlawed all abortions and many forms of birth control are "untrue."  Of course, the ads ARE true and that's what really has Cuccinelli's panties in such a wad.  He already trails by a large double digit deficit with women voters and, if more truly understand his agenda, the deficit will soar even more.  A piece in Blue Virginia looks at Cuccinelli's disingenuous crocodile tears.  Here are a few highlights:
You know, for years I've heard that although Ken Cuccinelli might be an extremist, nuts, and all that, he was: a) an ace politician, particularly at the "retail" level; and b) very, very smart. Then 2013 came along, and "a" pretty much went down the tubes, as Cuccinelli has run an inept, flailing, and ultimately LOSING campaign for governor. As for "b," you've really got to wonder when you read stuff like this.
Virginia state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli accused former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe of lying about his record on women's issues... "Take birth control, my opponent is flat out lying and he knows he's lying," said Cuccinelli of a new ad McAuliffe's campaign is running in the Virginia governor's race. "I do not support government playing a role in adults' choices about contraception. Just don't, period. Haven't in the past, he would like to say that I have, but I haven't. And I'm committing to not doing that in the future."
OK, so there are two possibilities here, neither flattering to Cuccinelli. Possibility #1 is that he's just lying through his teeth, knows full well that he's lying through his teeth, and just doesn't care. In other words, he'll say ANYTHING to get elected. . . . .  but Cuccinelli's a "true believer" type, so I tend to think he actually might have convinced himself that he's telling the truth on this.

Which, of course, he's not. As Chris Cillizza notes in his article (which should have just outright stated that Cuccinelli is lying, but of course didn't, because that would be...uh, real journalism or something), the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said about Cuccinelli's "personhood" legislation that it "could limit women's access to preventative health care and contraception, including birth control medication." Don't believe the American Congress of Obestetricians and Gynecologists? Well then, fine, here's what Cooch's actual constitutional amendment said:
"That life begins at the moment of fertilization and the right to enjoyment of life guaranteed by Article 1, § 1 of the Constitution of Virginia is vested in each born and preborn human being from the moment of fertilization."
Adding to the Virginia constitution that "the right to enjoyment of life" is "vested in each born and preborn human being from the moment of fertilization" clearly would do several things. 
*First, it would criminalize abortion at any stage, for any reason (including rape or incest).
*Second, it would criminalize embryonic stem cell research.
*Third, it could criminalize in-vitro fertilization.
*And finally, it would criminalize several popular forms of contraception such as birth control pills and IUDs. 
None of this is a secret, by the way . . . . [A]s the top-rated comment on Chris Cillizza's article puts it: "Does he really not understand anything about science?...He's either lying or stupid, neither of which are qualities I want in a governor."
Cuccinelli may be insane (at least in my opinion), but he's not stupid.  For years he has pandered to the ultra extremists at The Family Foundation and pushed their Christofascist agenda, which includes a jihad against gays, abortion and contraception.  He's lived in the far right bubble for too long and now is hitting the brink wall of the media and the McAuliffe campaign quoting his past statements and legislative history.  Indeed, had the media been as thorough with its coverage of his actions in the Virginia Senate, he may never have been elected as Attorney General in the first place.   Virginians - especial women - need to know the real Ken Cuccinelli.  Once they do, his campaign will be toast no matter how much he tries to lie.

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