Tim Kaine, the Virginia governor and President Barack Obama's hand-picked choice as the head of the Democratic National Committee, infuriated abortion-rights groups Monday by signing legislation that gives abortion foes a long-sought victory.
Kaine brushed off intense lobbying by abortion rights supporters in Richmond to sign a bill that allows Virginia motorists to advertise their anti-abortion views by sporting "Choose Life" specialty license plates.
The revenue from the specialty plates would go to crisis-pregnancy centers, which many abortion-rights backers believe proslyetize against abortion and encourage women to keep unwanted children.
If Kaine were merely the governor of the Old Dominion, the move might have been less notable. Kaine--a Catholic who says he is personally opposed to abortion but pledged to leave the right to choose intact--won office in Virginia partly by seeking to reassure social conservatives.
But he is now on a national stage. And his decision could echo among women's activists who are among the most powerful financial supporters of the party.
"It is surprising that Governor Kaine would do this, but it's all the more surprising that he would do it as chair of the DNC," said Paulette McElwain, the president of the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood.
McElwain exchanged numerous calls with the governor's office over the license plates and organized a grass roots effort that logged more than 2,000 calls to the governor's staff.
"We provided him with abundant information," she said. "We're terribly disappointed that he decided to sign it."
In Washington, NARAL/Pro-Choice America channeled more than 17,000 emails and 200 calls to the DNC urging Kaine to veto the bill.
"It is unfortunate that, even after receiving thousands of messages from Virginians and pro-choice activists across the country, Gov. Kaine has opted to sign a bill that advances a divisive political ideology at the expense of women's health," NARAL/Pro-Choice America president Nancy Keenan said in a statement.
The "Choose Life" plate was among a number of designs approved by Kaine, including one honoring the Washington Capitals professional hockey team. To request a plate, a group must get at least 350 people to prepay a $25 fee.
Kaine defended the move by pointing out that Virginia has a "long-standing program" allowing customized license plates and said that if Planned Parenthood applied for a plate he would grant it.
"I sign this legislation today in keeping with the Commonwealth's longtime practice of approving specialty plates with all manner of political and social messages," Kaine said in a statement.
"Furthermore, if Planned Parenthood--an organization that is already a recipient of state budget funds--or another similar organization ever chooses to seek a specialty license plate in Virginia, I believe the Constitution would require the state to approve that plate to protect against any viewpoint discrimination."
Virginia joined 23 other states that offer similar license plates.
"I think he knew that it is a really extreme position to oppose these plates," said Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia. "Certainly there was pressure from the base of the Democratic party."
Source: Politico
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Why is it that homosexuals and abortion advocates don’t want any one to say anything against their philosophy? These groups think that they are a god to themselves, and as a result of this they think that homosexuality and abortion is a universal law. Well, let me say this, neither one is. Now, what about the fair practice doctrine? If I get on the airways and state, “abortion is the killing of a live small fetus. A fetus is a human being, because it is growing inside of a woman’s womb. If that which is growing inside of a woman was not a fetus, then it must be cancer. If it is not taken out it will continue to grow until it kills the woman. But a fetus will grow for only nine months, and leaves the woman with her life. A woman is a human being. It is wrong to kill a human being regardless of the society you live in. If we permit the killing of human beings at their conception, there will not be any human beings for human beings to kill. Therefore those that oppose the killing of human beings must make posters, signs, license plates and do other types of promoting the existence of our kind.” Who else do you pro-abortionist want kill?
many pro chocie peopel dont terminate the pregnancy. But want the option. prochocie doesnt always mean termination. Many tiems it doesnt . Just like pro life doesnt mean never have an abortion in practice. it they could diffuse a scandal, theyd terminate the pregnancy in a heart beat. Just ask the many pastors that preach anti abortion but seem to forget that after to get a member of their congregation pregnant.