Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
When Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) is not channeling Joe McCarthy with his Islamophobia conspiracy theories about how the Council on American Islamic Relations tried to plant "spies" in the national security apparatus, House Republicans accuse Muslim group of trying to plant spies, or claiming that African-Americans were better off under slavery than they are today (why? Because "abortion!"), or declaring that President Obama is one of the most dangerous enemies facing America today and "an enemy of humanity", or threatening to impeach President Obama over his refusal to defend the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, this Christian Right anti-gay, anti-abortion zealot fancies himself the "Mayor" of Washington, D.C., proposing to outlaw the constitutional right to a safe abortion in the District.
As the Washington Post editoiralized last year, The House tramples again on the District's rights:
THE ISSUES ADMITTEDLY are not normally
the domain of a member of Congress. But D.C. residents who wanted to
discuss problems of city potholes, rat infestations and broken
streetlights with Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) were trying to make an
important point. If Mr. Franks is so interested in running the affairs
of District residents, as evidenced by his effort to restrict their abortion rights, then let him deal with all the other issues of local government.
No surprise that Mr. Franks locked his doors to last week’s protest by D.C. Vote and turned off his phones.
Nor is it any surprise that his noxious bill to restrict the
constitutional rights of women in the nation’s capital is likely to
advance. It’s pretty clear that the rights or wishes of D.C. residents
matter little on Capitol Hill, particularly to members of the House
Republican majority.
Rep. Franks still fancies himself the "Mayor" of Washington, D.C. and is back to try again this year with yet another attempt to outlaw the constitutional right to a safe abortion in the District. The Hill reports GOP bill would ban DC abortions after 20 weeks:
Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) is bringing back a bill to ban most
abortions in the District of Columbia after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Franks,
a member of the Judiciary Committee, reintroduced the legislation
Friday after an almost identical measure failed to pass the House last
year under a suspension of the rules.
* * *
Franks's bill would prohibit abortions in the District of Columbia after
20 weeks' gestation, based on the disputed premise that fetuses can
feel pain at that stage.
It will be opposed by supporters of
abortion rights and the D.C. "home rule" movement, which believes
Congress should not set policy in the District.
In a statement last week, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) vowed to defeat the Franks bill on behalf of District women.
"We
will combat the insatiable Republican obsession with interfering with
the rights of women in our city, as we have successfully done before,"
she said.
This Religious Right conspiracy theory loving extremist is by far the greatest embarrassment to the state of Arizona, without equal. Franks is our version of the Minnesota Loon, Rep. Michele Bachmann.
Franks has got to go. Isn't there a rational and reasonable Republican to challenge this dangerous demagogue in a primary? Can't the Democrats find a well-financed credible challenger? Please Arizona, let's kick this clown to the curb in 2014. I'm begging you.