And This Guy’s Fucking Married

Todd Akin is a 65 year old Republican congressman from Missouri, currently challenging Democrat Claire McCaskill for Missouri’s Senate seat. During an interview in St. Louis, Akin argued against abortion in rape cases, noting that first and foremost pregnancy was very unlikely. “From what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

In case you need a clue, the widely-cited 1996 study by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology proves Akin dead wrong - to the tune of 5% of all rape victims (32,000 pregnancies as a result of rape in the US annually).  Akin later redacted his quote, saying he misspoke. 

Last year Akin partnered with Paul Ryan to try and prevent Medicaid from funding rape abortions by saying only victims of “forcible rape“  - a completely new term in both politics and criminal law - should qualify for such financial assistance.  According to Akin and Ryan, victims of statutory rape, or incest, or where the victim is drugged or has a limited mental capacity would not receive a federally funded abortion.  After public outcry, the “forcible rape” language was removed, but  version of the bill still passed through the GOP House.  The Romney-Ryan team has since distanced itself from the Akin-Ryan team.

Akin’s track record would be puzzling if it weren’t so terrifying.  He claimed that “the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God.” He wants to end school lunch programs. He wants to ban the morning after pill “totally, for everyone.” He also serves on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. It’s funny until you realize he’s in a position of power in our government and has an influence on actual law.

Talk about being dangerously ignorant.  If you have any qualms about the issue of rape and abortion, then you’re probably a guy and you need to forget anything you think you know, go find the nearest woman and ask her for her opinion.  Then ask her if she really feels comfortable having a 65 year old guy with a BS in engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute making decisions for her uterus.