This week, Missouri's GOP-dominated legislature overrode Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a bill mandating a 72-hour waiting period before a woman can have an abortion. They want her to take some time to think about this very important life decision -- as if she hadn't thought about it before going to the doctor for the first visit. It's yet another attempt to dissuade women from having control over their own bodies.
The compassionate conservatives in Jefferson City did not include an exception for rape and incest. Yes, Ms. Rape Victim, not only is your doctor mandated by law to counsel you on how bad abortion is, but you're then going to have to spend three more days thinking about whether you want to keep the child that was forced upon you by a violent felon. Sure hope your health insurance covers another doctor's office visit, not to mention the cost of the procedure, and the expense of having to travel who-knows-how-many miles across the state to find a place that still performs abortions.
By the way, there's no waiting period to buy a gun in Missouri. You want to shoot someone right now? Here, have a deadly weapon. You want to undo a mistake that will lead to an unwanted child? Sorry, you'll have to come back later this week.