The New Comstock Act?

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Bonnie pointed this out in the comments; I wanted to be sure y’all saw it —

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), one of the most die-hard anti-choice lawmakers, has jumped on the bandwagon by sneaking a radical anti-abortion amendment onto a completely unrelated piece of legislation. DeMint’s amendment would ban women and their doctors from discussing abortion over the Internet:

Anti-choice Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) just filed an anti-choice amendment to a bill related to agriculture, transportation, housing, and other programs. The DeMint amendment could bar discussion of abortion over the Internet and through videoconferencing, even if a woman’s health is at risk and if this kind of communication with her doctor is her best option to receive care.

Under this amendment, women would need a separate, segregated Internet just for talking about abortion care with their doctors.

It’s not clear to me whether this act would censor all information about abortion on the Internet or whether it only applies to doctors using video conferencing or email to consult with patients. If the latter, I don’t even know what DeMint is trying to achieve, other than inconvenience and annoy people.

Also, last week the House passed the “let women die” bill. But they can’t pass a jobs bill.

Update: Digby figured it out. The bill is supposed to stop any federal funding of the RU-486 drug, including grants for webcam consultations, in which a woman is prescribed the abortion drug after a webcam conversation with the doctor.

9 thoughts on “The New Comstock Act?”

  1. I can just see the e-mail exchange now:
    Doctor- ‘Thank you patient XXXXXX for your inquiry.
    I’morrysay, utbay I’myay otnay allowedyay otay iscussday aththatyay overyay emailay aboutthat withyouway.
    Now, about that see planted by your male friend in your ‘trachea,’ we have several options we can discuss it you come and visit me. Let me assure everyone who may be reading our e-mail exchanges that none of these options will entail the physical removal of the seed. Now, I’m not necessarily advocating the advice of one of my fellow Doctors who famoustly wrote “A Tree Grows in Your Larynx,” but we can discuss what your choices are when you come in.”

    How long before it’s this:
    Woman: Honey, it’s out Anniversary! Don’t forget to stop off at the drugstore and pick-up some Saran Wrap.
    Man: Saran Wrap? That are we going to do on our Anniversary, wrap f*cking sandwiches?
    Woman: No, I think we can think of something else to wrap!
    Man: OH!

    When will the Right ever grow up?

  2. CundGulag, your post brings back memories of Senator Jim Exon’s 1996 “Communications Decency Act” which was supposed to make it illegal to use “offensive language” on the Internet. It passed, having been bundled into the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which was overall a very rotten piece of lobbyist-generated legislation which Bill Clinton signed. Among other things, it made Clear Channel possible, setting the stage for the right-wing takeover of AM talk radio.

    Eventually, the courts struck down the anti-obscenity provisions of the Act as a violation of free speech. But not before some clever hackers released a program that would automatically read an email you wanted to send and substitute the “offensive” words with the names of the senators who voted for this crap legislation. Using that program, the future of pornography would have looked something like this:

    “He plunged his hot, quivering Gingrich into her warm wet Exon.”

    I think if that today we might prefer “Boehner” to “Gingrich,” but I’m not sure what thing would be called a “DeMint.”

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Decency_Act

    That automated search-and-replace program was for MS-DOS, but hopefully a modern version running on Windows, Mac and Linux will be released soon.

  3. Well, I made what I thought was an entertaining comment, but the spam filter seems to have eaten it. Sigh.

  4. I don’t even know what DeMint is trying to achieve, other than inconvenience and annoy people.

    DeMint is just being the faithful Guardian of the Womb. It’s what the Lord would have him do. “Well done my good and faithful DeMint, you have earned your crowns in heaven.” For the Lord has not given unto women the understanding of such things.

  5. How’s Rick Santorum’s google problem coming along? And why is Ricky afraid to take a shower with the rest of the boys?

  6. Candide,
    LOL!!!

    Yeah, I can see it:
    ‘And they say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Ha! Well, I’ll learn ’em a thing or two!’ thought old Perry, as he got down on the floor and took the Full Filthy Gingrich position, but with a Backwards Bachmann twist, which fully exposing the tender, puckered Cantor between his still tight man cheeks, his Mitts wet with sweat, he waited for Cain’s throbbing Boehner to enter him and go through his tremulous flesh like a lazer knife through cold white lard.’
    And now we know, boys and girls, where Santorum comes from.

  7. Candide, ‘gulag:

    LOL!! After reading about Pat Buchanan’s new book on ThinkProgress, my mind was full of not pretty things, You have both wiped out the ugly with the funny…BRAVO!

  8. I’m not sure what thing would be called a “DeMint.”

    Something unpleasant left on the pillow afterward?

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