HB2797 failed today, despite pleas from its sponsor, Bob Marshall.
“It’s a good idea to say what the hell you believe and not be ashamed of it,” Marshall said from his seat before being warned by House Speaker William J. Howell that his microphone was still on.
Um, we know what you believe, Mr. Marshall. Thank goodness 53 other folks thought differently.
I, for one, believe that the Democratic Party Platform has it right in describing abortion: it should be safe, legal and rare.
UPDATE: The voting information is now available.
YEAS–Athey, Bowling, Byron, Carrico, Cline, Cole, Cox, Dudley, Fralin, Frederick, Gear, Gilbert, Hamilton, Hargrove, Hugo, Hurt, Iaquinto, Ingram, Janis, Jones, S.C., Kilgore, Landes, Lingamfelter, Lohr, Marshall, R.G., McQuigg, Miller, J.H., Nixon, Oder, Orrock, Peace, Phillips, Putney, Rapp, Reid, Saxman, Scott, E.T., Sherwood, Ware, R.L., Welch, Wittman, Wright, Mr. Speaker–43.
NAYS–Albo, Alexander, Amundson, Armstrong, BaCote, Barlow, Bell, Brink, Bulova, Callahan, Caputo, Cosgrove, Dance, Ebbin, Eisenberg, Englin, Griffith, Hall, Hogan, Howell, A.T., Hull, Joannou, Jones, D.C., Lewis, Marsden, Marshall, D.W., May, McClellan, McEachin, Melvin, Miller, P.J., Moran, Morgan, Nutter, O’Bannon, Plum, Poisson, Purkey, Rust, Scott, J.M., Shannon, Shuler, Sickles, Spruill, Suit, Tata, Toscano, Valentine, Waddell, Ward, Wardrup, Ware, O., Watts–53.
ABSTENTIONS–0.
NOT VOTING–Abbitt, Crockett-Stark, Johnson, Tyler–4.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I’m still waiting for them to get to the “rare” part.
In order to get there, we have to figure out a way to reduce unintended pregnancies. About half of all pregnancies are unintended, and about 40% of those end in abortion.
“I’m still waiting for them to get to the “rare” part.”
I have little sympathy for your plight Brian when politicians from the right block efforts to make it “rare” like giving people more access to birth control, letting them use the morning after pill, and accurate information about sex. When this happens universally, then come talk to me about abortion.
I just wonder what all the abortion advocates will say to God, when He asks why you killed His little innocent babies.
That’s quite an assumption. Not all who advocate choice have had an abortion. And advocating choice is not the same as advocating abortion.
Pro-choice advocates want better and more available contraception, accurate information about sex, better pre-natal care, improved adoption services, and yes, for abortion to be available, safe, legal and rare. Anti-women advocates, or if you prefer, so-called pro-life advocates just want to control women’s sex lives.
I wonder how many of the anti-women brigade will protect their daughters from cervical cancer?
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPAV) is very encouraged by the conversation generated by HB 2797 and other egregious bills. Our website is http://www.ppav.org and it is updated regularly with bill charts (see here: http://www.ppav.org/keyissues/2007billchart.html) action alerts – see here: http://www.ppaction.org/ppav/home.html?flash_name=HB2797, and ways to get involved.