4 Decisions Anti-Choice Politicians In Missouri Think Are Just Like Choosing Abortion

Last night, anti-choice politicians in Missouri forced through one of the longest abortion waiting periods in the nation, making it even harder for women who need abortion care – with no exceptions for rape or incest survivors. Because, according to these compassionate folks, making decisions about abortion is just like buying a car.

In the middle of the night, anti-choice politicians in Missouri forced a vote to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto and enact one of the harshest forced-waiting periods in the country for women seeking abortion care.

These geniuses rammed through a bill that 8 in 10 Missouri voters have concerns with because, well, making decisions is hard.

Just look at the kind of decisions they're wishy washy about, and you'll understand why these guys can't imagine how a woman would be able to decide that an abortion is right for her without their intervention. (Prepare to be mansplained.)

1) Installing carpet

Via images.dexknows.com

Rep. Chuck Gatschenberger wants you to know it took him a heckuva long time to decide what kind of carpet to get installed in his home – and that’s just like deciding whether to have an abortion: “You know, I was just considering getting carpeting in my house. That process probably took a month… I wanted to be as informed as possible, and that’s what this bill is, having them get as much information as possible."

2) Buying a car

Via pictures.dealer.com

But that’s not all Rep. Chuck Gatschenberger has contemplated. Come on, buying a car is a huge commitment that takes a lot of research, too: “Even when I buy a new vehicle — this is my experience — I don’t go right in there and say, I want to buy that vehicle, and, you know, leave with it. I have to look at it, get information about it, maybe drive it, check prices.” So he can totally relate to all those women facing an unplanned pregnancy.

3) Buying a vacuum cleaner

Ladies, when you need an abortion, why not treat it like buying a vacuum? That's how one anti-choice politician justified forcing women to wait to access their legal right to abortion care. His reasoning? He had buyer's remorse over a vacuum for three long days, so obviously women wanting to access abortion should feel the same way about ending a pregnancy.

Clearly, this law is supported by people who think that women belong back in the 50s with their vacuums and no choice in what's best for them regarding abortion care.

4) Getting knee surgery

Denis Kartavenko

Rep. Keith Frederick, who is an actual medical doctor, thinks the forced-waiting period is a great idea because women should “just do some soul searching." This doctor has apparently never met a woman facing an unintended pregnancy and figures they could use his wisdom: “It strikes me that the decision to undergo an abortion is at least as important and impactful to a person’s life as a knee replacement.”

How does it not compute that the legislature shouldn't be taking advice from a doctor who clearly cannot tell the difference between a pregnancy and a bad knee?

So there you have it! The Missouri legislature is now doing our thinking for us because they can't trust women to make their own decisions about their futures.