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Dems criticize Tiahrt abortion comments that include Obama, Thomas
Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, during a House floor speech Thursday argued to restrict public funding for abortions and suggested abortion could deprive the world of future great minds and named President Barack Obama and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as examples.
Tiahrt said financial incentives could encourage women who were "single parents, living below the poverty level, to have the opportunity for a free abortion."
"If you take that scenario and apply it to many of the great minds we have today, who would we have been deprived of? Our president grew up in a similar circumstance," Tiahrt said. "If that financial incentive was in place, is it possible that his mother may have taken advantage of it?"
The liberal blog The Huffington Post criticized the comments and posted a video of the speech on its Web site. Chris Harris, a former Kansas Democratic Party communications director who now works for the Media Matters Action Network, said Tiahrt "embarrassed the state."
Tiahrt, a Republican whose district includes Wichita, is seeking the GOP nomination for a Senate seat in 2010 against Rep. Jerry Moran.
“He can’t even do his current job without morphing into an object of ridicule. Why in the world would Kansas voters give him a promotion?” Harris said.
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17 July 2009
at 11:55 a.m.
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63BC (Anonymous) says…
Looks like the Left is scared of Tiahrt.
And now…the other posters on the site can prove it…
17 July 2009
at noon
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KS (Anonymous) says…
The left is scared of anyone who stands up to abortion! That is why they will continue to press against Palin. They are petrified of her. The problem is that they just can't understand logic.
17 July 2009
at 12:04 p.m.
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rooster (Anonymous) says…
Um why would the left be scared of abortion opponents?
The right has tried with all of their force on many, many occasions for decades to no avail.
Once again, Why is the left scared?
17 July 2009
at 12:14 p.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
I once called Tiahrt on an issue, and since I wasn't a member of his area, they didn't want to hear from me. Nice Kansas rep NOT!! His area was the only Kansas area where I don't own land. Interesting that he didn't want to hear from me. Disinterest is the name of the game for Tiahrt.
17 July 2009
at 12:20 p.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
17 July 2009
at 12:22 p.m.
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absolutelyridiculous (Anonymous) says…
Machiavelli_mania…I've had the same experience with Congressman Dennis Moore.
I think I hear crickets chirping
17 July 2009
at 12:23 p.m.
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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…
MM, odd, a few weeks ago, I made a very vague reference to the first sentence of your above post–-very vague, and my post was removed. Let's see if yours stands.
17 July 2009
at 12:24 p.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
No one is petrified by ignorance and incompetence, as personified by Palin and Tiahrt. Not Dem. Not GOP. Not in the thinking person.
Palin can't even get the woman's vote. Tiahrt won't either.
17 July 2009
at 12:25 p.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
I call Moore all the time and there has never been trouble. I am directly accusing you, absolute, of lying.
17 July 2009
at 12:29 p.m.
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logicsound09 (Anonymous) says…
The idea that only one specific combination of genes might result in a great contributor to society is flawed.
One could just as easily argue a woman having an abortion when she is unable to properly care for the child allowed her to have a child later in life, at a point when that child would be much better equipped to become a great contributor to society.
17 July 2009
at 12:32 p.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
Nancy boy, I apologize. It should be removed. Will suggest it too.
“”single parents, living below the poverty level, to have the opportunity for a free abortion.”“
Why is it that they think abortion is the worst possible scenario?
I would think that having a father, like Tiahrt, who, for political reasons, is not able to acknowledge the general nature of his own child, and then legislate to tie the child's hands from getting professional help for his troubles without parental consent, thusly causing a suicide scenario for the poor boy, would be the worst possible scenario to live with.
17 July 2009
at 12:33 p.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
Opps. Misspell could and should keep it from being removed. Love those typos. Some are deliberately done.
17 July 2009
at 12:39 p.m.
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Satirical (Anonymous) says…
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
17 July 2009
at 12:44 p.m.
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blindrabbit (Anonymous) says…
Of course this clown does not believe in sex education, Planned Parenthood, non-invasive birth control, access to contraceptives, etc. He does believe in right-wing religious dogma from men who want to limit women's choices. If anybody is scared by the abortion issue it is the Religious Right, not because they are so concerned about the unborn but because they feel a loss of control.
Kansas continues to “Send in the Clowns”.
17 July 2009
at 12:50 p.m.
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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…
Wow! Repubs are getting in alot of hot water over comments and jokes lately. Glad Dems have more restraint. (rolling eyes)
17 July 2009
at 1:22 p.m.
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Machiavelli_mania (Anonymous) says…
The Religious Rite kill. Kill for ideology, a very dubious ideology.
Is as simple as that, Nancy boy.
17 July 2009
at 1:24 p.m.
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TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…
MM, why don't you tell us some more detail about the Clarence Thomas hearings.
17 July 2009
at 1:27 p.m.
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MyName (Anonymous) says…
Okay, this Rep. is dumb. I don't think anyone is running scared from him, they just don't want him representing Kansas in the Senate, or you know doing anything important, like managing a McDonalds, or a Walmart, or being a crossing guard.
I'd be perfectly happy to vote for him as dog catcher or hire him as a telephone sanitizer.
17 July 2009
at 1:30 p.m.
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absolutelyridiculous (Anonymous) says…
MM “I call Moore all the time and there has never been trouble. I am directly accusing you, absolute, of lying. ”
not lying…just not one of Moore's cronies as you obviously are.
Point made and confirmed.
17 July 2009
at 1:39 p.m.
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kmat (Anonymous) says…
AR - I too have called and written Moore many times and always got responses. I have never met him or given him any contributions. I call your bluff too.
Totally agree with Myname!! I don't know if I'd go so far to make him dog catcher because I don't think he has enough common sense for that job, but I would let him sanitize phones.
17 July 2009
at 1:41 p.m.
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absolutelyridiculous (Anonymous) says…
So what has Mr. Tiahrt said that you could possibly call inaccurate? He is speculating that some of the best are possibly being aborted. This could be true. If a man speaks the truth…why, other than your obvious political mypopia, do you condemn?
17 July 2009
at 1:47 p.m.
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absolutelyridiculous (Anonymous) says…
MM and kmat…again my point is made in response to your experience with Mr. Tiahrt's office. I'm not of the Dennis Moore camp…as you obviously are…and therefore, get the same lack of response when I contact Mr. Moore's office.
17 July 2009
at 2:01 p.m.
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Wallythewalrus (Anonymous) says…
Iranian leaders often refer to the United States and its allies as the “global arrogance.”
“As soon as the new government is established, with power and authority, ten times more than before, it will enter the global scene and will bring down the global arrogance,” he, pres. Iam dema god, told a big crowd in the northeastern city of Mashhad.
“They should wait as a new wave of revolutionary thinking … from the Iranian nation is on the way and we will not allow the arrogant (powers) to even have one night of good sleep,” Ahmadinejad said, according to state broadcaster IRIB.
Sleepless in Seattle.
17 July 2009
at 2:32 p.m.
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KS (Anonymous) says…
rooster - Then why does the left continue to attack. If all is well in lala land. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
17 July 2009
at 2:40 p.m.
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jonas_opines (Anonymous) says…
Abortion + Obama + Republican = Kneejerk Democrat Reaction
17 July 2009
at 2:44 p.m.
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jonas_opines (Anonymous) says…
“Point made and confirmed.”
You use very strange criteria to confirm your points. I'd almost call your apparent criteria absolutely ridiculous.
17 July 2009
at 5:13 p.m.
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rhd99 (Anonymous) says…
Every time the Dems. Speak, (Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah). They don't care about the other side's arguments. Heck, look at the way they're shoving health reform down our throats. Dems better watch their backs. We will be back.
17 July 2009
at 6:48 p.m.
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maybeso (Anonymous) says…
I agree with blindrabbit: if the right really wanted to end abortion, they would be for sex ed, access to better birth control, etc., and the radical idea of encouraging self-pleasure (you know what I mean…) as part of overall sexual health. Satisfying sexual desire does not have to lead to unwanted pregnancies.
20 July 2009
at 1:26 p.m.
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honeychild (Mel Briscoe) says…
woah.
22 July 2009
at 5:28 p.m.
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CestWhat (Anonymous) says…
The left is scare of Todd Tiarht. Descent people are just sicken by him and his whole “C-Street” kabal. Barack Obama has more Kansas in his veins then Todd Tiarht ever will. This wasn't a pro or anti medical abortions stance. It implies that Ann Dunham was just too cheap to do it. That's a terrible message for our youth.
Families are off-limits including Pres. Obama's deceased Kansan mother.
22 July 2009
at 5:29 p.m.
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CestWhat (Anonymous) says…
The left is not scare of Todd Tiarht. Descent people are just sicken by him and his whole “C-Street” kabal. Barack Obama has more Kansas in his veins then Todd Tiarht ever will. This wasn't a pro or anti medical abortions stance. It implies that Ann Dunham was just too cheap to do it. That's a terrible message for our youth.
Families are off-limits including Pres. Obama's deceased Kansan mother.