Republicans are no longer trying to hide their anti-woman views.
On Capitol Hill, Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) explained why he supports a national 20-week abortion ban without exceptions for rape an incest by claiming that pregnancies resulting from rape are very rare, a very similar claim to how former Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) defended his extreme anti-abortion views. That prompted Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) to give this response to Franks's absurd claim:
I just find it astonishing to hear a phrase repeated that the incidence of pregnancy from rape is low. There’s no scientific basis for that and the idea that the Republican men on this committee can tell the women of America that they have to carry to term the product of a rape is outrageous.In Wisconsin, the Republican-controlled state legislature there passed a forced ultrasound bill, but not before the Republican legislators made complete fools of themselves.
After Democratic State Senator Kathleen Vinehout mentioned that she had been sexually assaulted as a teenager in an emotional speech opposing the forced ultrasound bill, the Republican State Senators completely snapped. First, Republican State Senator Mary Lazich dismissed Vinehout's speech as "theatrics" and spewed a bunch of anti-abortion lunacy in her speech supporting the forced ultrasound bill. Then, Republicans shut down debate, and Republican State Senate President Mike Ellis completely snapped during the roll call vote. You can watch all of that here:
Since the forced ultrasound bill passed the State Assembly, but an amended version had been passed by the State Senate, the State Assembly passed the amended bill, but not before Republican State Assemblyman Bill Kramer claimed that Wisconsin's state government isn't a democracy during debate of the amended bill in the state assembly and called for a group of people to be removed from the gallery for cheering a speech from Democratic State Assemblywoman Sandy Pasch in opposition to the forced ultrasound bill.
In Ohio, Republican State Representative Bill Hood, along with 34 other Republican members of the Ohio House of Representatives, are trying to sneak an omnibus anti-abortion bill into the state budget. The legislation, which has been described by ThinkProgress as perhaps the worst anti-abortion bill that has ever been introduced, includes a forced ultrasound requirement, a requirement for doctors to describe the fetal heartbeat and details of the ultrasound image, a 48-hour waiting period with no medical emergency exceptions, a requirement for doctors to tell false information to patients seeking an abortion, and a requirement for doctors to tell how much money they receive for each abortion they perform.
In Maine, Republican State House Minority Leader Ken Fredette gave perhaps the most flagrantly sexist speech I've ever seen an elected official give. In a speech opposing expansion of Maine's Medicaid program, Fredette said that he opposes Medicaid expansion because he has a "man's brain". Here's the video of Fredette's speech:
Republicans all across America are no longer trying to hide the fact that they are promoting extreme, anti-woman policies. They are embracing their War on Women.