REP. TODD AKIN: LEGITIMATE RAPE + FORCIBLE RAPE = REPUBLICAN EXTREMISM

Most Republican members of Congress will never discard their antediluvian view about women.  Congressman, Todd Akin is not alone in the act of women bashing - he is a quintessential Republican. His extreme views about women and rape dovetail in toto with that of Mr. Paul Ryan as well as mainstream Republicans.

Mr. Paul Ryan (Governor Romney's running mate on the Republican Presidential ticket) is the mastermind of the "Forcible Rape" Bill of 2011. The truth is that, the "Legitimate Rape" bombshell by Mr. Todd Akin, incendiary and demeaning of women as it appears in the eyes of reasonable people all over the World, is not alien to Republican members of Congress - it is their trademark.  Mr. Todd Akin is in a precarious position presently, not necessarily because of what he said, but for the timing of what he said. Period.

To those who do not know and who care to know, "Legitimate (Forcible) Rape" is a Republican invention, developed by Mr. Paul Ryan. And Mr. Paul Ryan is Governor Romney's running mate for the Republican ticket for the November Presidential election. So, the rage in the media by Republicans and their sympathizers over Mr. Todd Akin's remark goes to show how desperate Republicans are. The developing global outrage over Mr. Akin's statement is becoming too overwhelming. Simply put, Republicans are running away from their brainchild.  

Last year Mr. Todd Akin co-sponsored a Bill with Mr. Paul Ryan (Governor Romney VP choice) along with Republican members of Congress, arguing for an abortion exception only in cases of “Forcible Rape" during the deliberation on "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act." That language was eventually expunged from the bill following opposition from Democrats.  The truth is that Mr. Todd Akin is only repeating or reinstating the position of his party on the issue of “Forcible Rape” bill – that was originally developed and supported by every Republican member of Congress - using different terminology.

It is worth repeating that there is no difference between "Forcible Rape" as argued by Paul Ryan and Republicans members of Congress during the deliberations on the "No Taxpayer for Abortion Act", and "Legitimate Rape" as argued by Todd Akin in his interview last Sunday. To Mr. Paul Ryan, Mr. Todd Akin, and Republican members of Congress, "Forcible Rape" means the victim was completely overpowered causing the victim to succumb under enormous pressure. And for Mr. Todd Akin, "Legitimate Rape" means the victim was completely overpowered causing the victim to succumb under enormous pressure. In both cases, the victims did not voluntarily participate or play any supporting role throughout the duration of the ordeal. In the opinion of Republican members of Congress, Mr. Paul Ryan and Mr. Todd Akin that is the minimum standard that a rape victim must meet to qualify as a rape victim. Otherwise, in the opinion of Republicans, she is an accomplish – a willing participant in the act of rape who cannot be within the protected class. Insane? No. That is vintage Republican. Because there is no difference between "Legitimate Rape" and "Forcible Rape", Paul Ryan (Mitt Romney's running mate) and Republican members of Congress are as guilty as Mr. Todd Akin.

For Republicans and their fellow talking heads on TV and Radio Stations to be calling on Mr. Todd Akin to step down from the Senatorial race is totally absurd, and it is a glaring exemplification of Republican hypocrisy. They want to run from the truth; they want to run from the opinion and the legislation that they openly canvassed and vigorously supported on the floor of the House. It is nothing new. And it is just Republican amnesia.

In a similar vein, early this year the Republican-controlled State of Virginia Congress passed a law that would require women who want an abortion to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound test in order to qualify for early-term termination.  In that case, women who seek abortion would have no choice, but to surrender their vagina for the examination process in order to meet the State of Virginia General Assembly requirement for assistance. It was similar stories all over the US where Republicans are in control of State General Assembly.

It came to a point that a female member of the Ohio General Assembly demanded that men should also undergo medical check-up to be able to qualify for the use of VIAGRA. According to Senator Nina Turner “The men in our lives, including members of the General Assembly, generously devote time to fundamental female reproductive issues–the least we can do is return the favor,” “It is crucial that we take the appropriate steps to shelter vulnerable men from the potential side effects of these drugs.” Why not; what is good for the goose is good for the gander.  What is good for Republican men is also good for American women.

In a nutshell, with respect to the “Legitimate Rape” biological mumbo jumbo or junk science, Mr. Todd Akin is not saying anything new or making any assertion uncharacteristic of Republican members of Congress. The only difference presently is that Congressman, Paul Ryan who co-sponsored the infamous “Forcible Rape" bill is running as a VP candidate with Governor Romney under the Republican ticket. They are running from their trademark. And that’s unfortunate.

Semantically, "Legitimate Rape" is 'Forcible Rape." Adding to that, Mr. Todd Akin’s argument during his interview was the same argument by Republican members of Congress in their support for the “Forcible Rape Bill" in the House during the debate on the “No Tax for Abortion Act.” So, who is fooling who? "Forcible Rape" is the brainchild of Paul Ryan and Todd Akin and it is vintage Republicans. If Republicans, due to the "Forcible Rape" saga, are unwilling to trust Todd with their votes and money, why must we trust Paul Ryan? Invariably, if we cannot trust Paul and Todd, we shouldn't trust Paul and Governor Romney with our votes. It is that simple.

Mr. Paul Ryan, Mr. Romney, and Republican members of Congress can’t feel your pain. No, no, they can't, because they are not part of your world. If they are not familiar with your reality, they cannot fathom your needs. That is the essence of governance. And that’s what makes President Obama different from Mr. Paul Ryan and Governor Mitt Romney. Obama knows what ails us, because he is a part of American existence, our reality, and daily living. That’s the main reason we must return him to the Oval Office with our votes.