Press Room

GROUPS TO HOUSE: Stop Pandering to Anti-choice Groups and Get to Work!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : Tuesday, May 27, 2008 CONTACT: Dan Farough: (517) 999-3646

Political Pandering on SB 776 won’t move Michigan forward, create a single job

LANSING –Watchdog, civil rights, consumer protection, environmental and labor organizations called on House Speaker Dillon and his leadership team to stop pandering to anti-choice groups and quit wasting taxpayer time with a purely political vote (SB 776) on an abortion procedure already banned under federal law. The State Senate, under Majority Leader Bishop, buckled weeks ago under pressure from anti-choice groups.

Instead of meaningless election year pandering, groups said the Legislature should focus on addressing the jobs, health care and foreclosure crisis gripping the state.

Here is what group leaders had to say:

“Isn’t it time our representatives in Lansing stopped playing ‘Romper Room’ and got serious about what they were elected to do. It is no wonder the public is so disheartened with its leaders. Michigan is facing a health care, foreclosure and jobs crisis while the legislature wastes time with purely political and meaningless votes designed to pander to extreme anti-choice organizations.”

- Linda Teeter, Executive Director, Michigan Citizen Action

“With major issues such as fighting global warming, getting strong renewable energy and conservation requirements in place, and protecting the Great Lakes for water diversion and misuse, the Michigan Legislature needs to devote its time to issues that are timely, relevant and already on their plate. This isn’t the time to enter into political posturing on issues that are already settled law at the federal level.”

- Anne Woiwode, State Director of the Michigan Sierra Club

“When Speaker Andy Dillon was elected, he promised that he would be above political baiting and would not allow controversial votes on reproductive healthcare to divide Michigan. Today, Speaker Dillon has broken this promise and has left his colleagues and Michigan families vulnerable. Michigan cannot afford this rift — our legislature should not be pandering to the bullying of special interest groups and should instead tend to real concerns such as the economy, soaring gas prices, escalating home foreclosures and out-of-reach health care.”

- Shelli Weisberg, Michigan Legislative Director, ACLU

“The right to privacy and self-determination is fundamental. If we truly believe in personal responsibility, freedom and privacy we must respect the right of all people to control their own reproductive health decisions. Women, and women alone should determine whether they will become mothers. SB 776 is an affront to personal liberty and Triangle Foundation is opposed to it, in any form.”

- Sean Kosofsky, Director of Policy, Triangle Foundation

“Michigan’s elected officials have more common sense and backbone than RTL gives them credit for. As hard working and rational public servants they will stand up to RTL’s bullying and stay focused on the kitchen table concerns of the people who elected them. It’s time for RTL to quit playing petty politics and to start doing what’s right for Michigan.”

- Barbara Ryan Fuller, Director, MI List

“Putting up a voting record on SB 776 to satisfy anti-abortion organizations’ need to produce a scorecard for their members does not serve the House Democratic Caucus interest in preserving control of the House in this election cycle. Voting on abortion restrictions gets the whole Caucus in trouble no matter how you personally vote because the Democratic majority has it in its power to not hold a vote on this bill at all.”

- Renee Beeker, President, Michigan National Organization for Women

“If we are going to turn Michigan’s fortunes around, we will need a different approach in Lansing. It’s time to turn the page on the failed politics of the past and get to work on real solutions to the challenges we face in this state.”

“It is shocking that the Legislature is even considering an unnecessary and redundant bill at a time when there are so many real needs facing the people of Michigan. Here is a suggestion: why not strengthen protections for our natural resources, instead of wasting time on meaningless votes.”

- Cyndi Roper, Executive Director of Michigan Clean Water Action

“Michigan citizens want common sense solutions to preventing unintended pregnancies. It is appalling our elected officials allow themselves to be held hostage by Right to Life, instead of addressing the state’s many real challenges.”

- Margy Long, V.P. of Public Advocacy and Communications, Planned Parenthood of Michigan

“The House and Senate are leading the citizens of Michigan through a drastic tumble down the rabbit hole. Isn’t it time lawmakers addressed the state’s job and health care crisis instead of allowing these purely political votes to turn our Legislature into Pee Wee’s Playhouse.”

- Dan Farough, Executive Director of Progress Michigan