September 11, 2006

Michigan Senate Considering Bill to Screen Women Seeking Abortions

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The state senate in Michigan is considering legislation that would require women seeking abortions to be screened to determine whether they have been coerced or intimidated into seeking abortion procedures. Michigan Republicans claim the legislation is designed to crack down on domestic violence, a motive doubted by some. The screening would have to take place 24 hours before the procedure is to be performed.

The Michigan house of representatives has already approved the bill. Michigan already has a mandatory waiting period of 24 hours before a woman can obtain an abortion, and healthcare providers in Michigan may refuse to perform abortions on the basis of moral or religious beliefs. Also, state-funded personnel are not permitted to provide abortion referrals.

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THE FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

At least we hope they will, because that’s our approach to raising the $350,000 in online donations we need right now—during our high-stakes December fundraising push.

It’s the most important month of the year for our fundraising, with upward of 15 percent of our annual online total coming in during the final week—and there’s a lot to say about why Mother Jones’ journalism, and thus hitting that big number, matters tremendously right now.

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So we’re going to try making this as un-annoying as possible. In “Let the Facts Speak for Themselves” we give it our best shot, answering three questions that most any fundraising should try to speak to: Why us, why now, why does it matter?

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