When politicians usurp the role of a parent

The Whalen for Congress campaign sent out a release yesterday which troubles me in so many diffferent ways.

The release started out with the statements she made in support on her position on abortion on a National Planned Parenthood teleconference:

Herseth: “I’m calling from South Dakota to tell you a little bit about choice politics in our state.” “Myself and Senator Johnson, you know, we’re both pro-choice,” said Herseth recently on a teleconference that Planned Parenthood sent out. She went on to say: “I was proud to be endorsed by Planned Parenthood, NARAL, Emily’s list in 2002 and in 2004 again in this election cycle…voting for someone who believes in protecting a woman’s right to choose.”

At the end of the day, she's entitled to her personal position on abortion. That's not to say that voters might not decide to take issue with it at some point - but she is entitled to her position.

But then the release goes into an issue that kind of gets my goat. The issue of parental notification. Because just this past week, Congresswoman Herseth broke with her colleagues in the Senate, Senator Tim Johnson who shares her position on abortion, as well as Senator John Thune who doesn't.

According to the Aberdeen American News:

The House on Tuesday passed a bill (S403) making it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion to evade a law in her home state that requires parental notification and approval of planned abortions. The bill sets maximum penalties of a $100,000 fine and one year in jail for those providing the transportation and for providers who fail to notify parents 24 hours in advance of the procedure. The bill does not apply if the abortion is necessary to save the girl's life.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

South Dakota: Herseth-D., voted no.

The Whalen campaign's take on it?

On parental notification, Ms. Herseth has voted against the measures twice in the last two years. This legislation would require that parents be notified if minor daughters are seeking an abortion in another state and it has the support of South Dakota ’s two Senators: Tim Johnson and John Thune. Herseth’s spokesman recently stated in an interview with Bob Mercer that this legislation is “an overreaching intrusion into the personal reproductive health choices of young women and their families.”

My take on it? How dare she.

Who is she to determine that the Government knows what's better for a child than their parents? I have minor children who can't pick up their room, but according to Congresswoman Herseth; it's o.k. if they talked someone into taking them across state lines for an invasive medical procedure.

Yes, there are bad parents out there. Sick parents who might be committing such acts. If that's going to be your rebuttal - show me some numbers. Because you're casting good parents in with that mix.

How far across the spectrum does this reach? Even people who say it's something between a woman and their doctor (and there are several conservative Republicans I know who hold this view) are going to say that this is taking it out of the realm of it being a decision between parents and a medical provider. This is a government intrusion into their lives of the worst kind.

The difference between Herseth and her Senate colleagues is that they have the added experience of actually being parents, where she does not. They've sat up with those kids when they've been sick. They've taken them to school, they've seen their kids at their highs and lows, at their best and their worst. They've watched them mature from infants to young adults and guided their decisions and values along the way.

Congresswoman Herseth? Children are something she's been related to, and possibly babysat.

Until she's had children of her own, I don't think she comprehends the enormity of the offense for taking such a decision out of parent's hands.