Facing Recall Vote, Wisconsin Gov Walker Signs New Abortion Restrictions

Wisconsin governor Scott Walker

Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, facing a tight recall campaign, signed 51 new pieces of legislation into law on Holy Thursday evening. Among the items were new abortion restrictions, conservative nuances to sex education in public schools, and the prevention of plaintiffs in employment discrimination cases to seek compensatory and punitive damages in state courts. Walker's action, and comments on them, were noted in today's online edition of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

One question is who benefits from Walker's action. Those who want to eliminate women's reproductive rights certainly emerged as winners. The sex ed legislation mandates the promotion of marriage and the claim that sexual abstinence is the only certain way to prevent STDs. Good luck explaining those perspectives to hundreds of thousands of horny teens. However, the legislation must have made right-wing religious standard bearer Rick Santorum, campaigning in Wisconsin prior to the state's upcoming GOP presidential primary, smile.

Meanwhile, the right-wing political and ideological agenda marches on. It's a scenario in which concentrated economic power gains greater sway while useful medical programs are eviscerated. The agenda bluntly asserts the imposition of conservative religious beliefs on private behavior. The right-wing offers a return to a dreadful social environment when discrimination, mainly by white males toward minorities and women, is characterized as acceptable behavior, while those opposing sexual harassment and racism are viewed as inconvenient, out-of-step, even deviant personalities.

Intriguingly, the Walker recall vote right now is too close to call. Why that is so, while Barack Obama is well ahead of "Etch-a-Sketch" Mitt Romeny and Santorum in Wisconsin, is a very curious question.