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In It to Win It

(8,996 posts)
Tue Oct 8, 2024, 05:40 AM Oct 8

Watch the Ad Florida Republicans Are Trying to Keep Off the Air

Jessica Valenti - Abortion, Every Day


Attacks on Democracy

Let’s talk about what Donald Trump means when he says that abortion will be “up to the states”: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is threatening television stations that run ads for Amendment 4 with misdemeanor charges. Just when I think I’ve lost my ability to be shocked!

The Florida Department of Health sent a letter to WFLA TV, telling its vice president that running the Amendment 4 ad—which features a woman talking about her experience with a doomed pregnancy—puts people’s health and lives at risk. The letter threatens that if the station doesn’t remove the TV spot, the state will move ahead with legal proceedings and that breaking the law could lead to misdemeanor charges.

It doesn’t get more clearcut than this. As Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, tweeted, “Floridians, THIS is not democracy!”

“We do not live in a free state, free of government interference, free of government intimidation and free of government overreach,” she said.

And as journalist Jason Garcia notes, this letter comes at the same time that DeSantis is using taxpayer dollars to run ads attacking Amendment 4 everywhere from ESPN and CNN to the fucking Weather Channel. (Using the power of state agencies to lobby against a citizen initiative is against the law, but a judge ruled in favor of DeSantis regardless last week.)

Here’s the ad DeSantis doesn’t want Floridians to see:


17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Watch the Ad Florida Republicans Are Trying to Keep Off the Air (Original Post) In It to Win It Oct 8 OP
Ron North Shore Chicago Oct 8 #1
G.O.P. Big Government cracking down on Thought Crime BoRaGard Oct 8 #2
Do you know what artist created this? ❤️ littlemissmartypants Oct 8 #3
I think it was Gerald Scarfe (sp?) dickthegrouch Oct 8 #15
The thought police are alive and well in the 27th state. ❤️ littlemissmartypants Oct 8 #4
There must come a time when those such as DeSantis and his minions are simply not allowed or tolerated. jaxexpat Oct 8 #9
What a brilliant metaphor! scarletlib Oct 8 #10
So much for freedom of speech. Old Crank Oct 8 #5
For authoritarians, markodochartaigh Oct 8 #11
I knew a teenager who had a brain tumor who would have died much sooner if she mucifer Oct 8 #6
The Bible supports abortion in cases of infidelity. multigraincracker Oct 8 #7
The comments section in this video are turned off. Gee, I wonder why? tornado34jh Oct 8 #8
I remember when George Wallace acted in a similar fashion. Fixed him. twodogsbarking Oct 8 #12
I wish someone would publish the alleged letter ScratchCat Oct 8 #13
Freedom of speech Linda ladeewolf Oct 8 #14
The Weekend on DeathSantis' attack on this ad LetMyPeopleVote Sunday #16
Serious question malaise Sunday #17

dickthegrouch

(3,495 posts)
15. I think it was Gerald Scarfe (sp?)
Tue Oct 8, 2024, 10:29 PM
Oct 8

Great British caricature cartoonist.
This reminds me of his appropriately vicious drawings of the iron maiden Maggie thatcher in her day.

jaxexpat

(7,568 posts)
9. There must come a time when those such as DeSantis and his minions are simply not allowed or tolerated.
Tue Oct 8, 2024, 07:22 AM
Oct 8

They are the snails who assume permission granted to wreck the garden. Like most pestilence, they're deaf and sightless, carelessly careening on a slime of misinformation, smugly confident in the shell of lies they tell themselves. They do, however, grow scarce in daylight, hiding in the shadowed dampness, away from sunshine.

mucifer

(24,610 posts)
6. I knew a teenager who had a brain tumor who would have died much sooner if she
Tue Oct 8, 2024, 07:07 AM
Oct 8

didn't have an abortion. She was going to a Christian hospital and they agreed to do it after an ethics consult.

multigraincracker

(33,805 posts)
7. The Bible supports abortion in cases of infidelity.
Tue Oct 8, 2024, 07:17 AM
Oct 8

See Numbers 5: 11-32. The test for an unfaithful wife.
The Bible never mentions conception. Many times it speaks of “The Breath of Life” as when life begins.
Just saying.

tornado34jh

(1,243 posts)
8. The comments section in this video are turned off. Gee, I wonder why?
Tue Oct 8, 2024, 07:21 AM
Oct 8

Got something to hide, Governor? Also, while we are at it, how much are you willing to bet that he probably secretly had an abortion done with someone in his family? Most of the ones who say want this ban probably have done so secretly, bunch of hypocrites.

ScratchCat

(2,323 posts)
13. I wish someone would publish the alleged letter
Tue Oct 8, 2024, 09:51 AM
Oct 8

Because I'd really love to see how the Florida Department of Health is threatening a tv station with misdemeanor charges. That doesn't even make any sense on any level.

Linda ladeewolf

(275 posts)
14. Freedom of speech
Tue Oct 8, 2024, 11:59 AM
Oct 8

Should not be infinite. You can yell fire in a crowded theater. Nor should you be able to tell lies about a political opponent or about medical facts. Freedom of speech is a sacred right, but there should be a written law of responsibility added to that. Perhaps call it freedom of fair speech. You can tell lies in court, it is a right, but you will be charged with perjury. These lies about abortion should be punishable because they are causing deaths. We seriously need to modify some parts or just update the constitution but not while we have this Supreme Court. The Supreme Court needs to be expanded and made a bit less powerful.

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