Rick Perry announced on Monday that he won't seek a fourth full-term as Governor of Texas, an office he has held since George W. Bush departed the office for the White House. He also added that he won't seek a Presidential term in 2016 either, as if anyone could possibly forget his completely botched run in 2012.
Though Perry has done wonders for the Texan economy, he still managed to deliver two major setbacks for women's rights before riding off into the sunset. He vetoed the Texas version of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay act that would mirror the federal requirements for equal pay.
He is also set to send women's reproductive rights back to the 19th century. You have probably heard about Sen. Wendy Davis' incredible stand for women, filibustering a bill for 13 hours under ridiculous conditions that male Republicans used to full advantage, nearly preventing her huge victory. Sadly, her efforts may have been futile, as Perry called for a special election on the issue which he claims is likely to pass this time around.
As our Brandon Scott pointed out today, the bill isn't just about abortion.
Aside from the fact that 90 percent of women in Texas have to travel to another county for an appointment at an abortion clinic, the sweeping anti-abortion measures in the state would significantly impact life-saving cancer screenings for men and women, breast exams, pap smears, pelvic exams, test and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, blood pressure and diabetes screenings.
These are the kind of moves that say "Women belong in the household raising children," a sadly limited but typical point of view for many conservatives, and will raise healthcare costs in a state where 31 percent of women are uninsured.
Unlike Perry's reign, these mistakes can't be forgotten with a simple "oops."
