Atrios on Akin

I agree with Claire McCaskill that the GOP should not replace their Missouri Senatorial candidate, Todd Akin. Although I have different reasons. It’s not because replacing Akin would constitute Washington Republicans interfering with local Tea Partiers. After all, the GOP is a big believer in limiting democracy. Given their concerted efforts to disenfranchise pesky minority voters, why should they care about democracy within their own ranks?

Rather, my worry is that legitimate disgust with Akin will distract from the reality that his standpoint is fairly representative of the anti-choice movement and their lack of understanding of rape victims and the moral necessity of allowing these women to make their own choices. Of course, all women should be making their own choices about their bodies. Akin’s comments simply make that clearer to some people who are murky on the subject.

We should be outraged, but not surprised. Atrios provides his typically succinct perspective on the affair:

ATRIOS: Frequently we see political reporters be seemingly shocked when right wing assholes express things that right wing assholes frequently express. The whole “rape doesn’t lead to pregnancy” idea isn’t anything new. It’s a pretty standard trope from anti-abortion nutters. Do these people even pay attention?

Amen.