va ShutterstockThe evangelical girls are happy. If you thought America’s political discourse couldn’t get much worse after Rick Santorum’s money man Foster Freiss told American women to put an aspirin between our legs as an affordable form of birth control last week, think again.

State Del. C. Todd Gilbert (R-Woodstock) via APAs the Virginia legislature debated (a term we use loosely) the new ultrasound bill requiring women to have a trans-vaginal rather than external ultrasound before an abortion, State Del. C. Todd Gilbert (R-Woodstock) called abortion a ‘lifestyle convenience’. Huff Po writes:

Within minutes of Gilbert’s statement, two Democratic lawmakers — Del. Mark Keam (D-Fairfax County) and Del. David Englin (D-Alexandria) — both sent out the remarks on Twitter. Englin, who commented “Wow” in his Tweet about Gilbert’s floor statement, said that Gilbert’s exact words were “a matter of lifestyle convenience.”

Englin explained further Gilbert’s comments saying that their defense that the intra-vaginal probe is not only the most invasive procedure that is now part of the Republican War on Women in Virginia but not requiring a woman’s consent to perform it reflects a commonly stated Republican position that women had already made the decision to be “vaginally penetrated when they got pregnant.”

Jon Stewart Calls Virginia Ultrasound Bill a TSA-Like Vagina Patdown

After a major silent protest against the legislation in Richmond, Va on Monday, leaders seemed to take a pause. Jon Stewart pointed out that Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell is vehemently opposed to TSA patdowns. Perhaps if the Governor could view the ultrasound abortion law as a TSA vagina pat-down, he would understand why people are so upset in Virginia and nationwide. Defending the Republicans, Stewart said that the action against women wasn’t ‘rape’ as it’s now called by Democrats in the state. Consider it a ‘regional quirk’, said the comedian.

“Whatever happened to Republicans being the party of small government?” Stewart asked, concluding with Reagan’s famous joke that the scariest words in the English language were “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” via Mediaite

Rick Santorum Against Prenatal Testing

The Republican candidate’s list of new rules for American women is awesome. Going into the CNN debate tonight in Arizona, the candidate surely won’t be complaining about not having enough questions.

Santorum has put all the social issues on the table front and center.