Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Violence Against Women Is Just A Distraction

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) is a rising star among the Tea Party folk. And to prove it, she does things like this:

Late last week, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) vetoed nearly half a million dollars that was slated to go toward domestic violence and sexual assault prevention.

Haley defended the veto, according to the Charleston City Paper, saying that rape and sexual assault prevention programs “distract from” the Department of Health’s mission, and that sexual assault victims are “only a small portion” of South Carolinians who need help:

Haley explained these vetoes in the Department of Health and Environmental Control budget by writing, “Each of these lines attempts to serve a portion of our population for which we extend our sympathy and encouragement, but nevertheless, it is only a small portion of South Carolina’s chronically ill or abused. Overall, these special add-on lines distract from the agency’s broader mission of protecting South Carolina’s public health.”

Okay, so how many women have to be abused or killed before it’s no longer just a distraction? Ten? A hundred? The bar must be pretty high in a state that ranks seventh in the nation for women killed by men.

You’re doing great, Ms. Haley.