Pence Breaks Tie in Senate on Planned Parenthood Funding Vote, Because Of Course He Does

[Content Note: War on agency.]

Vice-President Mike Pence, my former governor and personal nemesis, delivered the tie-breaking vote in the Senate today on legislation "that would allow states to block federal family-planning funds to Planned Parenthood."

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, two GOP lawmakers who have long resisted efforts to bar federal funding for the women's health organization, voted with Democrats against advancing the measure. The GOP holds a 52-48 majority in the Senate.

"We're talking about federal family planning funds and I don't think that those funds should be subjected to state restrictions," Collins told POLITICO. "It's important to recognize that there is already a bar against using federal funds for abortion and that bar stays in effect."

Yes, and it's important to recognize that to underscore that this legislation is specifically designed to prevent women and trans people (in particular, though not exclusively) from accessing healthcare at Planned Parenthood, including preventative care like cancer screenings.

Because Collins and Murkowski voted with the Democrats, the veep, who is also president of the Senate, was required to break the tie. And there was no question how Pence was going to vote, because he is a hardline anti-choicer.

And an aggressive misogynist.

@jfagone The thing is, Mike Pence hates women way more than he loves god.

— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) March 30, 2017

That was in response to a tweet asking if Pence doesn't feel like his god will judge him for serving as the vice-president to a sex predator, but I feel it's relevant in every situation. Including and especially this one.

If there is any opportunity for Mike Pence to make women's lives worse, he is going to take it. Every time.