You may have seen this already (including on our Facebook wall where we sometimes post bonus materials), but I'm gonna share it again here on the main page, because it's important:  Rick Berg was interviewed last week by Jim Shaw at KVRR in Fargo. During the interview, Berg said he supports imposing the opinions of politicians into women's complex medical decisions:

In case you missed it, I'll give you the transcription, too:

SHAW: Why would you force a woman who has been raped to have that baby?

BERG: You know, like I said Jim, my position is pro-life, and I care about the unborn and I feel that’s really where we should be in our policy.

SHAW: What would the appropriate sentence be if abortion was illegal and a woman did have an abortion?

BERG: I'll leave that up to others to come up with that.

SHAW: Should we put her in jail? Should we fine her? Do you have any thoughts on that at all?

BERG: Those are things that need to be worked out through the legislative process.

HuffingtonPost.com

If you're following along with Berg, what you hear the Fargo slumlord saying is: As a legislator, I want to impose my legislative opinion on women as they make medical decisions with their doctors, and if they disregard the imposition of my opinion (along with my many other old, white, teabagging legislators) there should be a punishment imposed on the women, but I'm not willing to talk about what that punishment should be, because "that's up to others."  Presumably others with some legislative qualifications.

Which Berg clearly doesn't feel he has.  (And if that's the case, why is he funning for the Senate?)

Well... when Berg was in the North Dakota state legislature just a few years ago, he told us -- by voting -- what punishment he thinks should be imposed.  When he voted for House Bill 1489 (2007) along with only 19 other radical fundamentalists (all but two of whom were men) in the North Dakota legislature, he gave us a pretty good idea what he thinks the punishment should be. Here's what that legislation, which luckly failed, said:

Intentional termination of human life - Preborn children. A person is guilty of a class AA felony if the person intentionally destroys or terminates the life of a preborn child. A person that knowingly administers to, prescribes for, procures for, or sells to any pregnant individual any medicine, drug, device, or other substance with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of a preborn child is guilty of a class AA felony. A person that intentionally or knowingly aids, abets, facilitates, solicits, or incites a person to intentionally destroy or terminate the life of a preborn child is guilt of a class C felony. For purposes of this section, "preborn child" includes a human being from the moment of fertilization until the moment of birth.

North Dakota House Bill 1489 (2007) (emphasis added)

Interestingly, you'll notice there was no exception in Berg's 2007 legislation for cases where the pregnancy puts the life of the woman in jeopardy.

So Berg has apparently flip-flopped on the "woman in peril" issue since 2007.

But in 2007 Berg thought it should be an "AA Felony" to get an abortion. The penalty, in North Dakota, for a AA Felony is...

Class AA felony, for which a maximum penalty of life imprisonment without parole may be imposed. The court must designate whether the life imprisonment sentence imposed is with or without an opportunity for parole. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 12-59-05, a person found guilty of a class AA felony and who receives a sentence of life imprisonment with parole, shall not be eligible to have that person's sentence considered by the parole board for thirty years, less sentence reduction earned for good conduct, after that person's admission to the penitentiary.

NDCC § 12.1-32-01 (emphasis added)

So... Berg apparently believes a rape victim who consults with her physician and then elects to terminate the rapist's product, should face the possibility of spending the rest of her life in prison, with no possibility for parole.  

"Terminate the consequences of your rapist's actions and spend the rest of your life in prison." 

I bet that makes sense to a slumlord like Rick Berg.

And if you work in a  health care facility where a rapist's pregnancy is terminated, or drive the "get-away car," don't worry; you'll only be facing the possibility of up to five years in prison and a five thousand dollar fine, because it's only a C Felony for you if Berg becomes a U.S. Senator.  

Five years in prison isn't so bad, right Doc?

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