(SNN Jefferson City) Friday, Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation classifying abortion clinics as surgical centers.

This is a brave piece of legislation for a Republican Governor. By passing this legislation, Blunt is saying that his administration approves of industries are regulated by government. The bill also bans abortion-providing agencies from providing free sex education materials in Missouri schools, on the presumption that they will give incorrect information in the hopes of drumming up business.

However, not everyone is happy with this brave new direction. “Essentially, what Governor Blunt and the legislature are doing is saying that teens need to be protected from information, not from sexually transmitted infections or unintended pregnancies,” said Peter Brownlie, chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. However, Mr. Brownlie is forgetting two important clichés. Knowledge is power, and power corrupts.

Planned Parenthood said the law could prompt renovations costing as much as $2 million at its Columbia clinic, which performs 600 to 700 abortions a year. A Kansas City office, which offers only abortions induced by medication, would probably quit doing so to avoid renovation costs.

To show his voters that he had their best interests at heart, Blunt signed the bill in a Baptist church. To the joy on onlookers, he managed to sign his name to the bill with eighty percent accuracy.

This new law puts Missouri back in the running for the coveted “Most Embarrassing State” award. Nevertheless, it likely will take something even more backwards to knock Mississippi out of the number one slot. Perhaps if Matt Blunt actually ran the state government from a Baptist church, wore bibbers, and spat tobacco at his underlings, they could have a chance at the title.

posted by NewsBlog 5000  # Thursday, July 12, 2007