In another of a long line of ignorant and offensive anti-abortion remarks by a Republican, Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) compared women to wildlife on the Senate floor to excuse his vote against codifying Roe v Wade.

Senate Democrats brought the Women’s Health Protection Act up for a vote on Wednesday in response to a leaked draft majority Supreme Court opinion revealing that Roe v Wade is about to be overturned. Of course, Republicans predictably blocked it.

To justify his vote against the legislation, Daines delivered remarks on the Senate floor complete with graphics to compare women to wildlife such as sea turtles and eagles, arguing that there are laws to protect the eggs of both species, and therefore banning abortion is acceptable.

“If you were to take or destroy the eggs of a sea turtle, now I said the eggs,” Daines said. “The criminal penalties are severe. Up to a $100,000 fine and a year in prison. Now, why? Why do we have laws in place that protect the eggs of a sea turtle or the eggs of eagles? Because when you destroy an egg, you’re killing a preborn baby sea turtle or a preborn baby eagle.”

Here’s the video via Twitter:

The difference between humans and wildlife such as sea turtles and eagles is that sea turtles and eagles are endangered species. Furthermore, the laws on the books don’t criminalize animal species for damaging their own eggs. In fact, some animals such as mice and rabbits will kill or eat their own young after birth, something that new human mothers usually do not do, and there are already laws against it.

Daines’ argument is seriously flawed and demonstrates why Republicans should not be allowed to make abortion policy. Comparing women to wildlife is also insulting as it suggests women are animals who should be regulated and treated as such instead of human beings who have rights as citizens of the United States.

But this is clearly what some Republicans believe and it is a threat to women and their rights. It dehumanizes women, and any lawmaker who does that doesn’t belong in public office.

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