The ‘redefine rape’ lie

Many Democratic speakers, including Sandra Fluke, charged this week that Paul Ryan tried to “redefine rape.” This line of attack stems from Republican legislation that included the term “forcible rape.” As an example of the liberal critique of this legislation, here’s Nick Baumann at Mother Jones: “Rape is only really rape if it involves force. So says the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law.”

But here’s a serious problem with this line of attack: the term “forcible rape” wasn’t invented by Republican pro-lifers.