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The Abortion Smokescreen
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Like "death panels," the right-wing's insistence that Obamacare would bankroll abortions is just a means to an end—derailing health-care reform.
It’s September. Congress will soon return to tackle health-care reform, and I can’t help but notice a familiar political two-step. If you want to see whether a politician—Democrat or Republican—can cut a rug, just ask him or her about abortion. They’ll swing around faster than Tom DeLay on Dancing With the Stars.
Contrary to apocalyptic headlines, a national poll released in July confirms voters overwhelmingly support requiring coverage of reproductive-health services for women.
Partisans on the right mobbed town halls during the August recess to exploit abortion and women’s health, whipping up controversy around President Obama’s health-reform plan. Twisted logic and deliberate misinformation abound in a YouTube ad campaign by the Family Research Council, which, along with other anti-choice groups, also launched a paid media blitz claiming Obama’s health reform plan would pull Granny’s plug while covering abortion—ignoring that most of us grannies want to make advance directives and would be quite grateful if our health plans covered the service.
Meanwhile, Democrats were doing a dance of their own and, without Senator Ted Kennedy to lead them toward their higher principles, tried unsuccessfully to waltz away from the hot-button issue with the Blue Dogs to whom they owe their souls and their majority. No wonder voters are increasingly questioning Obama’s plan.
The media has taken the bait. Time magazine asked, “Could Abortion Coverage Sink Health-Care Reform?” then answered its own question: “How Abortion Could Imperil Health-Care Reform.”
The million-dollar question is: why?
I’ll give you an answer and won’t charge you a dime. This isn’t about abortion at all. It’s about derailing health-care reform by any means necessary. And if the health and lives of women are collateral damage, well, that’s two for the price of one.
That’s why it’s essential to uncover abortion—specifically the truth behind its place in the health-care debate.
Start by uncovering the numbers. Despite claims that covering abortion causes or encourages it, facts show the opposite. Countries like France, Germany, and The Netherlands routinely cover abortion in their national health plans, and have some of the lowest abortion rates in the world. Conversely, countries such as Brazil, where abortion isn't covered because it's illegal and birth control is hard to get, have the highest rates of abortion, and the highest maternal death rates.
Next let’s uncover how Americans really feel about reproductive services and their health care coverage. Contrary to those apocalyptic headlines, the Washington-based Mellman Group’s national poll released in July confirms voters overwhelmingly (71% yes, 21% no) support requiring coverage of reproductive-health services for women. If reform eliminated current insurance coverage of birth control or abortion, nearly two-thirds would oppose the plan. Even when presented with opposition arguments, two-thirds still supported requiring coverage of abortions, agreeing that health care, not politics, should drive coverage decisions. Americans tend to be fair-minded, after all.
Uncover the myth that abortion is outside mainstream medicine. It’s one of the most common surgical procedures in America. Almost half of all women will have an unintended pregnancy during their lifetimes and one-third of women—60% of them mothers of one or more children already--will have abortions, the Guttmacher institute reports. Three-fourths cite their sense of responsibility to others when they choose abortion. That’s a far cry from anti-choice images of wanton hussies who terminate pregnancies for “convenience,” or the opposite, of women as gullible victims of ghoulish doctors. Yet when abortion is covered, women who choose abortion do so earlier in their pregnancy, and with less risk to their health. No wonder 87% of private plans currently cover it.
Uncover the truth about those who don’t just wish to prevent abortions but want to control women’s bodies, period. If they were genuinely concerned about preventing abortions, they’d join the president’s quest to find “common ground” on birth control and sex education—proven abortion antidotes. Instead, many of the same politicians who, like Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), threaten to derail reform under the guise of opposing abortion, also oppose family planning programs, and are least likely to vote to help children after they are born. They even made sure family planning services were tossed from the first stimulus bill (unfortunately President Obama danced along.) Call me crazy, but I thought helping families plan how many children they can support was the fiscally conservative position. And isn’t there something wrong with a party recently caught in one sex scandal after another, preaching the immorality of providing safe and affordable reproductive health care for women?
Don’t get me wrong. I like to dance. I just don’t like seeing our leaders pirouette over our rights, our health, and our freedoms. Any valid health reform plan should respect women enough to provide the full range of reproductive care, including abortion, without shame or blame.
Opponents of health reform will keep throwing abortion up as cynical roadblock—but voters are smarter than that. They know the real issue is ensuring that every American has access to quality, affordable healthcare, including reproductive healthcare that’s fair to women. We must keep pressing to get it this time, no matter how fast some politicians dance to the tune of special interests striving to keep the current high-cost, low-coverage system.
Gloria Feldt is a women’s advocate who blogs at Heartfeldt Politics. She is the author of The War on Choice and the former president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She is currently writing a book about women’s relationship with power to be published by Seal/Perseus next year.
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The Republicans interest in life ends at the moment of birth.
The word is pompous. The feeling they want is self righteousness. Force a woman with 4 or more kids, little money, to make matters worse.
Paul spoke of their ilk, hello, God be with you good luck! Of course they do not help tend to the physical needs, because it's all about pretending to be holier than thou.
Too bad that scowling punk boy in the picture was not aborted.
I agree it is a hoax. But I think you are dreaming if you think Americans are inherently fair. And I think you are also dreaming that Americans are smarter then that.
Conservatives have brought hypocrisy to such heights that if we fell off those very heights... we as a nation would have our political spectrum shattered. (I don't think the Dems are alot better.)
We, as a nation, can't even remain civil in town-hall meetings. We have one side trying to save the nation from a pressing issue, however imperfect the solution may be, and the other determined to kill any progress.
Our politics are so partisan, that we have two nations. We have a Democratic nation and a Republican nation that exist side by side. We have a nation of have/have nots. We have a nation of those that are actually interested in the world they live in, and those that know they live in the best place in the world... without having seen any of it.
Gloria, I wish you well. I wish you were right. But I think you are dreaming.
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eeasyrider: MSNBC has had some reasonable coverage of this issue. By Rachel Maddow, as I recall.
Gloria - thanks, seeing as how the thrust of your message is aimed at "voters" it would be useful if you would provide a link to a webpage were I could find the official email address of my representative and senators so I could send them an enlightening email.
estcruzer:
http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
Great point! I keep a "Political Action Tools" page on my website with tools for tracking legislation and making your voice heard to elected officials: http://www.gloriafeldt.com/political-action-tools/
I am a firm believer in the separation of Church & State & am sick of hypocritical politicians & less than perfect religious leaders preaching to women in this country. This group of "do as I say, not as I do" zealots make me furious. If this group had it's way, we women would all be wearing burkas & walking ten paces behind men. If a female family member of any of these hypocrites was impregnated due to rape or incest, you can bet your bottom dollar that female would be whisked off to Asia or Europe for an abortion. Every child, woman & man in this country has the right to affordable health care & the time to pass legislation in favor of such is now. The Conservatives in the Right Wing of the Republican Party dictate moral values to the population, while they sell their moral values for campaign donations & money to fuel their seeds of hate.
jojo12
"This group of "do as I say, not as I do" zealots make me furious. If this group had it's way, we women would all be wearing burkas & walking ten paces behind men."
In case you didn't notice we had a womam run for vice president, The current SoS(Hillary Clintion) is a woman. I don't think you would find many people in America who want women to wear burkas and walk ten paces behind them.
You liberals complain about the mistreatment of women then you turn around and support third world nations who treat them like dirt or less valuable than dirt. I for one would like to see Sara Palin as president and Michele Bachmann as Vice President.
The truth of the matter is your party is the very reason woman are exploited, you support many life styles that degrade women. you are your own worst enemy and to simple to realize it.
My suggestion to you is, put down the weed and crack pipe and visit reality for a while.
You spew your hate when you know what you say is total crap, people like you are the problem and not the solution to our country's problems.
Grow up and stfu.
You lack any credibility when you say you would like to see Sara Palin as president and Michele Bachmann as Vice President....these two are probably the least intelligent of the GOP women out there. They are visible because of the nonsense coming out of their mouths.
Rodzilla, YOU are the hateful one.
Rodzilla:
Where did you get that jojo is on any kind of drug? Am glad that you want to see a woman in the highest position in this country, but you certainly need to be open to a spectrum of ideas without lambasting another person with erroneous (and strange really) accusations. You really are way out of line.
Hey Rodzilla, I guess I hit a nerve when it comes to you.
When it comes to Hillary, she ran for the office of President, not Vice President.
My grandchildren will get a kick out of hearing someone told me to grow up.
I confess to having smoked A weed back in the 60's. Burnt the hell out of my throat so that was the end of that. Have never tried a crack pipe, but hey might be something to look forward to when I grow up!
I beg to differ with you when it comes to Liberals supporting the Third World countries treatment of women. We are the ones who speak out & demand change & visually show the world what goes on in these countries.. Repugs barter for oil & ignore the plight of women, children & men. Does Dafur come to mind? Yeah, those Repugs on the hill at that time sure did a lot to help them.
The fact that you would like to see Palin as Pres. & Bachmann as VP speaks volumes about your sanity & political beliefs.
The fact that you told me to stfu tells me you're just the type I spoke about who would like to see women in this country wearing burkas & walking ten paces behind men. No one has or ever will place a muzzle on me. I will always speak truth to power, religious zealots & ignorant right wingers.
maybe when this country becomes bearable again I'll put down my pipe, until then leave me and my drugs alone, they make me happy.
I am struggling to recall when a womam ran for vice president. The stunning similarity of conservative commentators in every venue makes me wonder if they have an outline pre-written for them by Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck or Bill O'Reilly or any other fact adverse right wing nut job. You make personal attacks that are very hateful and rude. "My suggestion to you is, put down the weed and crack pipe and visit reality for a while." You make statements that make no sense "You liberals complain about the mistreatment of women then you turn around and support third world nations who treat them like dirt or less valuable than dirt. " (as if wanting to help people in third world countries was bad. I know very few liberals who support third world dictatorships...sorry.) Then somewhere in there you accuse liberals of being the cause of the very problem they are trying to solve. "The truth of the matter is your party is the very reason woman are exploited, you support many life styles that degrade women. you are your own worst enemy and to simple to realize it." This level of vitriol and hatred is dangerous particularly when coupled with misinformation and an obvious lack of education. I would suggest that you take advantage of some of the educational opportunities that are out there for adults (thanks to our democratic president). Take a class. Learn the issues. Speak with intelligence and authority. Currently you are an embarrassment to the process of public debate and should be ashamed of yourself.
Rodzilla:
I won't legitimize your emotional tirade by trying to respond to your baseless, "moralizing" accusations with rationality, reason or fact-citing; I will simply thank you for helping to prove Hawnzz's and my points about the mindless partisanship and hypocrisy that are overtaking our nation.
@jojo12 - Totally agree with you regarding separation of Church and State and your view of affordable healthcare. Most people may not agree with abortions but it has already been determined that it is a woman's right to make that decision for herself in this country. The Far Right needs to keep their nose out of people's personal business and focus on preaching moral values to their own family.
And for those this morning who are willing to endure a dose of reality in regard to the abortion issue, especially late term abortion (which so many oppose out of hand),- they should go to Andrew Sullivan's blog at the Atlantic. A very courageous couple has chosen to share their personal and excruciatingly painful story, and if it does not move people to realize just how and why this should remain a private and protected decision on their parts, I don't what will, and there is no hope.
Thanks, jojo. You certainly expressed my feelings exactly.
Also, why do they always say: except in the case of rape or incest? Does that make a baby less vital or innocent? It is always about choice and freedom, in every case, not only the cases that they deem important or acceptable. These are the principles that this country was founded on. Instead of providing some understanding, counsel and help before and after the fact, they just want to dominate and turn women into wobbling 'cousin its'.
Why they don't devote their time and energy by risking their lives helping innocent, already born people and set the example and shut up confounds. Respectful, instructional example setting actions may just change a person's decision on this issue. Forcing and persecuting, one gets the feeling that they are much more interested in the rant and fighting than the unborn, or the already born - for that matter!
Good call Genni. Put down the signs and volunteer to help those who are already born. Lead by example, help people educate themselves to choices that might advert the pregnancies in the first place.
You may have a message but I can't hear you for all the yelling.
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If the so called 'public' option is passed, it will guarantee that the big sloppy hands of government are all over the bodies of every woman and man.
What a horrible future, government medicrats involved in every personal medical decision you make.
Government already has "their big sloppy hands" on many of the senior citizens and military personnel in this country and both programs have high satisfaction rates.
Yeah "OldCrow" just like business medicrats do right now. Only their motive is profit - what would the Government motive be I wonder?
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You have to be an absolute idiot, or Liberal, to believe that Government controlled health care in the US will not have the finger prints of the culture war all over it to the detriment of both camps.
Abortion will be paid for in a Pelosi-Reid bill - ain't no doubt about it
As it should be.
agree.
I favor mandatory government sponsored abortions for illegal immigrants...
You abortion rights folks really don't understand - the stats say that countries that support abortion rights have the LOWEST abortion rates. It's called PREVENTATIVE medicine and you can bet your bottom dollar they aren't preaching abstinence in those countries. In other words if we were sane about our sex education and preventative medicine then our abortion rates would drop naturally as in the more enlightened countries around the world.
I'm not a conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat, or any other this-or-that: but I think if I don't want to pay for something that I don't agree with, then I shouldn't have to. Insurance companies have specific things that they have predetermined they will not pay for and no one bitches about it. I don't see why they don't give us an individual choice with the coverage: those who want abortion coverage should be able to purchase it but pay for it themselves; those who don't want abortion coverage shouldn't have to pay for it. If Progressive can let you pick and choose which coverage you want for car insurance, certainly the government can come up with something? But those who are pro-abortion should get coverage, but they shouldn't want those who are pro-life to pay for it. And vice versa.
Well I don't want to pay for the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq. When do I get that choice?
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pro-abortion? who's pro-abortion? Yes! The more abortions the merrier!
it's called pro-choice....
"I don't see why they don't give us an individual choice with the coverage: those who want abortion coverage should be able to purchase it but pay for it themselves; those who don't want abortion coverage shouldn't have to pay for it."
Sure - and anyone who doesn't "believe in" this procedure, that procedure or the other one should have the option of excluding that from coverage so they shouldn't have to pay for it, and those who don't believe in modern medicine should be able to "opt-out" entirely; basically speaking, what you're proposing would ultimately amount to pay-your-own-way, with no coverage at all.
For the Republican Party since the 1970s, abortion ahas always been a useful cultural issue to mobilize its base, including conservative Catholics in the North and rural and Southern evangelicals. Nixon used it against McGovern as early as 1972, and this is just more of the same.
There are plenty of Republicans, and some Blow Dog Dems and Dixiecrats, who simply oppose all health care reform because it goes against their laissez faire/free market fundamentalism, or because they are being paid off by the insurance companies and other big business interests.
In these cultural matters, the issue is not the issue. Abortion is just a means of mobilizing foot soldiers on the right to serve elite interests. It is by no means the only one, but it has always been the most powerful card the Kulturkampf people have to play, except perhaps for hostility to gays.
It is also interesting that conservatives have more abortions than liberals do, perhaps because they are less well educated on sexual issues.
Alan, Hey, do you have a link on that stat? Am interested in keeping it around.
FACT ALERT:
The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funds from being used for abortions.
NO FEDERAL FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR ABORTION.
This policy has not changed and will not likely change anytime in the near future. Sorry kids, but this is scare-mongering. And let's face it - if the Republicans were going to actually do anything about abortion, they would have done it at some point in the SIX YEARS they controlled both Congress and the Oval Office. Republican politicians want abortion to be legal so they can get you single-issue voters to the polls every year. That's right - you've been had. Reality sucks, don't it?
gak001: The Hyde Amendment is just a law passed by Congress. Congress could repeal it (unlikely), or Congress could pass new legislation that conflicts with the Hyde Amendment (much more likely).
If conflicting legislation is passed, it will be up to the courts to straighten out the mess.
I think gaks point is that Republicans are using this issue (which should be a very personal issue) as a political tool to incite hysteria in a portion of the population to get votes.
estcruzer - my sentiments exactly. Thank you for your clarification.
gak001: By the way, a nice reading of Republican policy. They sure know how to dangle a carrot in front of the base's nose...
Do you think the base will ever wise up?
Sadly, it's doubtful.
Oh if only we could have the pre-1970s Republicans back.
Well, if you truely believe that it won't pay for abortion, why didn't they just put it in there in a simple sentence such as "under no circumstance can this bill pay for abortion." I think that one simple sentence would end all controversy. In fact there was a bill offered to senate, the democrats refused to pass it. Why won't they pass a simple bill like that? Becuase they want to fund abortion. wake up and smell the coffee
You should be all for abortion, Rodzilla... since you ARE one.
Embers: I'm sure that rational arguments like yours will soon convince everybody to agree with you...
Obama, as a socialist Nazi, wants the State to permeate every aspect of your life. Even every aspect of your death. "Death panels"? Let's be clear, these bureaucrats won't be so naked in the methods they use to get rid of those that drag down the greater good; the unwell elderly, disabled infant children, the mentally disabled (who Obama has said specifically he hates, given his Special Olympics smear), the radical fundamentalist zealots. People we are only a couple of years away from central Christian tenets being labeled as "hate speech".
But I digress. The Obama Socialists, his Czars, will appoint bureaucrats to meet regularly with vulnerable Americans to convince them to set the time and place of their death. The sooner the better. This is a choice, yes, ostensibly a choice made by the patient, but it is a choice made with the State at your death bed.
Let me be clear, Obama wants to insinuate the State into the traditional place of the Priest, the Minister, your Pastor. The State will now administer your last rites.
Bow down, ladies and gentlemen. Obama is at the pulpit.
More at http://rontrentem.wordpress.com/
RonTrentem: "Death Panels" are alive and well in California:
An average of 22% of health care claims in California are rejected by insurance companies. PacifiCare, the worst, rejects 40% of its claims.
And not just in California:
"An investigation by the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations showed that health insurers WellPoint Inc., UnitedHealth Group and Assurant Inc. canceled the coverage of more than 20,000 people, allowing the companies to avoid paying more than $300 million in medical claims over a five-year period."
As you well know, our incompetent government could never handle its "Death Panels" nearly as well as the private market is doing right now.
For all those who are opposed to abortion of any kind for any reason at any time. How many children have you adopted? For the record I am pro choice and I have no children, out of choice.The Catholic Church, we all know their stand on this issue, at the same time they under-funded Mother Teresa's orphanages and missions (610 worldwide at the time of her death). Mother Terasa accepted money from organized crime, it was her opinion, acceptance of this money from this source was fine because it was for the children. Shame on you Vatican!
I don't like the government paying to have kids indoctrinated with hate and bigotry!!! But, they have wasted billions of my tax dollars on such nonsense annually, That's what they get every time they go to a conservative church. I know that for a fact I was raised in one of those churches and I haven't been back since. I am sick to death of abortion even being an issue. When are these people going to grow up and get a life!
But look at the results of the Abstinence Only Education...oh wait, don't look at those results, you know numbers lie but the Bible is truth and should be the law of the land. And when are we going to outlaw pork and seafood consumption, which is an abomination unto the Lord?
I stopped attending church when at the tender age of ten they were unable to persuade me to swallow their nonsense. The bible is a great book when it is viewed just as a book, lots of good lessons to learn and alot of shit to avoid.
Another good example of this is the Harry Potter books. They provide good lessons and are much more entertaining. Look for the church of Harry Potter coming soon
Mikulski Amendment #201, would require health insurers to include "essential community providers" in their networks, that would provide "preventive care services" for women. These providers would include Planned Parenthood clinics, which perform abortions. The amendment does not say it will fund abortions, nor does her amendment state that abortions will be restricted and not funded, which is code that abortions will be funded. Why the amendment and funding for Planned Parenthood if it is not for this purpose?
This policy overrides congressional funding restrictions on abortion, (Hyde Amendment). Republician Senators did attempt to exclude abortion from the bill and FAILED.
I am for choice, but I am not for lies and attacks on those who have different opinions from the media and this administration. The rush to pass health care legislation has nothing to do with health care, but everything to preserve Mr. Obama's legacy.
I am for choice....it is amazing when people negate their own statements based on political hatred. Just can't keep away from it can you? Mr. Obama's legacy what bs.
Why can I not be for choice, and still be against this President, the media and all the half- truths about this health care legislation? As an individual who works with taxes and disability, this legislation will either hinder or help those I advise. As an individual who must be correct on advise given, it would help to know which it is, help or a hinder to my clients.
Political hatred has nothing to do with what is or is not in this health care legislation. This legislation will affect every American's health care and tax decisions that they will make for many years. Little facts do make a difference, and each American has the right to know what to expect, and plan for those decisions.
How do you debate that this is not all about Mr. Obama, everything is always about Mr. Obama. The rest of us who work in the real world, know that this healthcare reform is about balance between those who need coverage, aging baby boomers and their entitlements they have worked for, and the debt we are passing on to our children and grandchildren. It is about Mr. Obama's legacy, the question will be, will it be favorable or not?
donnal: Nobody - including Obama - knows what is going to be in the final health care reform bill, or even if there will actually be one.
There are dozens of competing health care bills in the House and Senate, and they will all change when Congress reconvenes on September 15th.
Worrying about lies, truths, and half-truths at this point is useless.
These comments reflect the intent of bringing abortion (or socialism or gun control or the threat that our children will be indoctrinated by a Black President) into this--put a stop to all thinking and all compromise, keep people polarized and repeating their talking points. Great distraction from the fact that we are going broke and dying for overpriced and scarce health care. Who benefits from this, besides demagogues?
Ms. Feldt has just given pro-choice women everywhere the very best reason for not signing on to a government health care for young women. Republicans can't help themselves: they will, over time, instruct all women of reproductive age how and when they gain any reproductive health care service. Gloria Feld is throwing women under the bus! Why? Why would a woman who is so pro-choice be on the board with a public plan that will reduce coverage for reproductive services for women? SELL OUT of women is never a pretty sight, but to see Gloria do it for Obama is really Freudian!
Clearly Gloria is past her reproductive years, but I don't want to have government in my uterus any more that they already are. Private ins. pays for my reproductive care. Now Feldt wants me to give that up?
Go away Gloria.
If individual insurance companies cover abortion, so be it. We can't allow the procedure to only be for the rich. And don't kid yourself, lots of wealthy young women from conservative homes are getting abortions--paid out of pocket--to protect their privacy. The same should be offered to poorer women who can't pay out of pocket. Period.
Arbortion an excuse for sinking health care reform, or sinking health care reform, along with every other scrap of progress, as an excuse to sink abortion? I'm beginning to think it's a little of each...
Conservatives are not out to kill health care reform - they are out to kill Obama's presidency:
Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) said,"If you're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."
Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah) said,"The No. 1 assignment in 2009 is to kill Obamacare."
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said on August 17th that even if he got a health care reform bill that had everything he wanted in it, he still wouldn't vote for it unless at least half of all other Republican Senators would also vote for it.
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) said, "This cannot pass. What we have to do today is make a covenant, to slit our wrists, be blood brothers on this thing. This will not pass. We will do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn't pass."
Republican strategist William Kristol advises, "With Obamacare on the ropes, there will be a temptation for opponents to let up on their criticism, and to try to appear constructive, or at least responsible...Resist the temptation. This is no time to pull punches. Go for the kill."
These are not comments from a loyal opposition.
AlanD2,
You are absolutely correct. The false conservatives don't care jack-shit about what is good for the Nation. They are only interested in not allowing the Dems, particularily Obama, any possibility of success.
The heathcare debate is no longer about politics, it is about obstructionism at all costs.
This board proves my point. We are neither a caring, fair or smart nation.
Healthcare is a right. The rest of the world has figured that out, why can't we? We spend billions blowing things up. We spend twice as much on healthcare as any nation and we are still 50th in life expectancy.
Death panels, abortion... Lord only knows what they'll come up with next. (If men could get pregnant, this would NEVER be an issue. Ladies, you should see an irony in that.)
Exactly.
Gloria Feldt said "Uncover the truth about those who don't just wish to prevent abortions but want to control women's bodies, period. If they were genuinely concerned about preventing abortions, they'd join the president's quest to find "common ground" on birth control and sex education-proven abortion antidotes."
Sure sex education would reduce abortion but, conservatives are against sex outside of marriage too. It would be a bit like asking PETA to support the beef industry to save chickens.
It is supremely hypocritical how the very folks who, just a few days ago, were adamantly against the government interfering with healthcare are the same folks who are now attempting to interfere with healthcare by exempting specific procedures they disagree with.
In the final analysis, the healthcare decisions made between a woman and her physician should be covered by the healthcare provider regardless of the context of the decision. It has nothing to do with abortion per se and everything to do a person's right to the privacy of their own body.
You have the Constitutional right to believe what ever you want to believe. However, the moment you start advocating restricting my rights to believe what I want to believe based only on your belief, my friend, we have a problem.
I do believe that any attempt to restrict the rights of others based solely on beliefs is unconstitutional.
So, here is the real question for all of the true believers and false prophets out there: if the whole issue hinges on the Constitution being amended to recognize the embryo or the fetus as Human, why haven't you been making a big fuss about amending the Constitution to solve the problem? Why aren't you demanding your Congressional Representatives to change the law? Why do you continue to try and legislate from the Bench?
I know the answer, do you?
PRoche, the GnOP is absolutely unfazed by hypocrisy. That's the real problem.
I think Hawnzz has pretty well hit the nail on the head - but it goes even beyond hypocrisy and lack of fairness. Partisanship and the goal of "winning" at all costs and by any and all means necessary have become so deeply ingrained that there is no longer any regard for truth; to the extent that reality does not support the political or ideological agenda, the facts are denied and summarily dismissed.
As is painfully evident from the statements of strategists like Bill Kristol, where one comes down on an issue is no longer a matter of right vs. wrong; it is a matter of 'right vs. left' (being left-handed, I've always found that particular choice of verbiage rather questionable, if not downright bizarre). It's not a matter of fairness, or reasonableness, or feasibility or even liberalism vs. conservatism (another much-touted and abused choice of verbiage); it's all a matter of what's on the ideologues' political agenda. And, so long as there are enough people out there who are willing to buy into an agenda 'hook, line and sinker' without question or challenge, democracy in this country will become increasingly forsaken and endangered.
A government-sponsored health care plan should cover abortions just as it would any other legal and generally accepted medical procedure; to refuse to do so would be in flagrant violation of our constitution - and you can bet the architects of such a plan would made bloody well sure that their Viagra prescriptions were covered!
Great post. As anyone can tell by looking at the stats cited...and checking them, the majority of Americans want sensible health care reform. The Republicans are determined to defeat this majority by loud and constant fear campaigns that give the lifers and the racists something to scream about. Without this vocal minority, the GOP wouldn't have a prayer. Remember how we all wondered what they would come up with when the top Republicans had their first closed-door strategy meeting after their defeatx3 in the last election? THIS IS IT.
Ah yes, sensible is the word. Obamacare is not what most Americans want. They do not want govt. run health care.
I am a democrat and what I do want is a bipartisan bill on reform. That means no public trojan horse intended to rid me of my private health ins.
sallyma: If you are a Democrat, why are you talking like a Fox News commentator?
When Republicans talk "bipartisan", they mean "Do things my way, and even then I'm not going to help you."
I live in a city with one of the highest teen pregnancy/teen STD rates in the country. This city has been in the top twenty-five cities for per capita teen pregancy rates for more than 26 years.
Guess what they teach in the schools here?
Abstinence only.
I actually sat through a school board meeting where one member stated clearly that there were no circumstances under which she would allow her children to attend a school where comprehensive sex education was taught.
Abstinence only works if practiced.
People, particularly people with no alternative to government subsidized health care, must have access to comprehensive birth control methods and education, and 'morning-after' pills and abortions when faced with birth-control failures.
Politicians using this issue for political leverage are just sickening.
Regardless of which side of the aisle they sit on.
I just saw Charlie Wilson's War again. Charlie says to someone, I don't recall who, but it stuck with me.
"Votes don't win elections. Contributors win elections."
When you REALLY look at it, compared with business interests, the anti-abortionists give relatively little money to pro-life members of Congress. They do vote, however, but they vote in naturally occurring Republican districts.
If I were a Blue Dog, I'd rejigger my polling data to reflect how active a voter group these people are compared to how little money you'd get out of them. I'd say it would like swing a vote (or several) toward choice.
larry,
What you are missing is the amount of clout that the anti-choice crowd actually has.
Through their religious organizations they influence a huge amount of corporate contribution and, in so doing, influence elections.
Every corporate legal department in America is deathly afraid to piss off the Right Wing Christian Extremists. It is just too costly a risk.
This, corporate contributions to elections, is about to come before the SCOTUS in a free speech case which was engineered by the RWCE to push this very issue.
This is exactly why the founders were fearful of religion gaining a foothold in politics.
Unfortunately, the Republican Party has chosen to "pimp" itself out to those people - and the Republican Party has plenty of money, as does Rupert Murdoch; the Presidential campaign was the exception. Incidentally, as was pointed out by an industry insider recently, the "pundits" at Fox News personally couldn't give a crap about most of the right-wing agenda they publicly espouse; it's all about money, and if they thought they could make more of it pushing a left-wing agenda, they'd be clammoring for socialism as we write these posts.
Thank you.
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