“Government funded abortions” .
“we will pay for birth-control for poor women”
The ugly(ier) side of the healthcare debate has hit full speed in the last two weeks. During the lull of the Congressional August recess, a controversy is created in order to fill the airwaves. And women are at the crux of it.
Depending upon who you ask, “Obama care”, as conservatives like to call health reform legislation, will pay to cover abortions. Due to the language in each public bill currently under debate, specifically in regards to the government subsidies for insurance plans citizens already have, the slippery slope leads to this conclusion: women will have their abortions and birth control covered by the American people. Not only is this not accurate, it is as we see time and again; political propaganda at a woman’s expense.
It is no surprise that within the abortion “debate” (barf) women are portrayed as stupid, incapable of making their own decisions, and at the mercy of our patriarchal government. To counteract this negative language, let us be clear, no reasonable human can deduce from current legislation that the government will pay for an abortion, and here is why.
Since 1973, when Roe V. Wade made abortion legal, there was an immediate backlash from the right and specifically the religious right. A couple of year’s later Roe V. Wade opponents registered a huge win. With the passing of the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid funding for abortion was banned. Not only does this amendment unduly discriminate against low-income women, it still stands to this very day. With the passing of any of the bills currently under debate, a funding increase for Medicaid will not change the Hyde amendment; poor women will still not have their abortion paid for.
President Obama has never unequivocally stated that his ideal health reform bill will include 100% government subsidized reproductive care. On the contrary, as noted in a story in The American Prospect, President Obama has indicated he is willing to remove reproductive care funding if it garners the final bill more Republican votes. Indeed, within democratic circles, even the most left leaning members admit that repealing Hyde is not a priority. Also, not one democratic legislator is eager to repeat Hillary-care’s (1993) mistake- outspoken support for women’s services.
The general thinking among fierce Pro- “life” advocates is that “Premiums are akin to taxes- money goes from a citizen’s pocket to the U.S. Treasury”. So, as the argument would go, if premiums are paid by citizens and some citizens get an abortion, in effect, Americans are subsidizing abortion. It makes at the very least, topical sense, if indeed the government will provide ALL Americans insurance coverage. This is, however, not the case. No where does health care reform legislation call for the complete take over of healthcare by the government. In truth, funding will be raised for programs already in place, (hopefully) an option for a public plan will be available, cost caps will be placed on monthly premiums; pre-exiting conditions, life-time maximums and the retro active denial of coverage will be outlawed.
In reality, healthcare reform is needed now. I have already written about the fiscal reasons, and with the debate turning to highlight social issues, the need for reform is even greater.
Contact your representative now.
-Sophia
