The American Spectator : Aborting Health Care Reform

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Aborting Health Care Reform

By Doug Bandow on 12.28.09 @ 6:08AM

The battle is not yet over.

Both houses of Congress have voted to nationalize American health care, but the battle is not yet over. Abortion coverage remains in dispute, and yet could sink the entire "reform" effort.

Although President Barack Obama may be the most abortion-friendly president ever, pro-life sentiment has been rising. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a new survey in October, which found the margin of supporters over opponents fall from 14 points to 3 points. An earlier Gallup Values and Beliefs survey found a similarly sizable shift that put abortion opponents in the majority.

Nearly 37 years after the Supreme Court voided state bans on abortion in Roe v. Wade, legal restrictions on the procedure remain few. Most anyone who is determined to get an abortion can do so. And without a revolution in Supreme Court membership that isn't going to change.

Still at issue, however, is whether the federal government will promote abortion. Those concerned with life long have had to battle pro-abortion activists determined to win official support for abortion. For the latter the simple legal "right" to have an abortion isn't enough. They want the federal government to promote abortion.

Pay for the procedure as part of Medicaid. Force medical schools to teach abortion and hospitals to perform abortions. Make pharmacists provide abortifacients.

Pro-lifers have been reasonably successful in resisting such efforts. Most importantly, the so-called Hyde Amendment restricts federal funding of abortion. The other issues continue to be fought out case by case, back and forth.

Most abortions are not paid for by insurance. However, nationalized health insurance offers abortion advocates an almost perfect vehicle for pushing abortion far further than before.

Federal direction of the medical system provides Washington with multiple opportunities to turn abortion into a required medical procedure. Imposing a mandate to buy insurance allows the government to decide what coverage is necessary for private plans to comply with the law. Subsidizing private plans provides the government with another hook to set coverage requirements. Creating a "public option" forces the government to decide what procedures to cover.

So far the "public option" has failed and pro-lifers have won significant limits on abortion elsewhere. While Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) insists that his amendment barring federally funded plans from covering the procedure merely maintains current law, Daniela Perdomo of AlterNet charges that the measure could limit "industry-wide coverage of medically-indicated abortions."

The legislative specifics matter greatly, however. The Senate bill allows state opt-outs, but forces states to either cover all or no abortion services, preventing states from providing abortion coverage limited to the usual narrow exceptions, such as life of the mother. Moreover, even with the state opt-out, observe James C. Capretta and Yuval Levin, both of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, "a state can't protect its taxpayers from financing abortions beyond its borders."

What will come out of conference is impossible to predict. Some liberals view health care "reform" to be worth even the Stupak amendment. For instance, E. J. Dionne, Jr., concluded: "health-care reform would leave millions of Americans far better off than they are now."

However, most pro-abortion forces will fight any restraints. Abortion advocates understand what is at stake. Perdomo wrote: "we need to stop taking our reproductive rights for granted." People should march, she added, since "All it takes is a little inaction on our parts to set the reproductive rights movement back over thirty years."

A bitter Katha Pollitt wrote in the Nation: "Prochoicers have been taking one for the team since 1976, when Congress passed the Hyde amendment." She added, "We knocked ourselves out, and it wasn't so that religious reactionaries like Stupak … would control both parties."

Activists Kate Michelman and Frances Kissling focused their ire on Democratic leaders who recruited prolife candidates to win marginal congressional seats: "The Democratic majority has abandoned its platform and subordinated women's health to short-term political success. In doing so, these so-called friends of women's rights have arguably done more to undermine reproductive rights than some of abortion's staunchest foes."

Abortion advocates are right to believe this to be a crucial fight. Even the Stupak amendment is not enough. No legislative victory is ever permanent. If the government extends its control over health care, nothing would prevent abortion advocates gaining political ascendancy in the future and then using the government to promote abortion.

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topics:
Abortion, Stupak Amendment

About the Author

Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and the Senior Fellow in International Religious Persecution at the Institute on Religion and Public Policy. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics (Crossway).

Letter to the Editor View all comments (25) | Leave a comment

Demon fighter| 12.28.09 @ 8:02AM

As a PRO-LIFE, what part of "thou shall not kill" don't you understand advocate, it sickens me to think political success is determined upon a most sacred right of an un-born American. What about their right as God had intended, do they not fall under the equal protection clause, even in the womb? Now the gubmint is God and you lib's are good with that?
As a christian it is my duty and God insist that I pray for these people who some how find the nerve to past judgement upon the living fetus's right to life, liberty and the future pursuit of their happiness but, to now make me a party to killing them with my hard earned money, well let's just say I don't think so. Where they found the right to openly murder innocence in the Constitution is beyond my thinking and I don't pretend to know God's plans either. I do know this, there is a place called HELL and I suspect I'll be seeing many of these so-called lib's there and if I do, well let's just say they will know I'm there along with them. It ain't going to be perdy either. As far as any scum-bag politician, shame be upon you, for you too will answer for your sin's.

Jon B| 3.13.10 @ 6:00AM

Obama's restoring of funds for pregnancy prevention measures in the world's poorest countries reduced abortions by 10's of millions in the next 8 years. Republicans lie about the Mexico City Policy by falsely claiming it funds abortions, etc. It's been illegal for US $'s to fund abortions overseas since 1973, but we DO fund pregnancy prevention measures, emergency field birth kits, etc.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_wrld.htm

1993: Repeal of the funding ban: President Clinton felt that private, foreign organizations should be able to receive USAID funding for that part of their programs that involved pregnancy prevention, even though they used their funds raised elsewhere to finance abortions or to appeal for abortion reform. On 1993-JAN-22, his second day in office, he rescinded the executive order.

2001: Reinstatement of the funding ban: On 2001-JAN-22, during his first day in office, President George W. Bush reinstated the funding ban for family planning programs run by agencies that also provide abortion services out of their own funds. His rationale was somewhat confusing. He wrote to the U.S. Agency for International Development: "It is my conviction that taxpayer funds should not be used to pay for abortions or advocate or actively promote abortion, either here or abroad." But no such funds have ever been granted. Existing legislation prevents foreign grants from being used to fund abortions or provide abortion counseling.

http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0126-05.htm

January 26, 2001: Family planning research groups, such as the Alan Guttmacher Institute, last year said that if US funding levels were restored to the $540 million (from $425 million), the following would happen: Nearly 12 million more couples in developing countries would gain access to modern methods of contraception.

There would be 4.3 million fewer unintended pregnancies, 1.5 million fewer unintended births, 500,000 fewer miscarriages; 2.2 million fewer abortions each year; 8,000 fewer deaths from unsafe abortions, 7,000 fewer deaths from other causes related to pregnancy and 92,000 fewer deaths of infants.

Bush cut funding on 1-22-2001, then cut it some more in 2002, so it was roughly 1/2 or just over $200 million. However, some of it was restored because of his 2003 Africa/Aids program, which he didn't fully fund either. Bush cut aids funding completely in early 2001, and dropped another program in Congress (around $800K more) too. then restarted the program 2 years later promising roughly the same $ amount he prevented in the first place.

TennesseeVolunteer| 12.28.09 @ 8:30AM

It would be really funny if God uses abortion to be the issue that stops the Socialist takeover of America.

Nyfarmer| 12.28.09 @ 9:25AM

If forced Catholic Hospitals will shut down or be sold. Central planners have no problem forcing THEIR 'values' on the rest of us.

Jim O'Brien| 12.28.09 @ 5:56PM

The central planners in the ACORN administration are cut from the same cloth as the central planners in the former Kremlin. They know exactly how many shoes to manufacture, what kind, and what color. They know how much banks should charge their customers, and how much executives should be paid. They also know which medical tests and surgical procedures are "necessary" for 300 million + citizens, and 12-20 million illegal immigrants ........ et cetera.

hunter| 12.28.09 @ 9:25AM

No diffrences in costs of abortion/nonabortion insurance charges. Which would any insurance rather pay for? A abortion, or cover the expense of a live birth. Thus: will the abortion insurance be cheaper than pro life insurance? What a big cost savings for those pushing abortion. Throw out this so called 'health care' and the bastards that are trying to shove it down our throats!

Ken (Old Texican)| 12.28.09 @ 9:48AM

Doug,
WHAT WE MUST DO IS CONSIDER "PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION" ON THIS DEATH-CARE MONSTER!

IE: When the bill comes out in black and white after all the secret back-room chopping and slicing, we will get to read it.
Then...before our ponderous govt. machinery can get into action...we can kill it one page at a time, and one day at a time.

Tax paying Americans will NOT give consent to the government telling us how bad we have to hurt...or when to die.

JP| 12.28.09 @ 10:35AM

If Reid and Pelosi have to write personal checks to thier members they will in order to pass this bill. What will be Stupak's 30 pieces of silver? A community center? Free snow mobiles? Re-opening the Packard auto plant in Detriot?

bill carson| 12.28.09 @ 11:55AM

While I'd love to see ObamaCare in the trash can, please allow me to assure anyone reading this that the Dems will pass their bill. Stupak just, just might stand his ground, but I'd literally bet my life that not nearly enough House Dems would stand firm against providing abortion coverage. That's why they're Dems, right? They'll talk a lot, just like Nelson (remember him?), but in the end they will do what Reid, Pelosi and Obama tell them to do.

Margie| 12.28.09 @ 3:27PM

"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first."
~Ronald Reagan

Jim O'Brien| 12.28.09 @ 5:48PM

The Senate and House bills both merit a partial birth abortion.

Yosemeti Sam| 12.29.09 @ 12:56AM

The strangest thing of it all - I confess to
scratching my head over this in puzzlement -
is the phenomenon of Jewish senators and
Jewish HR representatives at the forefront
of championing womens' rights to destroy
innocents; a Womb to Tomb express lane.

What passes for ghastly evil anymore?

Richard| 12.29.09 @ 6:49PM

Sadly, I don't think anything does.

Charles Martel| 12.29.09 @ 2:02AM

"[A] state can't protect its taxpayers from financing abortions beyond its borders."

On the contrary, it most certainly can, by vigorously asserting its inalienable sovereignty.

The taxpayers of Texas cannot fund abortions, in our or any other state. We simply cannot. It is literally impossible.

+++

PCC| 12.30.09 @ 12:04AM

(Yawn.) This is more fake drama about the Democrats negotiating amongst themselves prior to reconciliation and passage of the Bill. The narrowness of the 220-215 vote is a myth. Mrs. Pelosi has some number of votes (15-20?) up her sleeve that were released on the original vote but are pledged to vote "aye" on the final Bill if she needs them.

Also, neither the public option nor the pro-abortion position is a deal-breaker for most of the Democrats; they're very susceptible to intimidation and/or bribery from the House leadership.

This is a done deal, and has been from the start.

Nathan J. Isbell| 1.8.10 @ 11:40AM

Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. Give unto God, that which belongs to God.

It’s a simple fix. All we have to do is re-instate birthrights. There are a lot more dead people than live. If they set up foundations before they die, they will create a propagating, everlasting, taxable income stream that will pay for socialized health care, create jobs and rebuild social security. Not to mention the heirs will receive Legacy checks until they die. Go figure, God is always the answer.

http://godslegacytrust.blogspot.com

GG| 2.13.10 @ 6:42AM

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d| 4.2.10 @ 3:25AM

Thailovelinks| 4.7.10 @ 8:01PM

Healthcare needs to be bettered, that's for sure.

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Phuket Holiday Deals| 4.22.10 @ 6:01AM

Looks like your comment section has gone to hell.

Medicure and Pedicure| 4.23.10 @ 7:47AM

Personally, I oppose to abortion.
There ’s far more risk for women to have alternative misccariage and it’s 100% illegal!!!
and dangerous to women.
In that times, not only the fetus dead, mother also dead.

It’s dangerous also to go thru the surgery in the un-known clinic…untrained so called pratician doctor.

This will definitely cause more problems in this sick society and increases the crime rate.

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Limited Medical Plans| 7.2.11 @ 12:48AM

Pro- choice or Anti-abortion... doesn't matter which side you sit on. If insurance covers abortions we will see a lot less "back alley practitioners" who endanger so many desperate people.