Health Care and Abortion

From the New York Times

Democratic Congressional leaders say the latest House and Senate health care bills preserve the spirit of the current ban on federal abortion financing by requiring insurers to segregate their public subsidies into separate accounts from individual premiums and co-payments. Insurers could use money only from private sources to pay for abortions.

But opponents say that is not good enough, because only a line on an insurers’ accounting ledger would divide the federal money from the payments for abortions. The subsidies would still help people afford health coverage that included abortion.

While Congress continues to debate the health care bills that are being juggled as we speak, let’s briefly talk about how the health care bill might affect the issue of abortion.

Cutting through the crap, here’s the specific policy difference between pro-life politicians and pro-choice politicians today.

If you are pro-life, you want ZERO dollars going towards abortions. You want ZERO taxpayer monies going towards the termination of unborn children. It’s a very passionate desire, indeed.

If you pro-choice, you want lots of dollars going towards abortions. You want the government to pay for abortions. In fact, you desperately want to ensure that the public option will be able to circumvent the Hyde Amendment so that federal subsidies will go towards abortions. This too, is a very passionate desire.

However, here’s a message for all of you pro-choice folks out there. If you get your way, you KNOW that my taxpayer dollars will likely be used to fund abortions in our nation. Just don’t lie to me, and say that the "spirit" of the Hyde Amendment is still in the health care bill.

No. If you truly care about the Hyde Amendment (which you don't), put the explicit language in the bill. Of course, I know you won't.