Never Let the Facts Get in the Way of Political Gain

During the push to pass the healthcare reform bill, one element that kept some lawmakers from supporting it was concern about federal funds being used for abortion. In order to allay those concerns, President Obama issued an executive order declaring that federal funds only could be used for abortion in cases if rape, incest or where the mother's life is at risk. The fact that this executive order was unnecessary due to the so-called "Hyde Amendment" makes the GOP's attack on Planned Parenthood all the more offensive.

Despite the fact that both a 34 year-old law and a year-old executive order kept them from Using federal money for abortion outside of the extreme cases, Republican congressmen shamelessly claimed that their move to kill funding for Planned Parenthood in the federal budget, which passed 240-185, was needed to keep tax-payers from paying for abortions. The budget amendment's sponsor Mike Pence who, despite knowing full well about the restrictions already in place, had the gall to say, "Nobody is saying Planned Parenthood can't be the leading advocate of abortion on demand, but why do I have to pay for it?" I accept that there are people with sincere and principled objections to abortion, even if I don't think they should get to decide policy on the matter unless they have a uterus, but Pence's political performance art is the opposite of principled.

Because the rules were already so strict, the budget amendment won't have any impact on abortion, except perhaps to make it harder on women who've been victims of rape or other terrible circumstance. What it will do is compromise access to basic healthcare for women. Putting aside the question of why any sane woman would ever vote Republican, let alone run for office as one, the real issue is what happens next. Thankfully, the Senate is still in the hands of the largely reasonable and if they don't go along with it, it doesn't become law. Even with the March 4th deadline to pass the budget (or at least new temporary budget measure), I don't think the Senate will go along with this, but it doesn't hurt to remind your senators that you don't think that either (www.senate.gov).