Health Care and Abortion

I really hate having to come back to this over and over again. Let's get our abortion-and-health-care basics down folks. The Senate bill does nothing to change the standard we have lived by that no federal funding shall be used for abortion.

First off, read the language of the bill. You can check out Huffington Post's brief summary, but seriously, read the abortion language in the bill.

Are we clear? It says, very specifically that there is to be no funding for abortion under the exact same standards we have lived by for decades. The Health and Human Services Secretary can audit the plan to ensure that no federal funding goes to abortion under the exact same standards we have lived by for decades.

If that is true, you ask, why on earth would anti-choice folks lie and spread the falsehood that the bill funds abortion? Because it allows them to push to for provisions that would place radically new restrictions on the right to purchase coverage for abortion with private money. Anti-choice folks have demonstrated, over and over again, their willingness to employ any means to stop abortions. Imagining them having trouble lying, is like imagining a bank robber having a problem with trespassing.

So what should you do when you confront someone who believes the lie? Ask them to prove it. Ask them what in the Senate bill funds abortion. We asked that of the President of Operation Rescue, Troy Newman just before the March for Life in January:



Keep in mind, that is Operation Rescue's President. He is one of the folks leading the anti-choice tantrum against health care. He is not just any old anti-choicer. He is the one telling the everyday anti-choicer that the Senate bill funds abortion, so if anyone should be able to explain how, it's him.

But the everyday anti-choicers can think for themselves, right? I mean, these folks will take the time to check the language themselves before taking Troy Newman's word for it, right?

Sure (this next video is from the day after we spoke with Troy Newman):


As I said, the anti-choice base of the conservative movement has no problem lying to get results. It would be nice if folks in the main stream media would ask these folks to explain how the Senate bill funds abortion. This is not an opinion that the bill does not fund abortion, it is a fact. Our main stream media, so focused on being "fair and balanced," treats this as just another side of the argument, that deserves equal respect. It is not and does not.