Pro-Life

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I try not to get political often, but I'm fed up with the anti-health-care bill rhetoric that says the US Senate health care bill funds abortion. I'm especially disgusted because I believed it for a time—I had it from what I thought were good sources.

Two quick links:
"The Senate Bill Funds Abortions? Nope, and It's More Pro-Life Than the House Version," at Politics Daily
"Pro-life group urges Congress to pass Senate health care bill" from The National Catholic Reporter—this piece cites specific provisions in the bill.

Rational people can disagree about the specifics of this health care plan and whether it's the best possible plan, but I'm sick of hearing it's "anti-life."

I'm pro-life. I want to help women and men, children and infants, the unborn and the elderly. I do not appreciate people using my commitment to life to try to manipulate me.

Comments

[or-mabinogi.livejournal.com]

First, I want to admit to not going through your links, yet. (ETA: I clicked through them. The 2nd seems to be similar to the other one I read regarding Catholics in favor of the overhaul. The first I should read more closely.) From the sources I've read, the bill has never been pro-abortion. I've heard a great many claims to say it is, but they are quick to point out how it isn't. Unfortunately, the specifics have been lost by now, but I always understood that the bill was never meant to overturn the previous Court Mandate that absolutely no federal money would fund abortion procedures. It was always just a matter of how to word it in the new bill. That always confused me. Why not just say "in accordance to x mandate"? (Damn, I wish I could remember that ruling.)

I am in favor of universal health care, preferably single-payer but I'd settle for a public option for now. I don't think we'll get that. (I've been hearing well-founded rumors that despite the rhetoric a public option was never actually planned. But then, rumors.) Despite the idea of government managed insurance, I never suspected they would do it in a manner that overturned current medical practices: abortion and euthanasia were on my list. (Actually, I am in favor of both, but only on certain, very strict conditions. Health comes first, if a life should be terminated in mercy then I approve.)

I did find it amusing to hear that Rush Limbaugh professed his desire to move to Costa Rica if this "government overtaking of health care" comes into effect. You know, Costa Rica has universal health care. Can I hope he still moves there? My boss has been wanting to buy property there. It seems to be a conservative wet dream that I can't figure out. Argument for another entry though.

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I hope Limbaugh does move to Costa Rica! I'll help him pack!

[nialla]

But who'll think of the Costa Ricans?! ;)

[aelfgyfu_mead]

You're right! How very wrong of me!

[nialla]

I've always said if a politician doesn't have facts to back up their deeply entrenched position, they'll just make them up in the hopes that no one will fact check because even they don't understand some of the legal language in the laws they're considering.

Seems to be especially true with the current crop of ultra conservatives with regard to any type of social change.

I don't know that we'll ever get the best possible plan because of all the infighting, but we have to start somewhere, and trusting the insurance companies to keep our best health interests in mind is not a plan at all. A friend of the family works for a Congressman and is a former elementary school teacher. Early on in this debate, she said she'd seen better behavior out of first graders.

[aelfgyfu_mead]

Early on in this debate, she said she'd seen better behavior out of first graders.
That really seems to be true. It would be funny if the stakes weren't so high.

[nialla]

The stakes really are high. What will happen if the politicians lose all the health care lobby funds they've been relying on for so long?

Oh, wait, you meant high stakes for those who need health care. You can surely understand my confusion, given the way certain politicians are acting.

Did you read about some of the "teabagger" nutjobs yelling and spitting on legislators? The "N-word" and "faggot" were invoked.

This video of Tea Partiers heckling a man with Parkinson's makes me ill. It reminds me of pictures and video of civil rights protests in which people were screaming and spitting at little black children, simply because they were black.

Some of those people haven't changed their mindset, but I do know some have apologized for it in recent years. I wonder if that man yelling and throwing money at a man with a debilitating disease will ever apologize?

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I read earlier today about the language used by some of the teabaggers—in fact, I exclaimed so loudly that Small Child rushed into my home office to see what was wrong. I told her some protesters had used a bad word, and for a member of Congress. "Which word?" she asked.

Now we're in Florida, you may recall. So I didn't want to give her a bad word, but I thought odds were really good she'd hear it at some point, and it would be worse if she heard it and did not know it was a bad word. So I pointed to the screen.

"Icon?" she asked, her face crinkled in perplexity. She was looking at the wrong word and had not in fact ever heard the n-word, so she didn't recognize it at all. I did point her to the correct word, and I told her we don't say that word, and why. She said she'd never heard it before, for which I am glad.

I had not seen the video. I could hardly believe it, even with the commentators setting it up before they ran the clip.

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

Wait a minute...where's my Death Panels? We were promised Death Panels and I was going to get a degree in deciding-who-has-to-die so I could get a new high paying govnmt job. Dang.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

*hugs you fiercely*

They are using both sides - and it is really ticking me the hell off, too! I'm tired of all of us getting treated like we're stupid...

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry your health care system is such a mess :( I've been following the debate (if that's what you call it!) and am appalled at the manipulation by big business. Your representatives don't seem to care about the little person.

[aelfgyfu_mead]

Yes, "debate" seems much too polite a term for it.

I am horrified that for a time I was taken in by some of the manipulation.

There are some politicians who care about people, but much of the election money doesn't come from average people—it comes from rich people and corporations. It's much easier to get elected if one clearly supports big business and the wealthy.

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

Same here, although who'd vote for Tony Abbott when he keeps flashing his Budgie Smugglers!

[gatechic.livejournal.com]

Someone on my flist posted this link yesterday on my LJ.

The topic was on something different, but essentially my reply was 'supporting health care reform is supporting pro-life'.

I'm with you on this, I'm sick of it as well.

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I like Sullivan's take on it. Go with the nuns!

[redbyrd-sgfic.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed...I know that despite our differing viewpoints, we'd both be happy to see abortion made unnecessary.

I'm very sorry that we didn't have bipartisan support to make this the best possible bill...but if the Democrats are the only ones prepared to act like grownups, then I'll support them. And we have to do *something*. The rate of increase of healthcare expenses will force more and more people out of the system even without a recession if some measures aren't taken to control them.

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I was relieved to see that some pro-life Democrats came over at the last moment. Yes, it's a flawed bill, but it beats the drenn out of doing nothing. I know too many people who are suffering already!

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

It's been a big mess. And I am really just ashamed at so many people making it ugly.