Chris Smith—the far-right, anti-choice zealot of a congressman from central Jersey—has proposed legislation to further restrict the use of government funds to pay for abortion services. As is, federal dollars can only be used in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is endangered. But to Smith, who knows better than you silly women what to do with your bodies, this is entirely too liberal a policy, as it allows women who, say, were raped after being roofied, or children who were the victims of statutory rape, the ability to use Medicaid funds to terminate their pregnancy. Instead, Smith’s legislation, which has been overwhelmingly endorsed by the forced birthers of the Republican House caucus, would only allow government funds for rape cases in which force was used.
Other rapes, you see, don’t count.
Oh, and this is even better: If your 13-year-old gets knocked up by, say, a 40-something child predator, Smith wouldn’t even allow you to use funds from your own tax-free Health Savings Account to pay for her abortion. Also: Incest only qualifies if the victim is under 18 years old. Per Mother Jones:
“This bill takes us back to a time when just saying ‘no’ wasn’t enough to qualify as rape,” says Steph Sterling, a lawyer and senior adviser to the National Women’s Law Center.
Another element in Smith’s bill would penalize private insurance companies that cover abortion services. Remember when Republicans opposed government getting in between you and your doctor?
January 28th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
January 29th, 2011 at 1:51 am
The problem with the current definition of rape in terms of abortion is that often women do not even need to file a criminal complaint to fall under the rape exception. If she has the guts to get an abortion she should have the guts to walk down to the police station and file a report.
January 29th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
And the “problem” with the current definition of rape could have causes you could not even think of. If you are raped by a family member, or someone more powerful than you, or an abusive domestic partner, sometimes filing a criminal complaint is not an option. The guts to choose to abort a child is not the same kind of guts that it takes to confront a person who is obviously in a position of power over your interests.
Shame on you for making a blanket generalization about women who were raped. You’ve done the same thing as this congressman, imposing your perspective on something you obviously don’t understand.
January 30th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
February 1st, 2011 at 1:06 pm
No federal money for murder..
February 1st, 2011 at 1:59 pm
February 1st, 2011 at 2:35 pm
February 1st, 2011 at 6:46 pm
February 1st, 2011 at 7:28 pm
February 1st, 2011 at 11:47 pm
The female perspective is widely varied, sure. However, what man can ever understand that which is rape? Let alone rape that creates a daily reminder of the incident and pain associated with it?
Few are the women who have the strength to survive rape without psychological problems afterwards, and many are the women who can never stand even the slightest touch, let alone intimacy for quite some time after the horrors of rape.
I have worked with women who have unwanted pregnancies, and I will tell you this: if the government denies them what they feel they need it will be back to back-alley-hangers, and “falls” down stairs to get rid of their unwanted rape child. Which means more women hospitalized due to complications…and more money for those uptight taxpayers.
Imagine the worst day of your life…and then imagine having to carry around a reminder of that day for nine months…an average of 266 days. And then also taking care of it the next 18 years…
And we haven’t even started talking about the lack of care that rape child is going to suffer.
If the pregnancy is unwanted then the odds of the mother taking care of herself during the pregnancy diminish severely. Trying to hide a pregnancy and not getting the proper care will only lead to health issues or even death for both mother and child.
So the real concern is: do we want to perpetuate the rape victims suffering and increase chances of her having an unhealthy baby and being on welfare for the next 18 years, or assist in the healing process and avoid taxpayers having to pay for mother and child’s care for the next 18+ years?
I can’t even begin to assess how wrong these close-minded simpletons are that say abortion is wrong. Period.
Rape itself is a horrific thing, and it doesn’t matter if it was “statutory”, “incest”, “drugged”, or “forced”…and until you have been raped yourself and impregnated by a monster- you have no right to tell a rape victim what to do or how to handle their situation.
And if you want to hear my solution for rapists…that’s a simple one too…
February 2nd, 2011 at 8:51 am
I’m not sure if I’m understanding you correctly – You’re pro-choice but you don’t want the state to provide any funding or education for family planning?
Why is abortion not considered a legitimate enough medical practice (without with – there were be far more deaths, tragic infections, needless pain) that should continue to have adequate funding.
This isn’t just about rape and the definition thereof, or just simply concerning the dollars and cents. This is rolling all the way back to the blame game and “she was asking for it.”
Do me a favour: Google “corrective rape, africa” to see how far this foolish, inhumane, and sickening game can take us. Don’t think this is such a far cry from the 173 Republicans in the House who also think this bill is a good idea.
February 2nd, 2011 at 1:12 pm
And we haven’t even started talking about the lack of care that rape child is going to suffer.”
They are under no circumstances required to keep the child once it’s born. Plenty of families will happily adopt that child. Just because it was conceived out of violence doesn’t mean its life is less valuable. People who can’t have children will value that child regardless. Besides, “out of darkness, light.” An innocent child has nothing to do with the evil of rape.
My uncle and aunt waited nearly 5 years for my cousin. If more women had chosen life, they wouldn’t have had to wait for so long.
I don’t agree with redefining rape, but we really do need to limit the number of abortions in this country. There really is no reason to have as many abortions as we do when contraception is readily accessible. Unplanned pregnancies are easy enough to prevent. If people can’t take the necessary precautions, they shouldn’t be allowed to murder their unborn child. As for rape victims, I certainly feel their pain because I was one too.
February 2nd, 2011 at 6:56 pm
and Katie it’s not exactly easy to put a baby up for adoption; and let’s not forget having to pay the hospital fees for having the baby. Oh and the pain itself of having the baby…
February 3rd, 2011 at 8:15 am
Abortions happen, whether legal or not; whether moral or not. They have been for millennia. You – and I mean every single person reading this – do not have the right to tell any other person what their moral beliefs are or ought to be. Period. And the government has absolutely no right to define moral beliefs either. The choice of abortion is in fact a moral decision, made privately between a woman, her doctor, and in many cases the male partner. In many other cases – of which most of you should be ever-grateful you have no experience – the decision to have your 13-year-old child suffer an abortion in order to put to end a horrific event committed by a stranger or – in most cases – a known friend or relative is a private matter. Its not happy-jolly-family time. Its terrible. Its something that stays with that person forever. And for those who so easily say, ‘give the child up for adoption,’ could you so very easily do that? Your ease of decision is not shared by every single other person in this country, nor should you assume the decision to hand over a baby is an easy one.
For those of you who find abortion morally reprehensible, don’t have one. And continue to encourage (notice the word “encourage,” and not “force”) others to choose other options. That’s what “choice” is all about. Choosing your own path, without the Chris Smiths of this world forcing you to their morals.
For those of you faced with the God-awful decision of what to do, you have to make the best decision for everyone involved, and then you have to live with that decision. The laws currently allow you the right to make a choice, so make one and move forward with it.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:27 am
What is the issue is that the government is blurring lines that they have no right to blur. Kay addressed that well “the redefinition of rape being exploited in order to support an opinion on abortion by a deplorable politician trying to make himself a career. He has very little interest in saving lives; he would rather make larger government where the people are told what to wear, eat, drink, smoke, think, feel, do, etc…”
Katie, my dear…did your rape end in pregnancy? If not you are lucky because I feel you would have a different opinion of yourself… imagine that rapist’s sperm making a baby and then try to imagine yourself carrying that monster’s breed in your belly. Going through painful days, mornings throwing up, thoughts in your head of the rape every time you are reminded you are pregnant because of that monster…do you really think you would happily carry that baby to term, and then have the wonderful blessing that is the pain of labor for your rapist’s child? Oh and then…EVERY time you get asked who the father is…you have to either make up some story to keep “face” with people you know…or tell them the horrible truth?
Kay is right-it is a very horrible and personal decision that is based on a choice that no one has the right to judge. We all have to live with our decisions and their consequences. The sad thing is…creating this law won’t stop abortions, but it will make more unhealthy and dangerous abortions.
So if you support scared rape victims throwing themselves down stairs, over chairs, and using coat hangers to try and abort the baby…then agree with this man. Because there will be more women who try it. And unless you have been faced with that decision, you cannot say what you would do.
And yes, Katie… there are many women who cannot have children that would LOVE to adopt one of these babies…there are also parents abusing their children that don’t deserve to keep them…maybe we can worry about the babies that are already alive and suffering. Volunteer at CASA for one week…and then tell me that you think all babies should be born.
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Obviously the rabid anti-choice nuts are out in force. The number of abortions paid for by the federal government in the case of incest or rape averages to about 191 a year! Where is this “50 million dead” fetuses coming from? This legislation will not stop that – and frankly, if abortion is that popular, nothing will stop it. Legislation like this will merely cause more pain surrounding the CRIME (hello!) of rape and the necessity of abortion.
Shame on you, Bill and Hellpig. Does it ever occur to you that the unborn will grow up to be possible rape victims themselves? Or don’t you care about them once they are people, because you’re too busy pining for pretend, idealized people?
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:15 pm
I think someone needs to learn to read a bit closer to find the true argument I am trying to convey. Before they get their panties all in a wad.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:44 pm
February 4th, 2011 at 1:06 am
(1) if the pregnancy occurred because the pregnant female was the subject of an act of forcible rape or, if a minor, an act of incest;
OR ‘(2) in the case where the pregnant female suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the pregnant female in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself.
Minors are covered.
Nowhere does is say that date rape or being drugged don’t count as/or aren’t considered forcible. I suppose it could be open to interpretation. Ether way it would still be only affect whether or not the abortion would get federal funding. Want an abortion get one, just don’t expect the taxpayers to pay for it.
February 6th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
When your wife or daughter is raped whether by a date or a stranger you will change your tune. It is time you men keep your nose out of a womans uterus!! Thats just the reason I am no longer a republican. Crazy old men without common sence.
February 10th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Rape is a horrible, violent crime to happen to a man or woman. Violence does not solve violence. It is not the baby’s fault it was created through a hateful act. It shouldn’t be punished for it.