The Michigan Legislature passed the Abortion Insurance Opt-Out Act today. The law will require individuals that want abortion coverage through their health insurance plan to purchase a rider. It does not make exceptions for rape or incest victims. Governor Snyder, a Republican, vetoed a similar bill last year specifically citing that lack of exception as his reason. Right to Life of Michigan, however, began a campaign to have the bill reintroduced for passage without the Governor’s signature. They collected the necessary 300,000 signatures. The bill passed both the State Senate and House and will automatically become a law in 90 days.
Democrats, in what I can only see as an effort to deflect from facts and logic, have referred to it as the “rape insurance” bill. Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) said of the bill, “This tells women who were raped … that they should have thought ahead and planned for it. Make no mistake, this is anything but a citizens’ initiative. It’s a special interest group’s perverted dream come true.”
Consider this, depending on the data, roughly 1 to 5% of abortions in the United States were because of rape or incest. Senator, I think what this bill tells 95% women is that the resulting consequences of sexual activity should be “thought ahead and planned” for. It’s a tough concept, I know.
Who the hell actually considers the consequences of their actions anymore? That’s so 1950!
Senator Whitmer goes on to decry the method used to pass the measure. “In passing this initiative, we are allowing that 4% of Michigan’s people to dictate the health care options for 100% of Michigan women. For that reason, I firmly believe that this policy must be repealed as an insincere representation of the will of the people.” Just so I have this right, its ok for less than 5% of abortion cases to “dictate” the rest of us paying for all of them? But 4% of Michigan voters can’t dictate otherwise? And, I’d question whether 100% of Michigan women support abortion or even require it if they are passed the child-bearing years anyway.
It’s ok, Senator. Math is hard.
Senator Whitmer wasn’t the only one upset today. State Rep. David Knezek (D-Dearborn Heights) said, “This body made up of 80 percent men will make a decision that will impact 100 percent of women.”
What a sad statement. Pregnancy and abortion don’t affect men? Wouldn’t we expect the father of a child to pay child support? Wouldn’t we expect the father of that child to be an involved, responsible parent? The answer to both of those is a resounding yes. So why do we think of abortion as a woman’s right? Would it be ok for a man to demand a woman end her pregnancy even if she didn’t want to? If Republicans are to blame for the supposed “war on women,” then Democrats most certainly get the credit for the war on Dads.
Admittedly, I’m pro-life. I will never change my stance, even in cases of rape or incest and certainly not in cases of convenience. It is in those instances that we should be the most disturbed. It is also those instances that politicians refuse to acknowledge.
When Wendy Davis filibustered in Texas, she didn’t refer to the college girl that was trying to forget a one night stand. She didn’t talk about the single mother with four kids that didn’t seem to grasp the concept of abstinence. She didn’t talk about broken condoms or forgotten pill packs. And why would she? All of these things point to one thing, a lack of responsibility. Because, let’s face it, we’re humans. We get caught up in the moment. We make stupid decisions. Condoms do, indeed, break. Being responsible doesn’t mean we never make mistakes. What makes us responsible is how we correct our mistakes.
And no liberal politician wants to admit that murder appears to be an acceptable solution to correcting a poor choice. It’s so much easier to twist it into the impossibly difficult decision of a rape victim. The pro-choice PR machine wants you to envision the poor, young girl. Battered and bruised. Scared and scarred. Forced to make a brutal choice by an even more brutal man. (He’s probably white and probably listens to Rush Limbaugh). But, Hark! The light at the end of the tunnel; a Planned Parenthood clinic near you! (This BS practically writes itself).
The reality is, most women chose abortion, not because they cannot bear the thought of carrying their rapist’s child, but because they just don’t want a kid. Maybe they aren’t ready. Maybe they’re too poor. Maybe they just don’t really like kids. Maybe the condom broke. 95% of these women have their own personal reasons. And, according to Roe vs. Wade, they can legally end the life of another without having to justify it.
Today, thanks to Right to Life, I don’t have to help pay for it. And I sure as hell don’t have to justify that.
Links:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/11/michigan-rape-insurance_n_4428432.html
Image: Courtesy of: http://www.practicalpedal.com/photographcfo/Beginning-Algebra-Problems.html
