I thought I was going to have a meaningful debate today on Twitter. The Stupak amendment to H.R. 3962 is getting a lot of airtime and a common thread is that the amendment restricts women’s rights, which it clearly doesn’t. When I tried to explain to someone (@RayBeckerman) that the amendment was simply intended to prevent tax dollars from paying for elective abortions, he threw a tantrum, called me a moron, then blocked me and continued to call me names (a closeted tea-bagger?) and pat himself on the back for his obviously superior intellect.
The LA Times has a nice overview of the Stupak amendment, which I was able to provide to Ray before he blocked my Twitter account. According to the LA Times:
The main effects of the amendment would be to stop anyone receiving a federal subsidy from buying a comprehensive health insurance policy that covered elective abortions, and to bar the proposed government-run insurance plan (a.k.a. the “public option”) from covering such procedures. The amendment would allow insurers to offer “supplemental” policies that covered abortions, but their customers could not use federal subsidies to buy them.
This is taken from the amendment itself:
No funds authorized or appropriated by this Act (or an amendment made by this Act) may be used to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion, except in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including from the pregnancy itself, or unless the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.
Clearly the amendment is not taking issue with a woman’s right to an abortion. It’s merely trying to prevent elective abortions from being funded by tax dollars–dollars provided by many folks who morally object to abortion. Regardless of which side of the abortion debate you’re on (I happen to be pro-choice), you can still appreciate the desire for many people to not have their tax dollars pay for something they feel goes against their most sacred, religious or moral beliefs.
And to all the RayBeckerman’s out there; be a part of a much needed informed debate about healthcare and stop slinging the useless drivel that contributes nothing to the discussion.
Get Involved
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Contact the Administration and your representatives
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To learn more
- Visit CATO on health care reform
- Read Changing Your Perspective on Health Care & The Price You Pay at InsuranceInTheLight.com
- Read the similar posts listed below
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