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Health Reform's New Frontline: Abortion

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 27, 2009 7:51 AM CDT

(Newser) – We've had the birthers, the deathers, and now here come the right-to-lifers to cast their two cents on the health reform debate, reports the Wall Street Journal. Democrats are bracing for protests from anti-abortion advocates, who are preparing a major push against what they call taxpayer subsidies for pregnancy termination. Most plans on the table include subsidies for poorer Americans to buy private insurance, which often covers abortion. "Lawmakers will know this is a bill to set up a big federal abortion program," a National Right to Life Committee member tells the Journal.

Anxious Democrats have been looking for a compromise. One proposed amendment would allow for abortion coverage but would stipulate that the cost be met by the fraction of the premium paid by individuals, not the state. It also would require one plan with abortion coverage and one without throughout the country. That's enough for some pro-life Democrats, but one Republican House member said it just shows "how far Democrats are willing to go to force taxpayers to fund abortion."

Randall Terry, the founder of anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, shouts at former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean during a town hall meeting on health care reform this week. Terry was ejected by police.
Randall Terry, the founder of anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, shouts at former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean during a town hall meeting on health care reform this week. Terry was ejected by police.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Supporters and opponents of health care reform shout at each other at a meeting in Virginia on Tuesday.
Supporters and opponents of health care reform shout at each other at a meeting in Virginia on Tuesday.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is introduced by Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., at a town hall meeting on health care reform hosted at South Lakes High School in Reston, Va., Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009.
Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is introduced by Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., at a town hall meeting on health care reform hosted at South Lakes High School in Reston, Va., Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 32 comments
Spudsy
Aug 28, 2009 12:09 PM CDT
Will everyone against abortion please please please please go adopt an unwanted baby? Then I will listen to your anti-abortion arguments. Your desire is more about controlling others lives than improving society in any way.
Spudsy
Aug 28, 2009 12:06 PM CDT
Last I looked, my tax dollars were still paying for a war in Iraq. So much for paying for others mistakes.
MarkFL
Aug 27, 2009 10:15 AM CDT
Jayster is advocating that the government force women to give birth! I am always impressed by the level of hypocrisy that the right come out with. Small government blah blah blah unless we are talking about your personal business like birth and death or religion and marriage. Then conservatives want the government all over everyone's business. Now Michael Steele says that we should protect Medicare and fight universal coverage. It just never stops. Conservatives are big government hypocrites. I love how Jayster wants everyone to take responsibility so we can all be happy. How about Jayster minds his own business and allows people to take responsibility for their own lives. Stop pretending that you are advocating freedom when you really want to use the government to control behavior. You are no better than the people you despise. Not only that, the free market solutions that conservatives pretend to favor don't work. Jayster, do you really believe your own nonsense? "We should make people take responsibility"... translation... the government should use the police power of the state to force women to practice the religion of government. Thanks but no thanks for that bridge to nowhere.

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