Once again, Big Government Republicans are trying to put federal bureaucrats between you and your doctor, while at the same time making the world safer for rapists by redefining the meaning of “rape” entirely. Via Nick Baumann at Mother Jones…
For years, federal laws restricting the use of government funds to pay for abortions have included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. (Another exemption covers pregnancies that could endanger the life of the woman.) But the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” a bill with 173 mostly Republican co-sponsors that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has dubbed a top priority in the new Congress, contains a provision that would rewrite the rules to limit drastically the definition of rape and incest in these cases.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to “forcible rape.” This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion.
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Given that the bill also would forbid the use of tax benefits to pay for abortions, that 13-year-old’s parents wouldn’t be allowed to use money from a tax-exempt health savings account (HSA) to pay for the procedure. They also wouldn’t be able to deduct the cost of the abortion or the cost of any insurance that paid for it as a medical expense.
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Other types of rapes that would no longer be covered by the exemption include rapes in which the woman was drugged or given excessive amounts of alcohol, rapes of women with limited mental capacity, and many date rapes.
Let freedom ring!
My disgust for the republican party, and what it stands for, increases exponentially. How dare they!
Anyone that involves the excessive use of alcohol is the person drinking its fault
Hey, Tea Party! How’s that get the government off our backs working out for ya?
Personal Responsibility said:
Right! And so if they get raped, then it’s their fault, not the rapists! Right?
For years the Repubs have been saying they were against big government and for states rights, when in reality they were opposed to certain actions and positions favored by the majority. I thought telling the truth was a conservative value?
@Personal Responsibility: whatever language you ‘studied’ at ‘school’, this is not even English! “Anyone that involves the excessive use of alcohol is the person drinking its fault.” Have you been drinking the koolaid, or just Jim Beam? Geez Louise, wouldn’t it be nice to have a civil AND intelligent debate? So, um, P.R.: Tell us more about how we need to take responsibility… I’m just-fascinated.
They’re just so bleeping mean to everyone who isn’t a white male zillionaire. I propose one-way tickets to the South Pole for anyone who supports this cruel travesty of a law. Fleeing in 1991 looks better and better with each passing year, sadly. Where did you go, America?
The War on Women gains momentum.
Hello Brad Friedman,
I agree with Sophia about comment #2 from PR. I think that he is mainlining the right wing koolaid. I also like the comment #4 from BF. Add to that EAC comment #3. The good news is that this moves the goal posts further to the right.
I guess as long as it’s not “rape rape” the poor gals can fend for themselves…