The Abortion Amendment to the Health Care Bill: Why it Should Be Removed!

I don't know of any single issue which divides our country as much as the abortion issue. So naturally it's going to be equally divisive when discussing whether or not abortions should be covered under the national health care bill.

Regardless of their personal stance on the issue, I have yet to meet a woman who "likes" abortion. In fact, every woman I've ever talked to who's ever had one said it was a horrible experience for them psychologically afterwards. I've been told it's a traumatic experience and it's not something they would ever prefer to do again.

But, even so, every woman I have ever spoken too who has gotten an abortion believed strongly that the right for them to make that difficult choice should be their choice and no one else's. I agree 100%! Here's why.

Ever since the landmark case Roe vs. Wade decision of 1973, a woman's right to choose for herself whether or not she can get an abortion has been the law of the land. You may not like it, you may not agree with it, but it is nonetheless the law. As long as it is the law I believe our lawmakers should respect it regardless of their personal views. And yet what I see happening with the abortion amendment is a fundamental disrespect of a woman's right to choose. In my opinion, those who would seek to restrict abortion funding from this bill are those who do not believe that *all women* should have the right to choose. For instance, if a woman is poor or indigent, it is apparently the belief of those who support the abortion amendment to that these women must either go through unwanted pregnancies or resort to the old back-alley-underground solution, which they can readily afford but which is also very risky and in time past has often resulted in the mother's death. In addition, it is absolutely ridiculous to have a national health care bill which is supposed to bring health care to everyone regardless of their financial means, and then turn around and say "Oh, but if you want to get an abortion you can only get it if you already have enough of your own money to pay for it", in which case you really don't need national health care coverage either because you can obviously already afford your own." This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever!! The idea of the health care bill is to provide affordable health care to everyone INCLUDING a woman's right to choose. It is NOT supposed to be a forum for certain representatives and senators to air out their own personal beliefs on religious or moral grounds by supporting an amendment to the health care bill which punishes those who can't afford to make their own choice about getting an abortion.

Currently there are those in congress who apparently seem to think they are above the Roe vs. Wade decision. Regardless of their party affiliation or what they may saying publicly, if they support the abortion amendment, they are simultaneously screaming loud and clear they don't believe in the fundamental right of women to choose. I strongly disagree with them and would strongly encourage you to do what I did and write your representatives and senators in congress and tell them this abortion amendment is discriminatory and just flat out wrong.

To find out who your representatives and senators are, go to the link below and enter your address:

http://www.contactingthecongress.org/