Re-defining Rape to Save a Few Bucks

[WhiteBear]

_http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion

Rape is only really rape if it involves force. So says the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law.

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. (Smith's spokesman did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment.)

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.

If they spent their time and effort restructuring or dismantling the Fed, they wouldn't have to find offensive ways like this to nickle-and-dime our way out of debt.

 

[Hildegarda]

let's hope this fails.

 

[Divide by Zero]

If they spent their time and effort restructuring or dismantling the Fed, they wouldn't have to find offensive ways like this to nickle-and-dime our way out of debt.

Or, GASP... raise corporate and income taxes on high earners. I really find that to be misleading. People actually believe it, but the truth is, if you tax income more, it SPURS investment instead of this hoarding going on by the rich.

Sheesh, nickle and dime us, meanwhile the biggest thieves have contracts with the Pentagon.

 

[FireShadow]

Perhaps I am imagining things, but I am not so sure this is about saving money (or not only that).

It seems more a step towards "forcing" women to have babies...perhaps a step towards outlawing abortion completely. The money aspect just seems a convenient tool.

I have just finished reading "The Wave" vol 7 and my mind is fresh with that study of psychopathy and the way they have been spreading their genetics. I was thinking that the very forms of rape that are being proposed to be discounted are those most often used by socially successful psychopaths.