ABORTION

[HairOfTheDog]

Many states are de-funding PP as is their right because federal funding is not used for abortion. So my question to you is, do you think that all federal funding is never used for any abortion related material or procedures?

Sorry Maggot, I missed this question when I responded to the rest of your post.

Unlike the Fed, states aren't prohibited from funding abortions under the Hyde Amendment. I am not challenging the states' rights to to fund or defund abortion. I disagree with Federal and state politicians who defund PP's quality women's health services because PP also performs abortions.

I also disagree with state politicians who have used the anti-abortionist sting videos as justification to cut off existing abortion funding to PP. I support stem cell research and PP did not break any laws in contributing to life-saving medical research, so it rubs me wrong to see that being used as justification.

I don't believe that Planned Parenthood is using Federal health service funds to buy abortion-specific materials and procedures. PP is audited up the ying-yang and they have two distinct financial buckets; the "health services" one being much much larger. It would not make sense for them to risk that when they don't need to do so and they could lose everything for so little gain. I haven't seen that allegation being made. Instead, the anti-abortionists contend that Federal funding of health services allows PP to exist and therefore to continue providing the legal (non government-funded) abortions that they oppose.

On a state level, I don't know if PP is required to keep health and abortion funds separated in those 17 states that have chosen to fund abortion services. I imagine so, but I haven't checked.

So you would agree that the support or the non support of abortion is not a yes or no simple answer. I'm agreeable in that context. I just wish politicians would be able to take some kind of middle ground and because of voting citizens both parties cater to their party. It shouldn't be so cut and dry when dealing with a life.

Yes, I agree that for some people, it's not a "pro-choice" vs "pro-life" issue; that hasn't changed since I said so in our discussion a few pages upthread.

Many people support abortion up to a certain number of weeks and oppose it past that point. Others don't support it at all. And, still others others support abortion only in cases of rape, incest, risk to mother's life, risk to mother's health, and/or fetal abnormality.

Like just about every other controversial social/political issue (gun control, death penalty, immigration...), there are both absolutists and middle-grounders in the general public and within the professional political parties.

The GOP politicians are primarily anti-abortionists and use that stance to help define their platform. They oppose the existing law making abortion legal in this country.

Anyway, I have seen recently that several Democratic politicians outwardly support the pending "Pain Capable Unborn Children's Act". If that Act passes, abortion would be banned after 20 weeks instead of the current 24 week cut-off under Roe vs. Wade.