The bill will reportedly cut $2 million out of the $3 million Planned Parenthood budget. None of which pays for abortions, since that is already prohibited.
Of course the Daniels Magic Touch™, which avoids all negative consequences of slashing social programs, will be invoked:
Daniels, though, said his administration reviewed women's access to services "and can confirm that all non-abortion services, whether family planning or basic women's health, will remain readily available in every one of our 92 counties. In addition, I have ordered the Family and Social Services Administration to see that Medicaid recipients receive prompt notice of nearby care options. We will take any actions necessary to ensure that vital medical care is, if anything, more widely available than before."
Any clinic affected by this law, he said, "can resume receiving taxpayer dollars immediately by ceasing or separating its operations that perform abortions."
And even a serious issue can benefit from a touch of that ol' Daniels humor:
"The principle involved commands the support of an overwhelming majority of Hoosiers, as reflected in greater than 2:1 bipartisan votes in both legislative chambers."
Let us take a moment now to repeat what we say every time reproductive rights are threatened in this country: access to abortion is a Constitutional right. Every restriction of it is a restriction of Constitutional rights.
And let's add, just for this case, that when women are 21% of Indiana's population, the way they're 21% of its Legislature, a 2-1 vote on reproductive issues will mean something.
A lot is going to be made about Daniels living up to his pledge of a truce on social issues. Naturally enough. What we'd like to mention, though, is how friggin' dishonest the thing was in the first place. It was an obvious calculation, and it obviously could not, and would not, be enforced, be promoted, or be a part of the equation the minute push met shove.
The General Assembly is now
Right. Pander.
In one sense the response is "This is what you get regardless of which Republican you empower". In another, it's "Mitch Daniels is a fucking inveterate liar."
The non-campaign is picking up non-steam!
ReplyDeleteDemocrats & Liberals should stop referring to what the conservatives are doing as "Ending Abortion funding" or "Outlawing Abortion". What they are actually doing is attacking women, especially Poor women. They really hate poor people, and poor women & children are the easiest to victimize, while the men can be more easily manipulated with hate-lies.
ReplyDeleteNo group that wants to destroy Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and all assistance to children and handicapped could possibly give one Shit about "babies".
They are out to Crush all Americans, starting with the weakest, of course. And they do this under the banner of "Saving the Babies!"
I used to know John Ketzenberger pretty well and I almost choked when he mentioned that. His sinecure at the right wing think tank may be less assured than I thought.
ReplyDeletePrivately, he's a pretty good neo-liberal sort of guy who likes to punch the hippies. Publicly, he is an affront to milquetoast. How the mighty have fallen.
Oh, and Riley, you know Ann Delaney is only Democrat by party affiliation. she sure as hell ain't one of the good guys/gals
Riley:
ReplyDeleteYou always say (albeit much better) what I am thinking. Is Mitch a twit or what? And trying not to gag and heave at The Star's "Mitch Watch" is becoming more difficult by the day.