Wake Up Call

They're pouring sand into the gears as the wheels of justice grind slowly on this fall.

People opposed to everything are trying to halt the momentum for health care reform--and they're using abortion to do it. See this report in today's LA Times.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/healthcare/la-na-abortion11-2009sep11,0,7378033.story

I've been watching the health care debate but not doing anything until I read this article today. My assumption was that a fair exchange of ideas was occurring and that some form of health care legislation would be approved.

Now I realize that I need to speak up, email my representatives, etc.--I'm not entirely sure what is the best form of action--because red herrings are being brought in to swing the debate off point.

In my youth I watched the Equal Rights Amendment lose to right-wing voices that said it would cause unisex bathrooms (oh no!) and put women into military combat.

Now we're in danger of seeing health care reform efforts fail because they might have some remote connection to abortion.

Here's how the argument goes: Someone who doesn't currently have access to health care would gain access and then perhaps have an abortion "on taxpayer money." Even if the health plan doesn't pay for abortion and she pays for the abortion with her own money, the presence of "taxpayer money" in her budget would mean that someone opposed to legal abortion might have paid taxes that might have paid for some of her health care, thus enabling her to buy an abortion. Sheesh!

It's clear to me that this strained logic is just another way to halt health care--which some see as Communism with a capital C.

I can't carry on with my life and expect President Obama and my legislators to fight this battle alone. I have to find out what I can do to help health care reform--and do it.