PDA

View Full Version : Chairman Michael Steele Ends Abortion Coverage for Republican Party Employees




bobbyw24
11-13-2009, 07:39 AM
Washington (AP) - A chagrined GOP Chairman Michael Steele has told Republican National Committee staff to immediately stop providing RNC employees with insurance for elective abortions -- an option that Republicans strongly oppose as Democrats try to pass a health care overhaul bill.

"Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose," Steele said in a statement late Thursday after learning of the abortion coverage from a news report. "I don't know why this policy existed in the past, but it will not exist under my administration. Consider this issue settled."

Steele instructed staff to inform the insurance carrier that the RNC wanted to opt out of elective abortion coverage, RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said. She said the policy has been in effect since 1991.

A memo earlier from RNC Chief of Staff Ken McKay to the organization's members said Steele was taking the matter very seriously and "has been engaged by phone on this issue."

The GOP platform traditionally includes strong anti-abortion language. All

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/57096

Peace&Freedom
11-13-2009, 08:48 AM
Kudos to Steele. It's odd that this strange incoherency in GOP policy was neither exposed or reversed until now. Also, why is even the Conservative News Service using pro-choice friendly terms like "anti-abortion language" to describe the pro-life side?

AdamT
11-13-2009, 08:56 AM
The hypocrisy of the GOP just got more astounding.

fisharmor
11-13-2009, 09:51 AM
Also, why is even the Conservative News Service using pro-choice friendly terms like "anti-abortion language" to describe the pro-life side?

It goes deeper than that... for starters, the whole article confuses coverage with insurance. Health care in this country is doomed... even the "conservatives" have a total lack of understanding as to even basic principles like insurance.

Also, what's with using the adjective "elective"? Even casual study of the abortion debate quickly uncovers that before Roe, states where abortion was "illegal" still accepted threat to the mother's life or health as a legitimate reason to abort... and that it was fairly easy to find a doctor to sign off on a health threat.

So if this coverage is only for "elective" abortions, all it means is that the Republicans on this plan only need to jump through one more hoop to get their abortion and have donors pay for it.

No, Michael, the issue is not "settled", anymore than it was "done" for Ron Paul when you declared that two years ago.

jmdrake
11-13-2009, 01:02 PM
Also, what's with using the adjective "elective"? Even casual study of the abortion debate quickly uncovers that before Roe, states where abortion was "illegal" still accepted threat to the mother's life or health as a legitimate reason to abort... and that it was fairly easy to find a doctor to sign off on a health threat.


When a stillborn fetus is removed it is still called an "abortion". I personally know someone this happened to. You're not necessarily going to find a doctor to sign off on what isn't really an elective abortion if he has to worry about being charged with insurance fraud and lose his license.

apropos
11-13-2009, 02:30 PM
Even casual study of the abortion debate quickly uncovers that before Roe, states where abortion was "illegal" still accepted threat to the mother's life or health as a legitimate reason to abort... and that it was fairly easy to find a doctor to sign off on a health threat.

You draw attention to a modern myth with this statement.

LittleLightShining
11-13-2009, 03:04 PM
When a stillborn fetus is removed it is still called an "abortion". I personally know someone this happened to. You're not necessarily going to find a doctor to sign off on what isn't really an elective abortion if he has to worry about being charged with insurance fraud and lose his license.
It's usually referred to as a D & C in the case of fetuses that die in utero, though that procedure is also used to perform live fetus abortions.

acptulsa
11-13-2009, 03:09 PM
The hypocrisy of the GOP just got more astounding.

You obviously don't remember when Dubya's daddy was asked what he'd do if Jenna came up preagnant and wanted an abortion...