Our Mendacious President

I really want to impart what total, unmitigated horseshit President Obama's contention that the House bill with the Stupak Amendment "[isn't] an abortion bill" is. Certainly, what he means is that it's not a bill that supports abortion (because that would be terrible!), but the fact is that it is an anti-choice bill, and that makes it an abortion bill as far as I'm fucking concerned, in the same way that the assault weapons ban is considered "gun legislation" by both its supporters and its opponents.

D-Day notes that, despite the claims by its proponents that the Stupak Amendment "merely extends the Hyde Amendment about public funding for abortion to the new health care bill" (which I cannot believe there are Democrats defending as if it's not an utterly heinous piece of misogynist and classist shit), the reality is that "over time this amendment would end reproductive choice insurance coverage entirely."

The amendment designates two areas where abortion coverage could not be offered – the public option, and on any plan receiving subsidies in the exchange. Because insurance companies would have to take all comers and not deny anyone coverage under the new bill, they would not be able to restrict customers who receive subsidies. So effectively, every plan in the exchange would not allow abortion coverage.

Right now, the exchanges are restricted to the self-employed, the uninsured, and certain small businesses. But there are provisions in both the House and Senate bills to open the exchanges over time.

...[W]ith the Stupak amendment, every one of those expansions, to mid-size and then large employers and possibly even individuals who are offered employer coverage, would further restrict coverage for reproductive choice services. If the exchanges do expand – and they should – the result would be making all abortions purely an out-of-pocket scenario.

McJoan puts it in further perspective:

Once again, just like in the pre-Roe days, the wealthy will have access to abortion, those who can't scrape several hundred dollars together won't. Because of how the exchange is structured, most of people covered through it will be receiving credits or subsidies. Therefore, most of the participants will not have access to a legal medical procedure. ... Right now, nearly 90 percent of private, employer-based plans cover abortion services. This legislation could result in many of those plans dropping it, to make administration of plans simpler and more cost-effective.

...This is the most expansive restriction on access to abortion Congress has passed. It goes well beyond Hyde, which has never been codified and which only governs federal, public plans. It's particularly galling that it comes under the umbrella of healthcare "reform."

This is the most expansive restriction on access to abortion Congress has passed.

Tell me again how this isn't "an abortion bill," Mr. President.