I see outcry after outcry here about the current form of the health bill, and specifically the Stupak Amendment.
"64 Democrats sold out women's rights"
"*slap*slap*slap* Women get what they are given"
So on and so forth.
But we need to recognize the truth about the Stupak Amendment. Lets not use blind rhetoric to paint it in such broad brushstrokes.
Abortion is a serious issue. It's serious for both sides, we need to recognize as much as those who feel how its about their own rights and about their own freedom, about how it's about taking away a women's right to choose; for the other side it really is about human lives, they really DO believe that fetuses are human lives.
We can not afford to dehumanize either side with rhetoric in this important time.
The Stupak Amendment does prevent coverage of Abortion by insurance for some women. It's not something I support, but it's hardely taking away Women's Rights. That rhetoric needs to go. Every women has a right to abortion, be that they pay for it themselves or don't.
And it is more important to provide health insurance for the 10 million or so women that will be covered under the plan, than it is to insure that abortions will be covered under the plan.
If the Sestak Amendment had not been passed, the bill probably would not have passed.
The Sestak Amendment does take away coverage from Women, that's acceptable. That's not right.
Nonetheless it's not the end of the world. It's not some big defeat for women's right.
It's not everything everyone is making it out to be.
Now stop panicking and be happy.
By the end of the year we will have a bill that insures at least 20 million people who had nothing. And that is the most important part of yesterday's events.