Abortion Or $500

[Draccoca]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/23/texas.abortion.reut/index.html

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (Reuters) -- A Texas legislator has proposed that pregnant women considering abortion be offered $500 not to end their pregnancies.

Republican State Sen. Dan Patrick, who also is a conservative radio talk show host, said Friday the money might persuade the women to go ahead and have babies, then give them up for adoption.

He said during a legislative conference in New Braunfels, 45 miles south of Austin, there were 75,000 abortions in Texas last year.

"If this incentive would give pause and change the mind of 5 percent of those women, that's 3,000 lives. That's almost as many people as we've lost in Iraq," Patrick said.

Patrick has filed legislation to make the payment state law, but the legislature has not voted on it.

His proposal calls for giving any woman going to an abortion clinic the $500 option, to be paid no more than 30 days after the baby is born and given up for adoption.

Critics say the proposal would violate Texas and federal laws against buying babies, which Patrick rejected as "the typical ridiculous criticism."

Heather Paffe, political director of Planned Parenthood of Texas, said Patrick's proposal "is very cynical and insulting to women and their families."

"It's insulting to think women would make that kind of decision so easily," she said.

Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Now I'm not sure what to say about this, I am against abortion as a form of birth control but I'm also pro choice for others. Offering 500 dollars to an expectant mother to keep her baby and give it up for adoption can be seen as buying babies and might encourage some to constantly get pregnant and start abusing this.

What do you guys and gals think?

[Vong]

$500 is nothing since it costs roughly $10,000 to support a child...

[jolanar]

This is probably one of those bills designed to win votes, not to actually be implemented. Just like that democrat a few months back who tried to start a bill to re-instate the draft.

Besides it's just asking to be abused. Imagine how many pregnant women will suddenly be considering abortion.

[someguy]

Hmm...do I abort my child, or go on a shopping spreeeeeee!!!

I think it's weird to be doing this. I've seen complaints about how women become so nonchalant (awful word sorry) about abortion today, but I'm thinking that by saying the difference between aborting or not is 500 bucks then it's gonna make that feeling stronger to women.

Putting a price on a "human life" and associating it with money might really just worsen things.

[Badbird]

Originally posted by Vong
$500 is nothing since it costs roughly $10,000 to support a child...

Exactly. Make it $10,000 and we're talking.

What if someone doesn't want to have an abortion, but goes in pretending she does just to get the money?

Yeah, this will work out well.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

I like it. There are too many damn people in the world.

[Lynn7]

I think it is dumb but there shoud be a move to cut down on all these abortions. I think there should be more campaigning to persuade more people to consider adoption. There are so many people waiting years and years to adopt and it is just a good thing to do. Maybe people giving babies up for adoption should have all their bills paid for the pregnancy by the state.

[Criminal Rock]

$500 for a fucking baby? That doesn't make any sense at all...

[someguy]

How about we make this thread just a list of what you can get with the 500 dollars.

Abortion or Xbox 360
Abortion or iPod
Abortion or portable DVD player
Abortion or buying your friends dinner at East Side Mario's multiple times
Abortion or a cool digital camera
Abortion or the Janus films box set
Abortion or a piece of furniture
Abortion or a ticket to a nice sports event
Abortion or renting several clowns for 12 hours
Abortion or a brief concert by a small independent music artist
Abortion or renting a bouncy castle
Abortion or a night with a high class escort*
Abortion or acting lessons




*varies on location and escort

[electriclite]

Originally posted by Lynn7
I think it is dumb but there shoud be a move to cut down on all these abortions. I think there should be more campaigning to persuade more people to consider adoption. There are so many people waiting years and years to adopt and it is just a good thing to do. Maybe people giving babies up for adoption should have all their bills paid for the pregnancy by the state.


Well they're not exacting having a hard time cause there's a shortage of kids, but because the process is so expensive and drawn out.

What the government could do (and this is seriously iffy territory) is create laws and safety guidelines for couples dealing with surrogates, or the women who find themselves pregnant but don't want the kid.

Lots of desperate couples get fleeced by women who say they'll give a couple their unborn child and then have them pay their medical and living expenses (which is a lot more than $500) and then change their minds and keep the kid after its born.

I mean in some situations its great that they want to keep the kid, but that's usually just maternal emotion, not the reality of whether they're ACTUALLY prepared and able to raise the kid.

[jolanar]

Originally posted by someguy
How about we make this thread just a list of what you can get with the 500 dollars.

Abortion or Xbox 360


Damnit! Gotta go get my girlfriend pregnant, asap!

"I promise baby I was wearing a condom."

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by jolanar
Damnit! Gotta go get my girlfriend pregnant, asap!

"I promise baby I was wearing a condom."


If she decides to keep it, then you're fucked man.

[jolanar]

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
If she decides to keep it, then you're fucked man.

Hence the joke. ;)

[Lynn7]

Originally posted by electriclite
Well they're not exacting having a hard time cause there's a shortage of kids, but because the process is so expensive and drawn out.

What the government could do (and this is seriously iffy territory) is create laws and safety guidelines for couples dealing with surrogates, or the women who find themselves pregnant but don't want the kid.

Lots of desperate couples get fleeced by women who say they'll give a couple their unborn child and then have them pay their medical and living expenses (which is a lot more than $500) and then change their minds and keep the kid after its born.

I mean in some situations its great that they want to keep the kid, but that's usually just maternal emotion, not the reality of whether they're ACTUALLY prepared and able to raise the kid.

There is a shortage of babies. That is why so many people are going to foriegn countries to adopt. It is very expensive and takes a lot out of people who have to travel overseas one or two times. I have known a few people who have wanted to adopt and it is hard. It's sad knowing that so many babies are aborted when there are so many people who would love to adopt those kids.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by jolanar
Hence the joke. ;)


Ha! I was thinking of what I had said earlier, thinking that it would be an XBox360 if she decided to get an abortion for population control. Shit, for a 360 it might be worth it.

[Badbird]

Originally posted by Lynn7
There is a shortage of babies. That is why so many people are going to foriegn countries to adopt. It is very expensive and takes a lot out of people who have to travel overseas one or two times. I have known a few people who have wanted to adopt and it is hard. It's sad knowing that so many babies are aborted when there are so many people who would love to adopt those kids.

There maybe a shortage of babies , but not children. But just like kittens, no one wants one once they're big.

[Jim H]

Originally posted by Vong
$500 is nothing since it costs roughly $10,000 to support a child...

What do you mean by "support"? This only applies if they give the baby up for adoption after it is born.

But the average cost of a standard delivery with two days in the hospital is about $6000, so it's kind of a moot point, isn't it?

[electriclite]

Originally posted by Lynn7
There is a shortage of babies. That is why so many people are going to foriegn countries to adopt. It is very expensive and takes a lot out of people who have to travel overseas one or two times. I have known a few people who have wanted to adopt and it is hard. It's sad knowing that so many babies are aborted when there are so many people who would love to adopt those kids.


There isn't a shortage of actual children, and by children I mean those outside of swaddling clothes.

A lot of these couples tend to want babies like some of us want puppies, but there are older kids out there who could really use a home and aren't getting considered because they're just not cute or "manageable" enough. Most people consider it to be like "Raising someone else's problem."

Sure these people would love to adopt all those "babies" but once those "babies" grow out of that "cute" age, they're left to wallow in the system till they're 18. And considering the range of abuse and horrific ineptitude that goes on in those institutions, I wouldn't blame someone for not wanting to put a kid into that situation.

[The Postmaster General]

Okay, I'm the weirdo who thinks this is a step toward a good idea.

In fact, I proposed this idea on these forums in the past, and at least one person here said it made sense.

Look - no one is going to get pregnant to get $500, and if they do, I don't see what the big deal is? I'd rather $500 of tax money go to getting a kid into a home and not end up in jail or on drugs or in some other way draining resources from America.

And on the other end, a couple that wants a baby isn't going to joke about abortion just to get a nominal amount of cash. Seriously, do you guy's think going to drs offices are like putting on pants? Damn, I would have paid $500 dollars just so we'd have less clinics to go to when my wife was pregnant.

They give tax breaks already for having a kid - what's the difference?

To me, I don't see how both sides of the abortion problem can't be cool with this idea. I'm surprised to see so many detractors!

[DRbeauty]

Originally posted by Lynn7
There is a shortage of babies. That is why so many people are going to foriegn countries to adopt. It is very expensive and takes a lot out of people who have to travel overseas one or two times. I have known a few people who have wanted to adopt and it is hard. It's sad knowing that so many babies are aborted when there are so many people who would love to adopt those kids.


There's not so much a shortage of babies as it is damn near impossible to adopt a baby in the U.S. By the time you jump through the hoops the baby will be much older. That's what happened to my parents when they were looking to adopt. Luckily for them and me my orphange in the Dominican Republic was overflowing with babies so they practically threw me at them

[Lynn7]

I'm glad it worked out for you all! ;)

[Kevin Lockard]

This is a stupid idea.

[The Heart Collector]

Originally posted by someguy
Abortion or renting several clowns for 12 hours

I, for one, am sold.

[The Postmaster General]

Originally posted by God of Cinema
This is a stupid idea.


A moment of self-awareness there?

[someguy]

Truly a cancer on our society

[Kevin Lockard]

I have feelings.