Monday, February 7, 2011
"If the viewing of pornography is legal, income should not be a barrier."
As Rick pointed out a few days ago, we usually do not equate "legally permissible" with "must be funded by the government." At a minimum, we should be prepared to make separate arguments for government funding; the fact that an activity is protected by the Constitution is not an argument for funding. My local paper this morning falls into the trap in criticizing new state legislative proposals on abortion: "If ending a pregnancy is legal, income should not be a barrier." Perhaps the argument could work if the state was creating financial obstacles to abortion, but there is nothing in law or logic that compels the state to remove financial obstacles to the exercise of a constitutional right. Particularly in the case of abortion, where the removal requires the financial support of a citizenry sharply conflicted on the topic, these arguments are weak.
https://mirrorofjustice.blogs.com/mirrorofjustice/2011/02/if-the-viewing-of-pornography-is-legal-income-should-not-be-a-barrier.html
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Whenever this issue comes up, (as my local paper also editorialized yesterday http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/article_39b5c392-30ad-11e0-bc52-0017a4a78c22.html) I like to point out that if access to abortion for poor women is really the driving concern, then this is a problem that it completely within the power of those people to remedy. It is perfectly legal for those concerned to create funds and connect poor pregnant women to those funds.
I've been told by pro-choice activists that such funds do exist, but are chronically underfunded.
Which leads me to believe that something other than concern about access for poor women is driving the desire for government funding of abortion -- IMO, a desire for further government validation of abortion, and universal implication of us all in it.