$500 to Stop Abortions
Written by Sam on March 24th, 2007A 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 on Friday the money might convince 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 woman, that’s 3,000 lives. That’s almost as many people as we’ve lost in Iraq,” Patrick said.
I am not going to poke fun at this guy because his heart is in the right place, but this is just an uber bad idea on a fiscal and moral ground. To begin with, nobody should be paid to have their baby. I really have to question the humanity of a woman who will place a $500 price tag on the life of her child. Not to mention what the psychological impact would be on that child as an adult if he ever found out the circumstances of his birth.
Additionally, the provisions of this law would render it ineffective anyway, in my opinion. This bill says that the money would be paid after the child is born and given to an adoption agency. This prevents fraud, but probably also defeats the purpose. I would think anyone shallow enough to participate in this program would probably want the money up front rather than after the birth. That, however, would open the door for fraud, so it’s a “Catch 22.”
Has our culture degraded this badly that this is what we now must resort to as a society?
24
PM
If this works, I’d be for it. Like he says, if only 5% of women changed their minds that would save thousands of lives. And to be honest, if I found out that’s how my life was spared, I would greatly thank the taxpayers of my home state.
24
PM
This is not a good idea, I agree. Let’s just pay women not to have unprotected sex too! Seriously, in 2007 there is no excuse for the sheer number of unplanned pregnancies. It is gross stupidity and not something I want my tax dollars going towards.
24
PM
I saw Dan Patrick in a debate down here in Texas and I didn’t like what I saw.
He never missed a chance to rub his faith in the face of everyone there. He acted like he was morally superior to his opponents and probably used the phrase, “I am a Christian”, in almost every sentence.
I am a Christian too but this guy just rubbed me the wrong way.
27
PM
In NJ, we (the taxpayers) pay for abortions. Why not pay for life instead? I’d rather we pay a mother to complete her pregnancy and have her child adopted than snuffed out using my money. Maybe it’s something we could try?