Texas lawmakers in 2011, engaged in what one right-wing legislator openly called a “war on birth control,” cut $73 million from family planning services for poor and uninsured women. What are the consequences of that foolishness? From the Texas Tribune:
“The latest Health and Human Services Commission projections being circulated among Texas lawmakers indicate that during the 2014-15 biennium poor women will deliver an estimated 23,760 more babies than they would have as a result of their reduced access to state-subsidized birth control. The additional cost to taxpayers is expected to be as much as $273 million — $103 million to $108 million to the state’s general revenue budget alone — and the bulk of it is the cost of caring for those infants under Medicaid.”
That’s what happens when right-wing ideologues — like Texas Gov. Rick Perry — play politics with women’s health care.
You would think that they might de concerned about all of the negroes, hispanics, and poor white trash they are allowing to be brought into the world by the tens of thousands. Don’t they know that all of those kids will vote for Democrats. You would think that they might have gotten a clue after this last election. Was it Gomer Pyle or Forrest Gump that said: “Stupid is as stupid does”?
As well as Asians
So the State of Texas has figured out how to save $73 million by spending over $100 million.
Thank you for finally addressing the fiscal cost of unwanted children. However, no one addresses the cost to the children. What happens to them? Do they go into foster system? Anyone with experience in dealing with children in the foster care system know the destruction this can cause to children, even given all involved the benefit of the doubt. Do anti-birth controlers and pro-lifers believe these children will be adopted? The reality of that is slim. Do we begin to warehouse them because of the overwhelming numbers of them? I’ve not heard the pro-lifers commit to adopting them. What I have heard is they are sick and tired of paying for those who feel entitled. If they are so committed to pro-life, please lay out your plan for once the children are born. I once saw a sign that said, “The last time a Conservative cared about me was when I was a fetus.” That may seem crude; however, in my opinion, the accuracy is poignantly accurate.
Unwanted children born to poor parents who can’t afford birth control with their own financial resources will typically do very poorly in the Texas school system. Because of their poverty, they will not be as academically successful as other students and may not graduate. Many will earn sub-standard wages in dead-end jobs, thus relying increasingly on social welfare programs to survive, such as Medicaid. Many will become criminals. Rather than voting Democratic, they will often not vote at all because of their belief that there is nothing they can do to change their situation, including voting. The Federal Government should sue Texas for a $165 million stupid penalty for the extra amount of federal funds that will be needed for Medicaid, unemployment, etc. due to the stupidity of Texas lawmakers for denying poor families access to contraception.
Steven, I agree with everything you said. My question to the right wing, in terms maybe they can understand as opposed to my post above, and which is the beginning of this issue, is if women in poverty cannot afford birth control, how will they afford a child?
Typical Tennessee RWNJ citizen:
“Contraception? Weez ones is knows that the birth controls is been around for a long time already. Now the “pasters” down at our church seems to be a thinkin’ hits wrong. Weez ones don’ts know why they is not spoken up sooner since them thar 1960s. They must be right now about hit a bein’ wrong. Theyze ones is all been to preecher school where they knows all about rights and wrongs. You have to have them smarts to go to preecher school—you know. Weez one jist goes down to the church on Sundee mornin’, walks towards the front door, terns off our brains like the sign says, and jist believes ever werd that drops out of the paster’s mouth—cause atun air is the right thing to do. Ever one says it is, especially Paster Beverly B. Beverly.”
Amen, Charles.