NationStates Jolt Archive

Texas legislator proposes $500 to stop abortions
Sat Mar 24, 1:50 PM ET

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 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.

Patrick has filed legislation to make the payment state law, but the legislature has not yet 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."
________________________

Assuming this can actually get passed (it can't, right? Right!?! o_o), I'm curious to see how many Texans would actually go for this. I predict teen pregnancies will skyrocket!

Anyway, ready, set, GO!

Wait...Aren't these the same people that say welfare and unemployment benefits are a big waste of money?

What wonderful scumbaggery...And he threw in the war for good measure...

Wait...Aren't these the same people that say welfare and unemployment benefits are a big waste of money?
Yep, exactly them. Great they understood the market :p Too bad there are bigger loopholes in it than in VISTA!

Texas legislator proposes $500 to stop abortions
Sat Mar 24, 1:50 PM ET

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 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.

Patrick has filed legislation to make the payment state law, but the legislature has not yet 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."
________________________

Assuming this can actually get passed (it can't, right? Right!?! o_o), I'm curious to see how many Texans would actually go for this. I predict teen pregnancies will skyrocket!

Anyway, ready, set, GO!

They are essentially bribing teenage girls to go through hell. From waht I knw, delivering a baby can be a nightmare, especially if the father decides to back down.

so he is proposing to pay every woman who gives her newborn baby up for adoption $500?

interesting but it certainly wont change anyone's mind. for the vast majority of women you either have an abortion or you keep the baby you bear.

the choice of adopting it out has no financial motive and $500 isnt going to change that. its not enough of an incentive.

$500 is going to cover it for what..... two days? There's still money to be lost there. Even if you give it up.

I think adding more zeros to 500 would have more effect, but $500 is not going cover much.

so he is proposing to pay every woman who gives her newborn baby up for adoption $500?

interesting but it certainly wont change anyone's mind. for the vast majority of women you either have an abortion or you keep the baby you bear.

the choice of adopting it out has no financial motive and $500 isnt going to change that. its not enough of an incentive.

$500 is going to cover it for what..... two days?

Seriously.

$500 is such a pitifully small sum, it wouldn't even put a dent in the cost of bringing a baby to term, let alone keeping it long enough for the adoption to go through. It's practically useless as an incentive for adoption, and it really is an insult to the mothers.

I think it's a brilliant idea! An incentive to help these women shore up humanity's dwindling population, whilst enabling adoption agencies to provide babies to all those people desperate to experience the joys of parenthood who, so far, have had their hopes dashed by the lack of available children!

I think it's a brilliant idea! An incentive to help these women shore up humanity's dwindling population, whilst enabling adoption agencies to provide babies to all those people desperate to experience the joys of parenthood who, so far, have had their hopes dashed by the lack of available children!

Yes, because there is such a shortage of unwanted babies in the world :rolleyes:

I think it's a brilliant idea! An incentive to help these women shore up humanity's dwindling population, whilst enabling adoption agencies to provide babies to all those people desperate to experience the joys of parenthood who, so far, have had their hopes dashed by the lack of available children!

So the kids of these women are worth, $500 ... only.

I think the bit about needing to "shore up humanity's dwindling population" made it infinitely clear that he was being sarcastic.

I think the bit about needing to "shore up humanity's dwindling population" made it infinitely clear that he was being sarcastic.

I was trying to make the irony (rarest of the Welsh hill metals!) as obvious as possible. Ho hum...

I have a better idea. How about Texas pay all pregnant women in the state for all expenses of pregnancy - clothes, medical care, the whole shebang. That way, all the women in the state won't be clamoring to say they want abortions to get their pregnancy paid for. If they want to be "moral" asshats, they can be moral socialist asshats. See if their heads explode.

I think it's a brilliant idea! An incentive to help these women shore up humanity's dwindling population, whilst enabling adoption agencies to provide babies to all those people desperate to experience the joys of parenthood who, so far, have had their hopes dashed by the lack of available children!

*almost gets knocked down by flying sarcasm* Hey! Watch it! :mad:

I have a better idea. How about Texas pay all pregnant women in the state for all expenses of pregnancy - clothes, medical care, the whole shebang. That way, all the women in the state won't be clamoring to say they want abortions to get their pregnancy paid for. If they want to be "moral" asshats, they can be moral socialist asshats. See if their heads explode.

I doubt that will happen, it'd cost them $$$ ... you can't have that.

so who wants to get me pregnant? Cuz I need that 500 to help pay off my school debt for this semester :p

I doubt that will happen, it'd cost them $$$ ... you can't have that.

Every woman in Texas who actually wants a baby (not an abortion) can go to any abortion clinic and say she wants an abortion, she takes the $500 and goes home. She comes away 500$ richer by saying she wants an abortion even though she doesn't.

So the kids of these women are worth, $500 ... only.

if she finds the $500 persuasive, she can get the rest of the money from the adoptive parents.

its sort of a little lesson in how to make money out of unplanned pregnancy.

*almost gets knocked down by flying sarcasm* Hey! Watch it! :mad:

Oops, sorry!
But at least some people got it...


*Looks upwards a post or two, roffles at Zilam's sig*

Every woman in Texas who actually wants a baby (not an abortion) can go to any abortion clinic and say she wants an abortion, she takes the $500 and goes home. She comes away 500$ richer by saying she wants an abortion even though she doesn't.

thats what i thought when i heard the plan but NOOOO she cant KEEP the baby that they have persuaded her to have. she has to give it up for adoption!

there wont be 5% persuaded by that deal.

*sigh* And this is not like welfare how?

"Oh, she's pregnant. Here, have $500!"
"Oh, she's poor. Have $500!"

if she finds the $500 persuasive, she can get the rest of the money from the adoptive parents.

its sort of a little lesson in how to make money out of unplanned pregnancy.

If this is right, then unplanning pregancies in Texas will suddenly be planned as the mother does it all for the money and the rate of teenage pregancies shoots up.

If this is right, then unplanning pregancies in Texas will suddenly be planned as the mother does it all for the money and the rate of teenage pregancies shoots up.

if the baby is white enough, she can pay her way through college with the proceeds of just a couple of pregnancies.

Oops, sorry!
But at least some people got it...


*Looks upwards a post or two, roffles at Zilam's sig*

I didn't :(

If this is right, then unplanning pregancies in Texas will suddenly be planned as the mother does it all for the money and the rate of teenage pregancies shoots up.

$500 every 9 months is probably not worth it...

I really wish Austin could be it's own city-state so we don't have to be affiliated with these twits. :headbang:

Seriously.

$500 is such a pitifully small sum, it wouldn't even put a dent in the cost of bringing a baby to term, let alone keeping it long enough for the adoption to go through. It's practically useless as an incentive for adoption, and it really is an insult to the mothers.

If you spread the 500 bucks out over the term of the pregnancy, it comes out to like 7 cents an hour. That's what it's worth to this legislator for a woman to go through a pregnancy. 7 cents an hour.

Why is a woman considering abortion? That's the real issue. Address it, instead of handing out a little wad of cash.

Many women want to parent, but have no idea how they can make it work financially. They have no support system. The state could be their support system - provide quality childcare and an education.

Will the baby be the product of risk because of substance abuse? A history of mental illness? Will they be a minority? I was a foster mother who cared for babies - all ready to be adopted - but the waiting couples would not accept them because they were not lilly white or 100% issue free. What do you tell those mothers? Are there really couples waiting to adopt their babies?

:headbang:

The average mother making an adoption plan for her child is not the young, cheerleader who doesn't want to mess up her college plans. That's not the reality of adoption. So, I say ... at least someone is attempting to care a little bit ... but come on - don't patronize these women. Give some real help.

*sigh* And this is not like welfare how?

"Oh, she's pregnant. Here, have $500!"
"Oh, she's poor. Have $500!"

Because undifferentiated globs of cells are people, unlike the destitute.

$500 every 9 months is probably not worth it...

if a woman is inclined to "sell" her baby for $500, then she could make real money by selling it for much more through a baby broker.

hmmm since the market only really exists for "white" babies, maybe he is evening things out for the hispanic and black babies.

thats what i thought when i heard the plan but NOOOO she cant KEEP the baby that they have persuaded her to have. she has to give it up for adoption!

there wont be 5% persuaded by that deal.
All laws this fucking stupid have equally stupid loopholes.

*sigh* And this is not like welfare how?

"Oh, she's pregnant. Here, have $500!"
"Oh, she's poor. Have $500!"
Because they think they are saving babies and as such its a service to the community, not "giving money to people too lazy to work."

I love how he appeals to the patriotism too:

"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.

Woot! Women, do your patriotic duty: Spawn offspring! We've lost boys over there! :rolleyes:

Every woman in Texas who actually wants a baby (not an abortion) can go to any abortion clinic and say she wants an abortion, she takes the $500 and goes home. She comes away 500$ richer by saying she wants an abortion even though she doesn't.

Indeed!

If you spread the 500 bucks out over the term of the pregnancy, it comes out to like 7 cents an hour. That's what it's worth to this legislator for a woman to go through a pregnancy. 7 cents an hour.

Galling, isn't it? I'm surprised the Texas Dems don't run with this, up it by a few thousand dollars, call it welfare, and piss on this Patrick fellow.

In all seriousness though, the fact that he suggested $500 dollars for this sort of thing is shameful. :(

Every woman in Texas who actually wants a baby (not an abortion) can go to any abortion clinic and say she wants an abortion, she takes the $500 and goes home. She comes away 500$ richer by saying she wants an abortion even though she doesn't.

Doesn't work that way. The mother would have to show up at the abortion clinic, sign up for the "$500 option", carry the baby to term, give birth, and THEN receive the money "no more than 30 days after the baby is born and given up for adoption."

It’s stupid and it sucks, but it’s not THAT easily exploited.

Every woman in Texas who actually wants a baby (not an abortion) can go to any abortion clinic and say she wants an abortion, she takes the $500 and goes home. She comes away 500$ richer by saying she wants an abortion even though she doesn't.

Umm..she gets the money AFTER she has had the baby and gives it up.

Yes, because there is such a shortage of unwanted babies in the world :rolleyes:

I think that was CD's point . . .

... what's to stop a woman from saying she wants an abortion, when she just wanted 500 big ones and was planning on keeping the kid all along? Or for that matter, taking the good Senator's money, then exercising her right to an abortion?

... what's to stop a woman from saying she wants an abortion, when she just wanted 500 big ones and was planning on keeping the kid all along? Or for that matter, taking the good Senator's money, then exercising her right to an abortion?

you need to read the OP again.

no baby=no money. no adoption=no money

so we are supposed to believe that a woman in crisis who is planning to have an abortion will decide to have the baby and put it up for adoption because in 7 or 8 months she will receive $500.

dream world.

Step 1: Get Pregnant
Step 2: Go to abortion clinic
Step 3: ??
Step 4: Profit!!

Step 1: Get Pregnant
Step 2: Go to abortion clinic
Step 3: ??
Step 4: Profit!!

http://www.cohguru.com/forum/images/smilies/lmao.gif

Win!

Fetuses≠Humans

Fetuses≠Humans

Wrong.
Fetuses=Humans
Fetuses≠People

There is a difference.