Abortion Politics

POSTED BY ARNOLD HAMILTON

Three things you need to know about SB 139, the Legislature-approved, mean-spirited anti-abortion bill that is ostensibly aimed at ensuring state tax dollars do not pay for the procedure:

1. Anti-abortion zealots – mostly Republicans, backed by religious fundamentalists – could not present a single shred of evidence that elective abortions are being performed at taxpayers’ expense at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center.

A crisis in need of a solution? Hardly. This is pure politics. This is about the 2008 elections – and beyond.

It’s much easier in Bible-belt Oklahoma to demagogue the abortion issue in a 30-second TV spot, a pamphlet or a church voters guide than it is to explain that this bill doesn’t really end abortion, why it damages one of our state’s crown jewels – the OU Health Sciences Center – and why it’s unfair to poor women who don’t have options in the event of a troubled pregnancy.

Besides, aren’t Republicans supposed to be against government intrusion? What could be worse for a true conservative than government meddling in one of the most sacred relationships – between patient and doctor.

2. This version won converts because it includes exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

But what nobody seems to be discussing is that the bill requires rape and incest victims to report the crime to law enforcement before they can be eligible for this treatment. Rape and incest are two of the most under-reported crimes for a reason: Many still fear being stigmatized.

Haven’t these the women been through enough? Can you imagine a young girl being forced to turn her father or brother into police in order to be helped medically?

3. Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, D-OKC, is persona non grata in the House Democratic Caucus because of her role in refashioning SB 139 into an anti-abortion bill.

It put some colleagues in the terrible position of having to vote on this issue for a second time this session [SB 714, which included even more restrictive language, passed both houses earlier, only to be vetoed by Gov. Brad Henry].

As mentioned earlier, it is too easy to demagogue this issue. Hamilton’s anti-abortion zealotry played into the Republicans’ hands, giving them a cheap – but oft-times effective – campaign issue to browbeat some of her colleagues.

House Democrats won’t soon forget the betrayal.

Finally: What will Gov. Henry do with SB 139?

Best guess: He will sign it. The measure passed both houses by what would appear to be veto-proof margins.