Star Wars characters on Facebook: [link]

I was making calls for the Senate special election here last night, and someone asked me what my candidate thought about abortion. I said he's pro choice, and she said then she wouldn't vote for him. Um, if you're voting in the Democratic primary in Massachusetts, I'm pretty sure you're not going to be able to pick on that.

What are your criteria for "reasonable" (serious question)?

I'm guessing internal consistency, since that's what his earlier critique of their platform was about.

But Gud can speak for himself.

I do not believe that it is reasonable to oppose government funding of a legal procedure based on a personal belief.

In the context of the current health care debate, there's a certain logic to applying the Hyde Amendment (which is what I think of as "opposing government funding of abortion") to government-funded health insurance. Which isn't to say that the Hyde Amendment is wise law, just that applying it would maintain internal consistency with existing government policies.

No, there isn't. Because this is the first instance in which the issue has hinged on fungibility. Normally, you could say that no subsidy dollars could be directed to abortion services. Those funds would have to be segregated in separate accounts and funded out of private dollar premiums. It's a bit of an accounting fiction, but it's the reason that, let's pick a random example, the fucking Catholic Church is able to take in millions in federal and local funds to finance their (generally very worthwhile) social service activities while not running afoul of church/state.

This is how virtually every religious institution operates - the funds are kept separate, but in reality, every federal dollar financing a church program is a dollar from the collection plate freed up for strictly religious activities.

Now, suddenly, when it comes to women's health and reproductive services, that's not good enough? Fuck them and the sanctimonious, hypocritical horse they rode in on.

Which isn't to say that the Hyde Amendment is wise law, just that applying it would maintain internal consistency with existing government policies.

True that. Nevermind, what brenda said.

I do not believe that it is reasonable to oppose government funding of a legal procedure based on a personal belief.

This.

I'd say excluding by law a legal medical procedure from being eligible for government health care funding is pretty damn hypocritical.

The non-hypocritical stance would be "make abortion illegal." Which I also violently disagree with, but at least it would be honest.

What are your criteria for "reasonable" (serious question)?

In this context, I mean that it can actually be mapped to policy. Though I'd also say that if you feel that something is immoral, it's reasonable to oppose government funding of it.

In the context of the current health care debate, there's a certain logic to applying the Hyde Amendment (which is what I think of as "opposing government funding of abortion") to government-funded health insurance.

I wish that they could just maintain the Hyde Amendment and not turn the health care debate into an abortion debate too, but I suppose it makes sense for the opposition to do it.

Not to speak for Gud, but I think I get what he is saying-- other points make no actual sense when looked at as a whole and/or with what actually happens (like Geo. Bush and Co. saying that they oppose government regulation/more laws and then wanting a fucking amendment to ban gay marriage). At least the abortion thing, while wrongheaded, says "we don't want people to get abortions AND we don't want to pay for them", which makes sense together.

My face/teeth hurt and I can't tell if it is sinus or teeth. I really hop it is sinus, because it is is teeth it is pretty much going to have to wait until Monday at this point. I am also about 30 seconds from closing my door and going to sleep on my floor. The only thing stopping me is that I would seriously sleep the whole afternoon. I do not understand how parents work outside of the home at all. I got 4 hours of sleep last night, and about 50% of the time my cat was walking on me and meowing. I am exhausted.

But Sophia, the "purity test" only mentions public funding of abortion, not its overall legality.