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 the money might convince the women to go ahead and have babies, then give them up for adoption.
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.
Heather Paffe, political director of Planned Parenthood of Texas, said Patrick’s proposal “is very cynical and insulting to women and their families.”
Sounds like Texas to me. Though I wouldn’t include human Texans in that definition.
Hey Guys,
Now I know you want to show how stupid Texas and Texans are, but maybe a different picture might be more appropriate. Some (like myself) might think that it’s kind of offensive especially with the whole “spick” thing and all. Oh, by the way it should be “spic” and not “spick”.
Thanks
This just in – The Great Republic of Texas exercises its right to secede from the Union, and buys New York and California. Michael Dell pays for them with ‘pocket change’.
#1 – so, you think most Texas bigots can spell?
cubiche,
I’m a New Yorker and found the map mildly offensive. Stupid bigots are not limited to any geographical region, race, color, or creed. I’m sure Texas has its share. So does New York.
That said, I think the idea of making such a decision based on $500 is unconscionable. I doubt anyone would be swayed if the offer were put in place. I would certainly have no respect for anyone that could otherwise manage to feed themselves if they allowed this to enter their decision making process.
The idea of even suggesting such a thing is so morally reprehensible. I sincerely hope that the people of the state of Texas give this man exactly what he deserves for making such a stupid suggestion:
1) Not a single vote in the next election.
2) Not a single listener to his amazingly mind-numb radio show.
I had a good friend who “fled” Texas to Washington.
She claimed that Texas banned the dictionary in schools because it has some bad words in it.
I’m convinced she was serious but I have never been able to quite believe that.
Has anyone else heard of it?
yeah, as a father.. $500 goes real far.. that will certainly change their minds.. so, does anyone who gets pregnant get the $500? or do I need to fake it to get the money. What happens if I have a “miscarriage” after I get my money? Do I have to give it back?
Stupid stupid stupid bill
Maybe the incentive should be shares in Halliburton. More fitting in a Buddhist reincarnative sort of a way.
While I agree with previous posters that the $500 incentive won’t work, it is a welcome indication that the whole reproductive shtick needs to be re-thought. Deputy Dan has taken the matter to the limit of his grey cells. Can we come up with a better idea? It is ironic that Texas, which receives say half a million “illegal” newcomers every year over its border, should see the need for yet more littl’uns. Rapture us all?
Funny, I was reading the Village Voice (or was it New York Press) while having a coffee at McDonald’s this morning where I noticed (and cut out) an ad for male sperm doners. $475.
We’re even Texas.
500 bucks is about right for the mentality of some of the rednecks I’ve known – Texas and elsewhere. That’s about what they think a woman is worth.
Banning the dictionary reeks of urban folklore. I mean come on!
Hurray! Anything to save an unborn human life. What a diabolical bitch Heather Paffe must be.
State Sen. Dan Patrick
Occupation: Broadcasting
Education: University of Maryland Baltimore County, B.A. English
Legislative Experience: Senate Member, 2007 – present
Hometown: Houston
Party: Republican
A native of Baltimore
Geez, why didn’t you keep him up there along with the rest of the DC morons?
John,
I agree. But, as I said, I’m convinced she was dead serious and it was a first-hand story. (she had just come from a Texas School)
OK, I’ll Google it, and see what I come up with:
Not Texas but:
>>American Heritage Dictionary (1969)
In 1978, an Eldon, Missouri library banned the dictionary because it contained 39 “objectionable” words. And, in 1987, the Anchorage School Board banned the dictionary for similar reasons, i.e., having slang definitions for words such as “bed,” “knocker,” and “balls.”
http://www.banned-books.com/bblista-i.html
Oh, here we go:
Pippard said one of the strangest bannings in the past was that of the American Heritage Dictionary, which people objected to because they considered certain listed words to be obscene. The dictionary is no longer banned anywhere in Texas.
“This particular dictionary is more likely to contain some slang words,” Pippard said.
http://tinyurl.com/2lufdj
Well, that’s crazy but a little less so … they may have banned certain versions of the dictionary.
Wait, here’s the whole problem — they have no beer!
Smith County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 174,706. Its county seat is Tyler. Smith county is named for James Smith. a general during the Texas Revolution. Smith County is primarily dry, but the city of Tyler is “damp” allowing wine sales at KE cellars in town without a local option election. The first ever storefront to open and sell alcohol in Smith County since the late 1930s.
Researching this whole debacle so you don’t have to.
Cripes, I didn’t realize it – this clown represents Tyler. You don’t need to know anything else. Believing in a Flat Earth would be a step forward for Tyler.
The recipient of the $500 from this proposal will obviously be required to repay the money to the state of Texas if the child grows up and registers as a Democrat. Generosity must always have sensible limits.
P.S. Tyler sounds like an interesting place to drive through with the pedal to the metal 😉
Isn’t it interesting that this “right-to-lifer” represents a state that murders more people ‘legally’ than any other?
So does that mean that every pregnant woman with no dignity can go pretend to want an abortion and earn $500?
DAN PATRICK is a good man , I listen to his show every time he is on here in Houston. He is trying to turn back the out of control spending and the good ole boy network here in Texas that has gotten totally out of control ( highest property taxes in the nation , highest insurance rate in the nation ) He is a true conservative smaller govt and less spending and as so many you adore, he is pro life and is trying to find some way to turn the tide on abortions, is it so bad to offer a bribe to a young girl to try and stop her from making a terrible mistake that she will have to live with the rest of her life ( its fine to offer needles to addicts that is humane) but try to offer an incentive to a woman not to kill her baby and you are an evil devil
but then thats how this blog goes left left left and claim to be center I havent seen a single post about the crap the democrats are pulling
HOW BOUT A ONE LINER ON WILLIAM JEFFERSON AND HIS BRIBERY SCANDAL ( nooooo that might show a democrats true colors )
[edited: comments guide]
20, the misconception (no pun intended) is that women who seek an abortion universally ‘just do it’ without putting any thought into it.
I’ve known women who have been in that situation. Some did choose abortion; some chose adoption; some kept the baby.
It’s not an easy decision and none were “spur of the moment”.
As for the rest, well, YOUR comment was passed, so maybe the moderator doesn’t stink as much as you think. Oh, and it’s spelled S-H-I-L-L.
thank you for the correction, firefox spell stinks, it told me that was the correct spelling, I thought your spelling was correct but I took for granted the machine was smarter than me
Pmitchell, I happen to agree with you that this is an idea worth considering, but it should be privately funded, and the amount should be guided by actual expenses rather than a set fee of $500. You wouldn’t want to see the program tainted with the unfair label of “buying babies.” Offhand, I don’t have any other objections.
Now may I be excused from making one-liners about your favorite political target? 😉
Pmitchell,
You said, “is it so bad to offer a bribe to a young girl to try and stop her from making a terrible mistake that she will have to live with the rest of her life?”
Why do you fail to consider that having a child is a decision with which she will have to live for the rest of her life?
Becoming a parent is every bit as permanent as abortion. No one suggests counseling for the woman, sometimes underage woman, i.e. girl, who gets pregnant. No one suggests that she be told that carrying to term is not her only option.
Carrying to term and having a child are more detrimental to the woman’s health than an abortion. A woman that regrets this choice will likely do a terrible job raising the child.
If you wouldn’t require or financially encourage one type of counseling, why the other? Because of your religion? We are supposed to avoid legislating religion in this nation of freedom of religion.
Things in Texas are done big, including stupidity.
25, Apparently, stupidity isn’t limited to state boundaries. What an insightful post.
This just in…
The military will kick in another $50 for males!
#25, another witty one. Damn you can be funny, but this time you got it pretty good.
#24, You brought up a very good point, BRIBERY.
One of my knocks against the anti-choice crowd is their failure to think of the baby or mother after the birth. While often they will offer counseling before the birth, usually of a religious nature, seldom will they offer any help afterwards. If they offer some money, this way they can have a clean conscience that they have done some good.
I do believe they are more interested in having a large pool of affordable blond blue eyed babies to choose from for adoption then actually having any morals about right or wrong.
Your side of the story again, good job. But since I’m a raving idiot perhaps that not such a bad thing.
That $500 would be better spent on sex ed classes so that the girls in question have sufficient tools (knowledge, not just rubbers or abstinence, xtians…) to prevent such a situation…
Needless to say, that child given up for adoption will cost the state more than $500 in the first year of it’s wretched life, let alone over the 18 years that the state will be responsible for it…
Nice one tex…