Indiana Abortion Showdown Could Cost State $4.3 Billion

[Judi Lynn]

Indiana Abortion Showdown Could Cost State $4.3 Billion
06/ 5/11 02:13 PM ET

INDIANAPOLIS — A looming showdown over Indiana's new law that cuts funding for the Planned Parenthood organization may test how far Republican-led states are willing to go in pressing their tough new anti-abortion agendas.

The stakes are high. The future of health care for more than 1 million poor and elderly Indiana residents hangs in the balance.

Indiana became the first state this year to cut off all government funds to Planned Parenthood, fulfilling conservatives' goal of financially weakening organizations that provide abortions. Other conservative states have considered such action in recent years but backed away under the threat of loss of all federal money for their Medicaid programs.

The willingness of Indiana, led by a Republican governor and GOP-controlled Legislature, to challenge the federal government and risk a huge financial penalty could take the issue into uncharted legal and political territory. Conservative leaders in other states will be watching the confrontation as they plan their own action on abortion and other social issues.

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/05/indiana-abortion_n_871526.html

[XanaDUer]

1. The fact that conservative freaks are willing to kill ppl over fetuses

proves the point that they don't give two shits about life, babies, fetuses, women, or anyone else except CEOs. I really hate these people. Can someone SUE them for forcing their religious beliefs on the rest of America?

[glinda]

2. I wish! They ought to be in prison actually. Besides breaking the Constitution and the backs of the

people, for misuse of power, fraud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as well as threatening people's lives.

[femrap]

9. Hopefully the Courts

will find in favor of Planned Parenthood, which has done such a great job of providing health care to people with no insurance.

[Chipper Chat]

3. "We aint seen nuthin yet"

If Mike Pence becomes governor (very likely) Indiana will become the most conservative state in the nation - even surpassing Utah in rightwing ideology. I dont know if I'll be able live here anymore.

[RainDog]

4. Indiana is a pit of John Birch militia stupidity

made "legit" by the Cato Society - one of whose pols once asked me why it would be such a bad thing if the only choice my child had for an education was a privately-run baptist school - because taxes wouldn't be required to pay for education.

so, for all their blather about "freedom" - the reality is that libertarians don't care if your child is subject to forced religious indoctrination as long as they don't have to give a shit about the next generation.

As Indiana's republicans do more stupid shit like the recent immigration bill, and now this, I wouldn't be surprised if Indiana experiences a brain drain - much of the funding for research that goes on comes from people who are not from Indiana originally and some of those people have been weighing the value of remaining in a state with such stupid leadership.

Richard Florida wrote about the ways in which regressive social and political policies create dead zones - places from which people who have a choice flee.

Nearly 40% of Indiana's college graduates leave the state (as of 2007.) Some return - but they return to live in liberal areas of the state - places that have high "quality of life" rankings - which, again, as Florida noted, have to do with access to cultural events and venues (museums, various types of music venues, intellectually interesting events), with tolerant and diverse populations (ethnic mixes, homosexual acceptance, artists and scientists, openness to religious tolerance and multi-cultural awareness) and these are NONE of the things that the state's republicans ever do anything to support.

when people can live elsewhere - why would they choose to live in a place that elects politicians that create policies that are detrimental to the health of the state?

[XanaDUer]

5. Is Indianapolis consider a "liberal" hotspot in IN?

Just wondering, b/c I see jobs in my field there from time to time.

[Hoosier]

6. relatively....

But that isn't saying much.

N/W Indiana is tied directly to Chicago, so it is more Dem/Liberal than most areas. The only real liberal area in Indiana IMHO is Bloomington. Some other areas have Dem reps, but B-town = liberal.

[XanaDUer]

7. What is Meridian Hills like

if I may ask, and if you know? Thanks!

[RainDog]

8. LOL

you know, I really couldn't tell you - other than to say that Indianapolis has democrats in the state house - people I know who live there say it's a mixed bag - they were coming from a liberal place.

The place considered the most liberal in Indiana is Bloomington. It's about 50 miles south of Indianapolis.