Proposed Texas Abortion Bill Fuels Immigration Controversy

[ThisThreadIsSatire]

(SATIRE from http://thedesperateblogger.com/2011/03/proposed-texas-abortion-bill-fuels-immigration-controversy/)

A bill recently introduced in the Texas state legislature would impose stiff fines and jail sentences on any medical professional who performs or facilitates the performance of any abortion procedure — except for those performed on undocumented aliens.

House Bill 1212, also known as the “Stop Killing Babies That Won’t Steal American Jobs Act” authored by Republican State Representative Debbie Riddle, would impose mandatory fines of up to $10,000 and imprisonment of up to two years for violators — penalties identical to those contained in her recently proposed HB 1202, which would similarly punish employers of undocumented aliens except those working as household employees. With recently added amendments reclassifying farm workers as ‘gardeners’ and garment workers as ’sweat household employees’, HB 1202 is expected to pass easily.

But Rep. Riddle’s abortion bill is drawing fire from both sides of the aisle.

While many Democrats oppose any measure that would restrict women’s reproductive rights, many pro-life advocates (most of whom are Republican) are against abortion under any circumstances — even when they harbor fear, resentment, or outright hatred of the fetus which will invariably only manifest itself after the child is born.

Many Republicans also expressed concern about the bill’s possible impact on border security. Riddle’s Chief of Staff, Jon English, whose name literally translates to her household staff as ‘I’m not English’, confirmed that her office is examining many issues raised by her fellow Republicans, including fears that many of the thousands of female Texans who would travel to Mexico every year to obtain legal abortions might be convinced, coerced, or otherwise duped into smuggling drugs back across the border. “We’re talking about women going through a very difficult time in their lives that we understand will be made more difficult by this law. Of course we must be concerned that they will be so preoccupied with what was being removed that they may not even realize what might have been put in.”

One prominent supporter of the bill, however, is Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Speaking to reporters dressed in costume as Confederate President Jefferson Davis (because it was Sunday), Perry said, “While I of course believe in the sanctity of life, we cannot have tunnel vision when working to create common sense public policy. Of course life is precious — but so are American jobs. Sometimes we’re forced to make tough choices. We must not let our emotions blind us. We must consider what is in the best interest of society as a whole — with care and consideration given to all but those legal residents who find themselves with an unplanned, unwanted, or dangerous pregnancy. In these difficult economic times, it would be reckless not to acknowledge that while all life is precious, some lives are more precious than others.”

March 7th, 2011 | Tags: Debbie Riddle, illegal aliens, Immigration, Rick Perry, Texas, undocumented workers | Category: Political Humor, Satire