Sarah Says: Stand with Planned Parenthood

As anyone who’s ever spent five minutes with me can say, the things I love most — besides popcorn and my books — are babies. Possibly a little too much. And I can say for certain that if I become pregnant at any time in the near future, I’ll be keeping the baby.

I’m lucky enough to be in a situation where I can do that. I’m not the next candidate for 16 and Pregnant. I’m almost 21, and with two semesters left of school and the potential of getting hired at a former internship, I can support myself and a kid. Not only that, but I’ve got great parents and an extensive network of family and built-in-babysitters to help me out.

Not everyone is as lucky as I am. Keeping a baby isn’t always an option.

That’s why I stand with Planned Parenthood, pro-choice activists and the Supreme Court. Abortion, while not a good thing, is sometimes very necessary.

Gov. Mitch Daniels’ decision to sign into law a bill that bans Medicaid funds from being used for abortion at Planned Parenthood or any other organization is a dangerous step. Forget that Medicaid, which covers low-income families, pays for half the births in this state— which probably means a lot of the abortions, too. Ignore the fact that a woman who is desperate to end her pregnancy and can’t afford a doctor’s help might try by herself — with fatal results.

No, think of all the women who are barely making minimum wage, don’t have access to decent birth control, and aren’t able to raise a baby. Those women can’t afford to pay for abortions by themselves and now won’t have help. Women who can’t support their kids are going to have no choice but to lean on the state.

I hope you enjoy your budget-cutting measure, Daniels, because you’ve just given yourself more state dependents.

Abortion is a tricky moral issue, and everyone has a right to choose for themselves. So says the highest court in the land. And while abortion remains a legal medical practice, the government needs to stop picking away at it until women are basically unable to get them.

Daniels’ smart move (see: sarcasm) could cost Indiana a lot more than integrity. As a penalty, Indiana could lose $4 million a year in family planning services, which is going to seriously hurt Planned Parenthood and other organizations that help women deal with pregnancy both before and after it occurs.

This moves smacks of religious motive. I’ve seldom heard an argument for cutting abortion availability that doesn’t involve the word “Jesus” (or similar holy figures).

Apparently, Daniels really does want to run in 2012, because now our previously smart businessman governor, the envy of other states, is heading into government regulated morals, a favorite of any super-conservative pundit who wants to gain attention — and votes.

I don’t like Daniels and haven’t since that Daylight Savings Time business, but I really thought he was above all of this nonsense.

Stick to balancing the budget, Mitch, and stay out of our wombs.