How Anti-Choicers Are Anti-Life

Fetal impairment

It refers to the existence of life-threatening or serious anatomical signs that will lead to either an impaired quality of life or at worst, lethal anatomical malformation which renders the fetus unable to survive outside a pregnant woman's body.

Don't think for a second Republicans in the Florida legislature are pro-life. Republicans in the Senate Banking and Insurance committee endangered the lives of women.

Committee members shot down an amendment filed by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, that tried to expand exemptions in the bill from cases when rape or incest is involved to cases where "fetal impairment" could occur.

Republicans on the committee said the term could justify an abortion in almost any case. Opponents said it needs to be there to protect the mother in other instances, but the term should not wear a concrete label because it deals with issues that are very personal.

"That is a condition that needs to be addressed with those physicians and the patient," said Suzie Prabhakaran, an OB/GYN and medical director at Planned Parenthood in Sarasota. "It's kind of a case that you know it when you see it."

The bill passed the committee, 6-4, with Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, joining Democrats in opposition. It has one more committee stop before reaching the full Senate floor for a vote.

Good for Sobel for attempting to add the amendment and Bennett (to my surprise) voting with Democrats. The short version is Republicans do not support publicly-funded insurance for abortions, even if the woman's life is in danger. Sen. Gwen Margolis summed up the vote.

"I can barely talk about it," said Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Miami, visibly upset. "It's incredible to talk about. It's incredible that a bunch of guys are telling us what's right in our lives."