Sometimes party affiliation just doesn’t mean a thing. Thanks to Illinois Democrat – oh wait, I mean Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, the Land of Lincoln now requires Medicaid to cover abortions.
Despite flip-flopping on the issue over what he calls “sharp divisions of opinion,” not to mention the official RNC pro-life stance, Gov. Rauner signed House Bill 40 into law Thursday. The new legislation doesn’t just force Illinois taxpayers to fund abortions – at an estimated annual cost of $1.8 million, according to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services – it also ensures abortions remain legal in the state should Roe v. Wade ever be overturned.
RINO Alert
Bruce Rauner won his first election in 2014 with the help of independent suburban voters, especially women, by claiming to have no social agenda and campaigning with his wife, Dianna – a self-avowed lifelong Democrat.
Despite running on the Republican ticket, Rauner is and has always been “pro-choice.” He declared his support of state-funded abortions while campaigning for office, but expressed doubt in April of this year. The doubt was not based on any moral dilemma or party loyalty, however. He simply worried about the “divisive” opinions of others and thought that maybe they should work on strengthening the economy first. But the Democrat-controlled General Assembly should have known they had no cause for worry. Bruce Rauner is a Republican in name only.
Pro-Choice Confusion
Like most who claim the “pro-choice” affiliation, Gov. Rauner has the issue about half right. According to Politico:
"No woman should be forced to make a different decision than another woman would based purely on her income," Rauner said. “I am personally pro-choice, I always have been. I made no qualms about that when I was elected governor. I have not and never will change my views. I personally believe that a woman must have the right to decide what goes on in her own body.”
He’s right, of course. All women – all people – should have the same rights regardless of financial status. And every woman absolutely should be able to decide what goes on in her own body – to exercise her reproductive rights as she sees fit.
The problem is that the governor and others like him don’t understand reproductive rights. Most on the “pro-life” side are pro-choice too – women and men both should have the right to choose whether or not to have children. And we exercise those reproductive rights by choosing whether to have sex. That’s the choice; pregnancy – whether desired or not – is just one of the natural consequences of making that choice.
Just because someone doesn’t like the outcome of their irresponsible decision doesn’t mean they get to “opt-out” of the consequences. And if really pressed, most “pro-choicers” will express a similar sentiment. Just ask one of these abortion advocates if unwilling fathers should be allowed to opt-out of paying child support.
Free Will: The Right and Responsibility
American Liberty is the right to exercise our God-given free will. Not so sure? Read the Declaration of Independence again – carefully this time. What we absolutely have no right to is some imagined protection from the consequences that arise naturally when we make our free choices. That’s the personal accountability part that so many seem unaware of – we should act responsibly, and we have the responsibility to accept whatever consequences come from our decisions.
If I see an ice-cream truck parked across the street on a sweltering summer day and dash across carelessly to get that delicious, creamy treat, there’s a good chance I’ll get hit – if not this time, then eventually. I may not choose to get hit by a car, but that’s just the possible, and entirely likely, consequence of my irresponsible actions.
If I cross the street in such a manner often enough, I’m bound to get hit eventually. Those who have unprotected sex often enough are bound to get pregnant eventually. And Republican politicians who support state-funded abortions are bound to lose their seats to those who won’t. Eventually, we all have to pay for our actions – whether good or bad. But beware: Sometimes “eventually” is the first time.
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