Brian Sims, Pennsylvania Democrat, On Abortion: We Did Not 'Swear To Uphold The Bible'

[Mayhem]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/23/brian-sims-abortion-pennsylvania_n_3141950.html

Republican-controlled legislatures in several states have passed or introduced bills that would prohibit state-run health insurance exchanges from covering abortion in any of their plans. But Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims (D) attempted to halt such a bill in his state on Tuesday with a scathing speech about freedom and personal responsibility.

"This legislation is about advancing an ideology of oppression and suppression, even if such a plan means ignoring the oath of office that each of us swore," Sims told his colleagues during a floor debate in the House of Representatives. "As a reminder, Mr. Speaker, I do believe this has been forgotten entirely by many of my colleagues today: Each of us put our hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. We did not place our hands on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."

Pennsylvania's state House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to pass House Bill 818, which bans state insurance plans set up under the Affordable Care Act from offering abortion coverage. The bill's Republican backers argued that it prevents taxpayer dollars from being used to pay for abortion.

Opponents of the bill contend that it would penalize poor women who cannot afford to access abortion, and would prevent women from using their own money to pay for an insurance plan that covers the procedure. Currently, more than 80 percent of private insurance plans cover abortion.

"As a civil rights advocate, I see clearly as do millions of men and women across the commonwealth that this bill's purpose is to discriminate against women, and most often women with less means than many of my colleagues have today," Sims said.

He added, "I'm not sure how I find myself in this room of all rooms as one of the men who respects women the most, but as is so often the case, I see that respect for the person and personal responsibility is clearly more of a slogan than a reality. For these reasons, as well as those given by my colleagues, I ask that members vote no on House Bill 881 and reaffirm the Constitution, the freedom of marketplace, and freedom from an oppressive legislature."

 

[Jeep!]

Good for him, wish there were more like him when it comes to these issues.

 

[Will E Worm]

Republican-controlled legislatures in several states have passed or introduced bills that would prohibit state-run health insurance exchanges from covering abortion in any of their plans.

:clap:

But Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims (D) attempted to halt such a bill in his state on Tuesday with a scathing speech about freedom and personal responsibility.

Personal responsibility not to become pregnant. You don't have the right to murder your child. Sims is a moron.

 

[Jeep!]

A bundle of cells that can't exist without a host is not a "child", there is a reason there are term limits on abortions. Even the ancient romans understood this, but I guess that's still beyond you Will.

 

[Rattrap]

:hatsoff: to Sims.

A bundle of cells that can't exist without a host is not a "child", there is a reason there are term limits on abortions. Even the ancient romans understood this, but I guess that's still beyond you Will.

Certainly unbeknownst to him, Will still serves as a compelling argument for abortion.

 

[lurkingdirk]

:hatsoff: to Sims.


Certainly unbeknownst to him, Will still serves as a compelling argument for abortion.

Why would anyone care about anything that Will says? He's a troll that makes strong statements and then won't stand behind them because he's too cowardly.

 

[CptHa]

For the life of me, I can't understand why it's acceptable for someone to get unhooked from life support and not acceptable to abort a pregnancy. Seems about the same to me, albeit under different circumstances. Another thing is, more poor folks tend to have abortions then do the well off, considering that the "poor are the problem" in regards to government spending, why would you want more people "living off the government dime?"