Santorum makes prenatal testing a campaign issue

[Teh One Who Knocks]

The Associated Press


http://i.imgur.com/Zrjon.jpg

First birth control, now prenatal testing? Once again a fact of life for many American women has become a jarring issue in the presidential race.

Republican candidate Rick Santorum is making free screenings for birth defects part of his attack on President Barack Obama's health care law. Santorum charges that the law requiring insurers to cover the tests is a way to encourage more women to have abortions that will "cull the ranks of the disabled in our society."

Obama re-election campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith called Santorum's remarks "misinformed and dangerous." She said the tests help bring about safer deliveries for mothers and babies.

Federal health officials and doctors recommend that all pregnant women be offered blood tests and an ultrasound exam that assess the risk of having a baby with a birth defect or genetic disorder, including Down syndrome. If a screening test raises concern, a woman may choose further testing, such as amniocentesis.

How did these commonplace tests spark so much controversy?

— Some women don't want the tests because they know they wouldn't abort their fetus no matter what the results. Others who wouldn't consider an abortion still want the tests, so they can be emotionally prepared and plan for a disabled baby's more complicated care. Babies with Down syndrome can need specialized care at delivery that affects hospital selection.

— Some women avoid amniocentesis, which involves withdrawing amniotic fluid with a needle, because of the small chance it could cause a miscarriage. There are less invasive tests available and newer ones on the way.

— As Santorum noted, studies show that in the vast majority of cases where amniocentesis reveals Down syndrome, women decide on abortion.

— Advocates for the disabled, including many parents of Down syndrome children, worry that couples are choosing abortion without fully considering that their child could lead a happy, fulfilling life. About one in 800 babies has Down syndrome, a condition in which having an extra chromosome causes mental retardation, a characteristic broad, flat face and, often, serious heart defects.

The prenatal testing issues have been debated by abortion foes and obstetricians and wrestled with by prospective parents. But the ethical quandaries and painful emotional decisions received scant public attention before the politically charged remarks from Santorum, who also opposes the government requiring birth control coverage for employees of religiously affiliated organizations.

Until now, perhaps the best-known public reflections on the prenatal testing issue came from two well-known conservatives, each the parent of a Down syndrome child, who reached different conclusions about prenatal screening:

— "I was grateful to have all those months to prepare. I can't imagine the moms that are surprised at the end. I think they have it a lot harder," Sarah Palin said during her 2008 campaign for the vice presidency about the amniocentesis results she received before her son, Trig, was born.

— "What is antiseptically called 'screening' for Down syndrome is, much more often than not, a search-and-destroy mission: At least 85 percent of pregnancies in which Down syndrome is diagnosed are ended by abortions," columnist George Will wrote in a highly personal 2007 column about his grown son, Jon.

Santorum, whose youngest daughter has a different genetic disorder, Trisomy 18, said in a CBS interview on Sunday, "Almost 100 percent of Trisomy 18 children are encouraged to be aborted, so I know what I'm talking about here."

[PorkChopSandwiches]

He should have been aborted

[Muddy]

This guys a nut.. You know how I know? FBD is championing for him.. :D :lol:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

He should have been aborted

No kidding, no matter what the issue is, it all boils down to an evil plan by gays and people wanting an abortion for him :roll:


This guys a nut.. You know how I know? FBD is championing for him.. :D :lol:

:dance:

[Acid Trip]

"WTF did he just say!?!?" - Santorum for President

I have to find someone to make that into a bumper sticker for me.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

http://i.imgur.com/aS9Rn.jpg

[FBD]

:lol: I love how "the media makes abortion and contraception a campaign issue" turns into "santorum makes this stuff a campaign issue" because they're looking into things he's said in the past, taking a narrow context, and launching an assault trying to assert that anyone who has strong faith is necessarily going to impose the entirety of it on you - but only if they're white, republican, and catholic.

I mean, its a hell of a lot more than "sure Obama hangs out with domestic terrorists, hell, he launched his campaign from one's living room, but meh, no big deal, we dont need to investigate this" :lol: just like they didnt need to really find out about the birth certificate, just like so many other blatant falsehoods surrounding a corrupt leftist asshole...

in other words, they're making more of a big deal out of this than somethings that impacts our lives substantially more.

and few of you had a problem with him until the TV told you there was a problem with him.



and to make this on topic - ya know, my extremely intelligent, absolutely beautiful 11 year old niece tested positive for down's in utero and the doc asked my bro & sis'n'law if they wanted to abort in light of that, because, ya know, she just miiiight be born all fucked up and stupid - and they said "not a fucking chance."

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Like the friggin' Bat Signal :dance:

[PorkChopSandwiches]

really....the birth certificate....:roll:

[FBD]

nah I just got home from work early. :dance:

I call balls & strikes about how people are treated - so when that means I'm sticking up for santorum for stupid bullshit, why, I'll be sticking up for him. With Obama there is no stupid bullshit to stick up for him about, because he is one of the primary sources.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

really....the birth certificate....:roll:

Gotta keep on http://i.imgur.com/419nT.gif

[MrsM]

and few of you had a problem with him until the TV told you there was a problem with him.

and to make this on topic - ya know, my extremely intelligent, absolutely beautiful 11 year old niece tested positive for down's in utero and the doc asked my bro & sis'n'law if they wanted to abort in light of that, because, ya know, she just miiiight be born all fucked up and stupid - and they said "not a fucking chance."

I think he is doing a good job of it himself - I don't need to hear any of the reporting to know that this guy should not be President

I decided to not do any prenatal screening because I would not abort if my child had a genetic disorder - that was my choice and I'm glad that I had a choice. Further - I would not hold it against anyone who did abort as it was their choice!.

I want my government to make choices based on what the voting people say and not what some religious nut job says is right.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

and to make this on topic - ya know, my extremely intelligent, absolutely beautiful 11 year old niece tested positive for down's in utero and the doc asked my bro & sis'n'law if they wanted to abort in light of that, because, ya know, she just miiiight be born all fucked up and stupid - and they said "not a fucking chance."

Well obviously you are all for having the government taking away the ability to make that choice since Santorum wants to ban all these things ;)

Any libertarian would tell Santorum and his way of thinking to go pound sand. The government HAS NO PLACE being involved in people's personal and private decisions.

[Muddy]

Like the friggin' Bat Signal :dance:

:lol:

[Shady]

Most Trisomy 18 cases are aborted because the prognosis is extremely grim. In the UK in 08/09 there were 495 cases of the disorder, of those case there were an estimated 37 live births. The average life span of someone born with Trisomy 18 is 5-15 days. Only 8% make it to a year and 1% of those that are lucky enough to survive pregnancy and birth will make it to 10 years. It's seems that its safer and healthier for the mother in this instance to have the pregnancy terminated. I've seen what separation anxiety/PTSD/whatever you wanna call it, can do to a mother after a healthy child birth. I can only imagine what would would happen to the mothers mental health if the child passed away after only a week.

[perrhaps]

nah I just got home from work early. :dance:

I call balls & strikes about how people are treated - so when that means I'm sticking up for santorum for stupid bullshit, why, I'll be sticking up for him. With Obama there is no stupid bullshit to stick up for him about, because he is one of the primary sources.

If you'll remember my postings in another forum, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away I detest Obama and his policies.

Having said that, I'll NEVER vote for Smirkface Santorum. If he gets the GOP nomination, we won't be having a presidential election. Instead, we'll have a four-month long National Gong Show.

Come to think of it, that J.P. Morgan was hot...

[Jezter]

:lol: I love how "the media makes abortion and contraception a campaign issue" turns into "santorum makes this stuff a campaign issue" because they're looking into things he's said in the past, taking a narrow context, and launching an assault trying to assert that anyone who has strong faith is necessarily going to impose the entirety of it on you - but only if they're white, republican, and catholic.

I mean, its a hell of a lot more than "sure Obama hangs out with domestic terrorists, hell, he launched his campaign from one's living room, but meh, no big deal, we dont need to investigate this" :lol: just like they didnt need to really find out about the birth certificate, just like so many other blatant falsehoods surrounding a corrupt leftist asshole...

in other words, they're making more of a big deal out of this than somethings that impacts our lives substantially more.

and few of you had a problem with him until the TV told you there was a problem with him.



and to make this on topic - ya know, my extremely intelligent, absolutely beautiful 11 year old niece tested positive for down's in utero and the doc asked my bro & sis'n'law if they wanted to abort in light of that, because, ya know, she just miiiight be born all fucked up and stupid - and they said "not a fucking chance."
The birth certificate? Oh come on... and a leftist asshole? The partisanship is strong with this one... it is either extreme right or extreme left and no way there can be a middle ground...
And until the TV told people he is nuts? Well, FBD, do you get to talk to him personally to get his views and ideas? Do you get to sit in meetings with the politicians so you can make your own notes? Where do YOU get your information to form your strong opinions? From some sort of media Im sure. Papers, radio, TV and the Internet for sure. What makes the difference is that I believe majority can think with their own brain and it doesn't take an Einstein to see this guy is fucked up with his 17th century views...

[Acid Trip]

:lol: I love how "the media makes abortion and contraception a campaign issue" turns into "santorum makes this stuff a campaign issue" because they're looking into things he's said in the past, taking a narrow context, and launching an assault trying to assert that anyone who has strong faith is necessarily going to impose the entirety of it on you - but only if they're white, republican, and catholic.

I mean, its a hell of a lot more than "sure Obama hangs out with domestic terrorists, hell, he launched his campaign from one's living room, but meh, no big deal, we dont need to investigate this" :lol: just like they didnt need to really find out about the birth certificate, just like so many other blatant falsehoods surrounding a corrupt leftist asshole...

in other words, they're making more of a big deal out of this than somethings that impacts our lives substantially more.

and few of you had a problem with him until the TV told you there was a problem with him.



and to make this on topic - ya know, my extremely intelligent, absolutely beautiful 11 year old niece tested positive for down's in utero and the doc asked my bro & sis'n'law if they wanted to abort in light of that, because, ya know, she just miiiight be born all fucked up and stupid - and they said "not a fucking chance."

The problem is regular people can't separate what Santorum says he believes in from what he'd actually do as president. They are two very different things.

I have no problem with a president that doesn't believe in contraception, thinks that gay marriage is a crime against humanity, thinks that abortions are abhorrent, and so on. The problem is if he tries to push those beliefs on the rest of the country as president.

[Jezter]

The problem is regular people can't separate what Santorum says he believes in from what he'd actually do as president. They are two very different things.

I have no problem with a president that doesn't believe in contraception, thinks that gay marriage is a crime against humanity, thinks that abortions are abhorrent, and so on. The problem is if he tries to push those beliefs on the rest of the country as president.
It is still a whole lot easier to trust the President would make the right kind of decisions in your point of view if he had more or less the kind of beliefs, ideas and values as you. At least I voted for a man who didn't make me go WTF everytime he opened his mouth.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

The problem is regular people can't separate what Santorum says he believes in from what he'd actually do as president. They are two very different things.


Really, I have a hard time looking at someones "core" values and think they are going to do anything different.

[Muddy]

If I had a piece of garden hose and a locked room, I would beat the shit out of FBD with it... :dance:

[Acid Trip]

It is still a whole lot easier to trust the President would make the right kind of decisions in your point of view if he had more or less the kind of beliefs, ideas and values as you. At least I voted for a man who didn't make me go WTF everytime he opened his mouth.

I couldn't agree more. My problem is that the current president (and Republican candidates) and I have nothing in common belief wise.

Personally, I'd rather vote for a devout Christian/Catholic than some slick talking, scum sucking lawyer from Columbia or Harvard. There is no way a ban on abortions/gay marriage/contraception has any chance at passing so I look beyond the religious stuff to what really matters.

[Jezter]

That is admirable if you can look past those things and trust the overdrive mode of the religious craziness will not come in play. It is just again then that if he doesn't do as he talks, people will be whining and crying how he ditched all his voters and all his campaign promises... It is a never ending cycle. No one will ever be happy it seems.

[Muddy]

Romney needs to emerge and hire Bob McDonell as his VP candidate.. It's the republicans only hope at this point.

[Acid Trip]

Romney needs to emerge and hire Bob McDonell as his VP candidate.. It's the republicans only hope at this point.

Here is a liberal writer going after McDonell. Notice the phrases he uses are the ones I mentioned in another thread. So predictable.

"Republicans have let loose a torrent of hard-right legislation. Drug testing for welfare recipients; restrictive voter ID laws designed to disenfranchise poor and minority communities; arbitrary standards designed to force the closure of abortion clinics; harsh anti-immigrant legislation which arguably goes further than SB 1070 in Arizona."

Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/02/how-the-virginia-gop-could-tank-bob-mcdonnells-political-fortunes/253413/

[Muddy]

We have a great economy here in Virginia..

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Romney needs to emerge and hire Bob McDonell as his VP candidate.. It's the republicans only hope at this point.

From what I have seen of him, I like McDonell

[FBD]

I couldn't agree more. My problem is that the current president (and Republican candidates) and I have nothing in common belief wise.

Personally, I'd rather vote for a devout Christian/Catholic than some slick talking, scum sucking lawyer from Columbia or Harvard. There is no way a ban on abortions/gay marriage/contraception has any chance at passing so I look beyond the religious stuff to what really matters.

This. Santorum has demonstrated far more respect for the constitution than Obama has - but I know that's not saying barely anything at all, Obama's studying of the constitution was nothing but figuring out the best ways to circumvent it.

And I'll stand by calling Obama a leftist asshole any day of the week. :)

And no, the birth cert wasnt even investigated - the media simply laughed and said "what, me vet Obama?" I said nothing of the veracity, I said something to the complete and utter lack of vetting of Obama, we got fking had by a crop of leftists.