abortion wars

Today's News and Observer column focuses on the entry of abortion into the health reform discussion. On balance, this reduces the chance of a reform bill passing because because of the emotion of this issue.

In the column I cite a Kaiser Family Foundation study concluding that 46% of employer based policies covered abortion. Here is a discussion of the differences between this study and one done by Guttmacher Institute that concludes that 87% of employer provided insurance covers abortion. That is a big difference. I am not sure which one is correct...

Also, I have gotten feedback today from both sides of the abortion debate: some saying I am soft selling the impact of Stupak because I want to erode a woman's right to choose, and others asking how I could think the health of the unborn is not important and that I only care about the rights of women and not babies. These comments come in response to the same column, which I would argue reveals just about nothing about what I might think about abortion one way or another. This is the main point of my column.....people think what they think and see what they see about this issue moreso than any other. It is not going to be resolved in health reform, and doesn't belong in the debate.