News > Politics > How Much for That Baby in the Window?

rumor
THURSDAY MARCH 22 2007 3:00 PM

How Much for That Baby in the Window?

Submitted by Bitch_PhD

Edited by Rahodeb

Tags: reproductive rights, texas

File this one under "unlikely to become law--riiight?" Texas state Senator Dan Patrick (R, as if you needed to ask) plans to introduce a bill to, get this, pay women $500 for their babies. No, I am not shitting you.

The bill proposes to create an "Adoption Incentive Program" which would give

a $500 payment to each woman who is a resident of this state and a citizen of the United States who places a child for adoption rather than have an abortion.

Once you get over the "did they just say pay women for putting their children up for adoption?" shocker, the practical--and, sadly, probable--reasons this won't pass start to come into focus. Obviously--obviously--the state of Texas doesn't want to just throw money around! And certainly not to birth mothers. So the money is only for women who place babies for adoption instead of abortion. But how would you ensure that? Obviously women who put babies up for adoption are unreliable sorts--they might just lie and say that they had chosen adoption instead of abortion in order to get the money. So the bill goes on to declare that

The department may only distribute the application forms to abortion providers.

So you're pregnant, you decide you cannot keep this pregnancy, you make an appointment with an abortion provider and you show up and there's a parental consent law (if you're under 18) and a mandatory 24-hour waiting period just to make sure you've thought about this, missy, and now they're also going to try one last ditch oh, hey, but would you reconsider if we offered you $500?

Honey, $500 isn't even going to pay for the extra groceries you'll eat during a pregnancy. Let alone the prenatal care, if you're not insured or on Medicaid, or the cost of the birth.

Senator Patrick, would you agree to take care of a neighbor's dog for nine months for a measly $500? Where the fuck do you get the balls to offer women $500 to rent out their uteruses and sell their children?

Bitch_PhD is pleased to find that we've advanced beyond the era when Jonathan Swift wrote A Modest Proposal; at least now a boy or a girl before twelve years old is a salable commodity.

Cross-posted at Bitch Ph.D.

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Comments

handsomejoe

Mesa, AZ

December 2004

MAR 22, 2007 03:05 PM

I always knew there had to be some price for a baby, I just did not think it would be so low.

RileyStClair

Los Angeles, CA

September 2006

MAR 22, 2007 03:08 PM

this is really going to give my booming black market baby business some competition

formerviking

Denver, PA

May 2006

MAR 22, 2007 03:10 PM

Hell , our dog cost $1600 as a puppy . Babies are cheap , cheap I tell ya !

TAFKASP

Oakland, CA

June 2003

MAR 22, 2007 03:10 PM

Every member who votes for this to become law should automatically have to adopt a kid. If they are so pro life, then let them deal with taking care of yet another life.

deathofamartian

Warrenton, VA

July 2006

MAR 22, 2007 03:10 PM

fuck texas the circus pays way better

freshprncebelair

Ellicott City, MD

June 2004

MAR 22, 2007 03:31 PM

How about simply allowing women to sell their children at market rate?

There is a very large demand for white babies, and im sure an enterprising mother could get a lot more than $500. Probably more on the order of 5000, plus hospital and prenatal care expenses.

Shakyamuni

I'm lost

December 2006

MAR 22, 2007 03:36 PM

Man. It's like they invented DUMB in Texas.

It's not like there's an impediment to putting kids up for adoption. Most states have Safe Haven laws, a baby can be dropped off at a hospital, Police Station, Fire Station, etc., no questions asked.