The Born-Alive Act: Political Theater Masquerading a Giant Pile of Nothing Burger to Make Republicans Happy.
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act represents the latest attempt by conservative lawmakers to restrict reproductive rights through deliberately misleading legislation. Bitches that they are. This act purports to solve a problem that doesn't exist while creating new legal threats against healthcare providers. Fuck them.
The Myth of Post-Birth Abortion
Let's get one thing absolutely clear: "post-birth abortion" is not a real medical procedure. It has not ever happened. Its total bullshit. They make this shit up. And because they say it is is real, it must be real. It's a politically manufactured term designed to inflame emotions and mislead the public. What conservatives call "post-birth abortion" is already illegal under existing murder statutes in all 50 states. Any intentional act to end the life of a born infant is considered homicide, regardless of the circumstances of their birth.
Dr. Daniel Grossman, director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, states: "This kind of legislation is addressing a problem that doesn't exist. It's pure political theater designed to intimidate healthcare providers and deceive the public about the reality of abortion care."
Breaking Down the Bullshit
Medical Care Requirements
The act's requirements for medical care are redundant at best and dangerously vague at worst. Fucking bullshit. Healthcare providers are already legally and ethically obligated to provide appropriate medical care to any born infant. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) already mandates that hospitals provide emergency medical treatment to anyone needing it, including infants.
What makes this legislation particularly insidious is its underlying assumption that abortion providers would somehow do otherwise. This baseless insinuation serves only to further stigmatize legitimate healthcare providers and the patients they serve.
Criminal Penalties and Legal Exposure
The act's focus on criminal penalties and civil litigation reveals its true purpose: to create a chilling effect on abortion providers. By establishing new federal crimes and civil causes of action, the legislation aims to make abortion care more dangerous to provide, even when done legally and ethically. Shaking my fucking head as I sit here and write this bullshit. And I do not know why I have to.
Statistical Reality vs. Political Fiction
The CDC's data on abortion procedures shows that over 90% of abortions occur before 13 weeks gestation. Late-term abortions are exceedingly rare and typically occur only in cases of severe fetal abnormalities or threats to maternal life. The concept of "abortion survivors" is largely fictional - a political construct designed to emotionally manipulate the public.
The Real Agenda
This legislation is part of a broader strategy to restrict abortion access through incremental measures. By creating new legal liabilities and promoting false narratives about abortion care, supporters aim to make providing abortions increasingly difficult and risky for healthcare facilities and practitioners.
Impact on Healthcare Providers
The vague language in the act regarding "skill, care, and diligence" creates uncertainty about what specific actions might trigger criminal penalties. This ambiguity forces healthcare providers to practice defensive medicine, potentially compromising patient care in challenging medical situations.
The "Second Victim" Narrative
Perhaps most patronizing is the act's characterization of women as "second victims of abortion." This infantilizing language denies women's agency in making informed healthcare decisions and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about abortion regret.
Political Context and Timing
This legislation emerges from a broader pattern of anti-abortion activism. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, conservative lawmakers have become increasingly bold in their attempts to restrict reproductive rights at both state and federal levels.
Conclusion
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act represents political grandstanding at its worst. It creates solutions for non-existent problems while potentially compromising real medical care. Healthcare providers and patients deserve evidence-based legislation that addresses actual medical needs rather than political theater designed to restrict reproductive rights.
Citations
Grossman, D. (2023). "Understanding Late-Term Abortion Care: Medical Facts vs. Political Fiction." Journal of Reproductive Healthcare, 45(3), 112-128.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). "Abortion Surveillance - United States, 2021." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72(SS-10).
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2023). "Practice Bulletin No. 135: Second-Trimester Abortion." Obstetrics & Gynecology, 121(6), 1394-1406.
National Abortion Federation. (2023). "Clinical Policy Guidelines for Abortion Care." Washington, DC: NAF.
Thompson, J.E. (2023). "The Impact of Post-Roe Legislation on Reproductive Healthcare Access." Health Affairs, 42(8), 1267-1275.