What's It All About

I read this article in the local paper today and found myself wondering how someone could make such a statement.  Speaker Pelosi commented, when questioned about the dissention present even within the Democratic party concerning the language and logistics of monies going toward abortion in the current version of the health bill, "This is not about abortion" and "This is a bill about providing quality affordable health care for all Americans." 

The temptation in light of comments like those it to go after Speaker Pelosi, but the real discussion needs to take place in the real of ideas and foundational beliefs.  I asked myself immediately how one could seriously suggest, after members of one's own party affiliation say quite clearly that they will not vote for the bill because of the current language regarding abortion, that the bill is not about abortion.  If the bill had nothing at all to do with abortion, then all language that hinted at abortion could be removed.  If the bill had nothing to do with abortion, then not one single dollar would need to be appropriated to anything related to abortion.  The fact is the bill does contain language and assigns dollars to abortion.

I wish that it were in fact the case that abortion had nothing to do with this bill.  The fact is that the bill is about abortion.  It is about the national economy.  It is about American liberty.  When a bill is proposed as "health care overhaul" or "health care reform" it is by definition about all issues of health care and all the intended and unintended consequences stemming from passage of that bill.

What I believe comes through loud and clear is the post-modern mindset that has pervaded the American mind today.  Speaker Pelosi was in effect saying, was "This is a bill about providing quality affordable health care for all Americans to me." (additional words and emphasis mine).  Post-modern thought would tell us that the individual defines the terms and definition and truth of an issue.  For Speaker Pelosi the health care bill is just about making every visit to the hospital a small cost for anyone, no matter who crosses the threshold of the health care provider, so that's all the bill is about.  For another person, however, the bill is about abortion.  For another it is about ecomonic concerns (how do we pay for it all).

Our culture tells us that an issue is only what we make it to be, each individual is sovereign over the truth of an issue.  Obviously this is not the case.  With a bill taking more than two thousand pages to cover, the health care bill is about a great many things.  What inevitably happens in the post-modern mindset is a reductionism.  We are going to completely overhaul the health care system of the United States of America, it takes a 2000 page bill to begin to address the issue and yet it is simply "...a bill about providing quality affordable health care for all Americans." 

Whether the bill passes or not, whether it will be helpful or not, whether it will accomplish what it is intended to accomplish or not I cannot say; prediction is terribly difficult, especially prediction about things in the future.  What is certain is that the bill is about abortion.  Up to and until all language and all appropriations for the funding of abortion procedures is removed in their entirety is removed from the bill, it will continue to be about abortion, along with a host of other issues.  We should at least confront the truth.  Push the bill anyway, confirm that the bill does concern abortion and that the President, his cabinet, the House and Senate supporters are all aware of it and demand its passage anyway and at least an honest vote can be taken.  At this point we are left to ask, what is it about the abortion issue that is so devisive?  Why are there those in the democratic party so opposed to a bill they have admittedly pledged to support except for this language?  Why are all the questions regarding abortion being asked?  I think most know the answer to those questions and that it's clear the issue is about abortion.