[jinx]

Ron Paul doesn't want his tax money to pay for abortions.

The Immorality of Taxpayer Funded Abortion*
By Ron Paul
Published 07/28/09

Healthcare continues to dominate the agenda on Capitol Hill as House
leadership and the administration try to ram through their big government
healthcare plan. Fortunately, they have been unsuccessful so far, as there
are many horrifying provisions tucked into this massive piece of
legislation. One major issue is the public funding of elective abortions.
The administration has already removed many longstanding restrictions on
abortion, and is unwilling to provide straight answers to questions
regarding the public funding of abortion in their plan. This is deeply
troubling for those of us who do not want taxpayer dollars funding
abortions.

Forcing pro-life taxpayers to subsidize abortion is evil and tyrannical. I
have introduced the Taxpayer's Freedom of Conscience Act (HR 1233) which
forbids the use of any taxpayer funds for abortion, both here and overseas.

The most basic function of government is to protect life. It is
unconscionable that government would enable the taking of it. However this
is to be expected when government oversteps its constitutional bounds
instead of protecting rights. When government supercedes this very limited
role, it cannot help but advance the moral agenda of whoever is in power at
the time, at the expense of the rights of others.

Free people should be left alone to follow their conscience and determine
their own lifestyle as long as they do not interfere with other people doing
the same. If morality is dictated by government, morality will change with
every election. Even if you agree with the morality of the current
politicians and think their ideas should be advanced, someday different
people will inherit that power and use it for their own agendas. The wisdom
of the constitution is that it keeps government out of these issues
altogether.

Many say we must reform healthcare and treat it as a right, because that is
the moral thing to do. Poor people should not go without healthcare in a
just society. But too many forget the immorality of stealing from others in
order to make this so. They also forget the morality and compassion that
naturally exists in communities when government is not fomenting class
warfare with wealth redistribution programs.

Many doctors willingly volunteer, accept barter or reduced payment from
patients who can't pay, or give away services for free. Many charities help
the poor with food, housing and healthcare. These charities are much more
responsive and accountable for helping people in need than government ever
could be. This is the moral way that private individuals voluntarily deal
with access to healthcare, but government intervention threatens to pull the
rug out from this sort of volunteerism and replace it with mandates, taxes,
red tape, wealth redistribution, and force.

The fact that the national healthcare overhaul could force taxpayers to
subsidize abortions and may even force private insurers to cover abortions
is more reason that this bill and the ideas behind it, are neither
constitutional, moral, nor in the American people's best interest.