Let’s begin with everyone agreeing on one point. Good prenatal care should be available to all who make the choice to avail themselves of it.
How many people in this country would never consider applying for “goddamn Welfare” even if their lives depended upon it? Quite a few American citizens were raised to believe, and still think to this day, that “goddamn Welfare” should be avoided like the plague and it might even be sinful to receive “handouts” from the government. Sound like anybody you might have met?
The way the present system is set up, if you are relatively non-affluent, you really can’t afford to pay for medical insurance. If you aren’t willing to get on your knees and beg the government for “goddamn Welfare”; well, the odds are you’re going to end up without any medical coverage at all, including prenatal.
Medicaid is “goddamn Welfare” to a large segment of people in this country.
In most instances, who cares?
But there are circumstances where the individual who refuses to utilize adequate medical treatment, for financial or philosophical reasons, is putting not only themselves at risk but also the potential life of a future United States citizen. Should the health and well being of fetal possible voters be risked simply because their parent refuses to beg for “goddamn Welfare” and are too non-affluent to afford adequate medical care on their own?
Of course not. Once a choice is made, potential citizens have the right to arrive in this world without being physically or mentally damaged by their parent’s neglect. Who will protect the rights of these potential citizens? Who will assure they come into this world without the stigma of “goddamn Welfare” being attached to them in perpetuity?
Proper prenatal care should be a guaranteed right for all those who need it. Lack of medical care should never be a factor in anyone’s choice.
Future citizens have rights too. Prenatal care is a right these potential citizens should never be denied.
Knowing that this right is being enforced by the government might very well be a major consideration in whatever choice the adult might come to make.
Which is why prenatal coverage should be part of Medicare. Already Medicare covers senior citizens and disabled citizens. Why shouldn’t Medicare cover potential citizens? After all, Medicare isn’t “goddamn welfare”. Having prenatal coverage become recognized as a right under Medicare would help those who despise welfare and who don’t have enough money to pay for private insurance make choices in the best interest of themselves and future generations.
And while we’re at it, children shouldn’t be forced to suffer owing to either the idiocy or the moral choices of their parents. Children, future voters, should maintain the right which brought them into the world and be covered by Medicare as well.
All children have the right not to suffer due their parent’s particular point of view or income.
Paying for it would be simple. Raise the income limit for the payroll tax and let those making over $125,000 a year pay taxes at the same rate as the rest of us. If it helps pay for prenatal care, and helps folks make the right choice, you’re damn right those swimming in bucks should pay their fair share.
If you want people to make the right choice, you have to help them out. Recognize that prenatal and childhood health care is a right for all Americans.
Start from there.