Trigger Laws Fact vs Fallacy

Let's start with Wikipedia - notice in the article it joins Trigger Laws with Same sex marriage and it SHOULDN'T Abortion has ZERO impact on Same Sex Marriage and the inclusion of it in the article is simply to imflame the reader!!! 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_law 

 

What the article does NOT include is exactly WHAT a trigger laws is and includes. Articles such as this do nothing more than generate negative emotion for political purpose. 

 

 The main point I am getting from every article I read on Trigger Laws though is government funding for abortions. 

 

This is directly quoted from Wikipedia: 

 

Medicaid Further information: Medicaid coverage gap The Affordable Care Act allowed states to opt in to a program of health care expansion, which allowed more residents to qualify for Medicaid. The cost of this expansion was primarily borne by the federal government, but the percent paid by the federal government was scheduled to decrease each year, reaching 95% by 2017 and below 90% by 2021; the remainder would be assumed by the state. As of 2017, eight states had laws that would trigger an end to participation in Medicaid expansion, if federal funding fell below a particular level.[15][16][17][needs update] Unlike abortion trigger laws prior to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, these are not unconstitutional at the moment and are only inactive because they rely on certain conditions to activate. 

 

 

Overturning Roe vs Wade directly impacted government payments for abortions! Keep in mind in MOST cases an abortion is an OPTIONAL medical procedure. There are cases of necessity of course, but for the purposes of this article I will speak to the OPTIONAL procedure mainly. Abortion became the go to birth control for most minority women - even when other forms of birth control were readily available. The fallacy that inner city minority women had little access to birth control is just that - a fallacy! Birth control can be obtained FREE at any county health department, Planned Parenthood Centers, general practioners and pretty much ANY medical facility - even emergency rooms will give out birth control!!! People choose not to obtain these birth control options opting to get an abortion instead when they are NOT fully informed on what the procedure entails and the ramifications it has on a woman's body. Medically necessary abortions have ALWAYS been covered by any insurance and will continue to be covered. That has not changed. What has changed is there is now no federal funding for the optional abortions - those who chose to use abortion as their go to birth control must now pay out of pocket to obtain the procedure. 

 

 

I had a few D&C's - which is what the procedure is called. They were not by choice though I was having miscarriages. It is not an easy procedure on the body, nor is recovering from the loss very easy. I was about 12 weeks along the first time and almost bled to death. The second time I was almost 22 weeks along. So I can speak from a position of experience when I speak of the procedure and the importance of being fully informed about every aspect of it. I had no choice. I was rushed into emergency surgery and afterwards it was explained to me. Ever since then I have advocated for women who CHOOSE the procedure to be fully informed on it prior to having it done.

 

 

 As I have stated in a couple of previous articles on this matter, this has NEVER been about the woman or the child. This has also never been a "white" problem. Abortion IS racist because abortion clinics typically target inner city, minority communities. In Planned Parenthood vs Casey the Supreme Court allowed the removal of REPORTING statistics! After this was enacted there was little way to track just how many minority babies were sacrificed at the hands of predatory abortion doctors. Thankfully, the Supreme Court reversed Planned Parenthood vs Casey and maybe NOW we can get some accurate reporting!!! It is wrong to target inner city minority communities with this belief that abortion should be the go to birth control when so many other options are readily available!!! 

 

 

But I got off topic so back to it - Trigger Laws and how the are being received.... The NY Times (Not exactly a fount of truth in the last few years) wrote an article about Trigger Laws. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/04/us/abortion-trigger-laws.html 

 

 

The main take away from their article is their push to make sure people THINK abortion is going to be illegal and punishable by law. Quote: If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, it would not outlaw abortion. Instead, states would be able to individually determine the procedure’s legality. Nearly every mention of this being overturned also mentions legality. Scare the reader into believing they will go to jail and do hard time for even getting an abortion - how disgustingly wrong that is and totally not true!!! 

 

In no state are there any laws that would punish the woman for obtaining the abortion. In some states the doctor and facility performing the procedure CAN be criminally penalized and possibly lose their license. In every state with Trigger Laws abortion decisions are left to the medical professional and ALL cases of rape, incest and medical necessity are exempt from any penalties. What people are pissed off about is they can no longer use abortion as their go to birth control - and it should have never been the go to birth control!! 

 

The procedure is HARD on a woman's body and in some cases can render her infertile - meaning should later on she want children she would be unable to have them. 

 

 

The NY Times article has a SMALL summary of each state that has Trigger Laws, it does NOT go into much depth or detail on them though because the truth of the matter does not fit the political agenda they are trying to push. They want people uninformed and angry over this. 

 

 

Because my instructor mentioned Texas constantly - this is ALL the NY Times printed about Texas Trigger Laws: Texas In Texas, a law would ban abortions 30 days after Roe v. Wade is overturned by the Supreme Court. An abortion would be allowed to prevent a pregnant woman from dying or from a serious injury. 

 

 

Why? Because reading the full law would explain that it is NOT as simple as this little sentence. 

 

 

The Washington Post also has articles on the topic - listed under POLITICS - meaning they do not consider abortion as a women's health issue - they consider it part of a political agenda. If they considered it a health issue it would be listed in their medical section. 

 

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/24/abortion-state-laws-criminalization-roe/ 

 

Their article is incomplete and confusing to the average reader - the women who actually seek to get the abortion services. All it does is inflame people and make them more confused about the subject - which IS their intent. 

 

 Many of the articles mention Idaho as having a near total ban on all abortions. Keep in mind the vast population of Idaho is Mormon - heavily religious and strict family values. Due to the fact that much tax revenue in Idaho comes from the Mormon's they do have great influence on anything political in that state. 

 

The Epoch Times is an independent news outlet that tends to stay in the middle most of the time.

 https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/analysis-abortion-could-be-severely-limited-in-23-states-if-supreme-court-overturns-roe-v-wade_4444393.html 

 

 

The Epoch Times mentions states that allow "abortion on demand" - meaning using abortion as the go to birth control. California is one of those types of states. 

 

But the important comment in this article is this: Most of their laws “prohibit the state from interfering with the right to obtain an abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person,” Guttmacher states. 

 

 Abortion IS still protected when medically necessary, rape / incest IS classified in medical billing as medical necessity!! 

 

To get the truth of the matter it is easiest to find in the law libraries. Since Texas was the main topic in the discussion I was having with my instructor we will use that one. 

 

https://guides.sll.texas.gov/abortion-laws/trigger-laws 

 

So, let's explore the truth of Texas Trigger Laws. Note that I am including the links to the legislative sessions and the exact bills on the issue. You can read those as you find time, they are quite lengthy. 

 

 Texas's Trigger Law In 2021, the Texas Legislature passed a bill with a trigger provision. This bill, HB 1280, contained language that would ban abortion 30 days after one of the following events occurred: The issuance of a judgment by the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade; The issuance of any other judgment by the United States Supreme Court giving the states the power to prohibit abortion; or The adoption of an amendment of the United States Constitution giving the power to prohibit abortion to the states HB 1280's language banning abortion can be found in Chapter 170A of the Texas Health & Safety Code. On July 26, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued a judgment in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, triggering this language to go into effect. See more details in the next box, "When Exactly Does the Trigger Law Go Into Effect?" Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 170A -- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.170A.htm Once one of the triggering events occurs, this chapter will go into effect 30 days later and prohibit abortion in Texas. HB 1280, 87th Regular Session -- https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/87R/billtext/html/HB01280F.htm This bill contained language that would ban abortion if a specific event occurred. https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/executive-management/Post-Roe%20Advisory.pdf People are under the assumption that abortion is a constitutional right - that is a fallacy. This is why the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade and sent it back to state level. There has NEVER been an amendment written to cover abortion, nor has it ever been ratified into the constitution as a law. People seem to want to skip our legislative process and just demand the right to abortions and that the government pay for it. Since it is NOT a constitutional right there is no cause for the federal government to cover the costs of abortion EXCEPT in the cases of medical necessity. If people want it to be a constitutional right they must write up the amendment and put it through the legislative process. Because there are so many actual laws in place NOW about abortions the amendments will have to be very specific. But until abortion "rights" are written up and ratified into the constitution - there is NO constitutional right to have an abortion except in cases of medical necessity. Please see the other articles I have on the issue and enjoy reading. Once people are properly informed on WHY abortion is not a constitutional right, maybe then we can move forward and make it one - if that is what they want. I spoke earlier about the procedure itself - called a D&C. It is important for MEN reading this to understand what that procedure will do to a woman's body. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/dilation-and-curettage-d-and-c I think John's Hopkins can be considered a reliable source. As you can see this is NOT a simple or easy procedure on a woman's body and it DOES carry significant risks. Informed consent means a woman considering an abortion nows these risks and fully understands them. What is a dilation and curettage (D&C)? (Dilatation and Curettage, D&C) A dilation and curettage procedure, also called a D&C, is a surgical procedure in which the cervix (lower, narrow part of the uterus) is dilated (expanded) so that the uterine lining (endometrium) can be scraped with a curette (spoon-shaped instrument) to remove abnormal tissues. Reasons for the procedure A D&C may be used as a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure for abnormal bleeding. A D&C may be performed to determine the cause of abnormal or excessive uterine bleeding, to detect cancer, or as part of infertility (inability to become pregnant) investigation. Causes of abnormal bleeding include the presence of abnormal tissues, such as fibroid tumors (benign tumors that develop in the uterus, also called myomas) polyps, or cancer of the endometrium or uterus. Tissues obtained from the D&C can be examined under a microscope. Abnormal uterine bleeding may also be due a hormone imbalance or disorder (particularly estrogen and progesterone) especially in women approaching menopause or after menopause. A suction D&C uses suction to remove uterine contents. A suction D&C may be used following a miscarriage to remove the fetus and other tissues if they have not all been naturally passed. Infection or heavy bleeding can occur if these tissues are not completely removed. Occasionally following childbirth, small pieces of the placenta (afterbirth) remain adhered to the endometrium and are not passed. This can cause bleeding or infection. A D&C may be used to remove these fragments so that the endometrium can heal properly. There may be other reasons for your doctor to recommend a D&C. Risks of the procedure As with any surgical procedure, complications may occur. Some possible complications of a D&C may include, but are not limited to, the following: Heavy bleeding Infection Perforation of the uterine wall or bowel Adhesions (scar tissue) may develop inside the uterus Patients who are allergic to or sensitive to medications, iodine, or latex should notify their doctor. If you are pregnant or suspect that you may be pregnant, you should notify your health care provider. There may be other risks depending on your specific medical condition. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your doctor prior to the procedure. A vaginal, cervical, or pelvic infection may interfere with a D&C. Before the procedure Your doctor will explain the procedure to you and offer you the opportunity to ask any questions that you might have about the procedure. You will be asked to sign a consent form that gives your permission to do the procedure. Read the form carefully and ask questions if something is not clear. In addition to a complete medical history, your doctor may perform a complete physical examination to ensure you are in good health before undergoing the procedure. You may undergo blood tests or other diagnostic tests. If your procedure requires general, spinal, or epidural anesthesia, you will be asked to fast for eight hours before the procedure, generally after midnight. If your procedure is to be done under local anesthesia, your doctor will give you instructions about fasting. If you are pregnant or suspect that you are pregnant, you should notify your health care provider. He or she may recommend a pregnancy test prior to the procedure. Notify your doctor if you are sensitive to or are allergic to any medications, iodine, latex, tape, and anesthetic agents (local and general). Notify your doctor of all medications (prescribed and over-the-counter) and herbal supplements that you are taking. Notify your doctor if you have a history of bleeding disorders or if you are taking any anticoagulant (blood-thinning) medications, aspirin, or other medications that affect blood clotting. It may be necessary for you to stop these medications prior to the procedure. If a sedative is given before the procedure, you will need someone to drive you home afterwards. You may want to bring a sanitary napkin to wear home after the procedure. Based on your medical condition, your doctor may request other specific preparation. Illustration of a dilation and curettage procedure During the procedure A D&C may be performed in a doctor’s office, on an outpatient basis, or as part of your stay in a hospital. Procedures may vary depending on your condition and your doctor’s practices. The type of anesthesia will depend on the specific procedure being performed. Some D&C procedures may be performed while you are asleep under general anesthesia, or while you are awake under spinal or epidural anesthesia. If spinal or epidural anesthesia is used, you will have no feeling from your waist down. The anesthesiologist will continuously monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and blood oxygen level during the surgery. Generally, a D&C follows this process: You will be asked to remove clothing and be given a gown to wear. You will be instructed to empty your bladder. You will be positioned on an operating or examination table, with your feet and legs supported as for a pelvic examination. An intravenous (IV) line may be started in your arm or hand. A urinary catheter may be inserted. Your doctor will insert an instrument called a speculum into your vagina to spread the walls of the vagina apart to expose the cervix. Your cervix may be cleansed with an antiseptic solution. For local anesthesia, the doctor may numb the area using a small needle to inject medication. If general or regional anesthesia is used, the anesthesiologist will continuously monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and blood oxygen level during surgery. A type of forceps, called a tenaculum, may be used to hold the cervix steady for the procedure. The inside of the cervical canal may be scraped with a small curette if the cervical tissue needs to be examined. A thin, rod-like instrument, called a uterine sound, may be inserted through the cervical opening to determine the length of the uterus. If you have local anesthesia, this may cause some cramping. The sound will then be removed. The cervix will be dilated by inserting a series of thin rods. Each rod will be larger in diameter than the previous one. This process will gradually enlarge the opening of the cervix so that the curette (spoon-shaped instrument) can be inserted. The curette will be inserted through the cervical opening into the uterus and the sharp spoon-shaped edges will be passed across the lining of the uterus to scrape away the tissues. In some cases, suction may be used to remove tissues. If you have local anesthesia, this may cause cramping. The instruments will be removed. Any tissues collected with the procedure will be sent to the lab for examination. Pregnancy tissues (called products of conception) may be sent to the lab for culture or testing for genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. After the procedure The recovery process will vary depending on the type of procedure performed and type of anesthesia that was administered. If you received regional or general anesthesia, you will be taken to the recovery room for observation. Once your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and you are alert, you will be taken to your hospital room or discharged to your home. If this procedure was performed on an outpatient basis, you should plan to have another person drive you home. After a D&C using local anesthesia, you may rest for about two hours before going home. You may want to wear a sanitary pad for bleeding. It is normal to have some spotting or light vaginal bleeding for a few days after the procedure. You may experience cramping for the first few days after a D&C. You may be instructed not to douche, use tampons, or have intercourse for two to three days after a D&C, or for a period of time recommended by your doctor. You may also have other restrictions on your activity, including no strenuous activity or heavy lifting. Because a D&C removes the lining of the uterus, the lining must build back up. Your next menstrual period may begin earlier or later than usual. You may resume your normal diet unless your doctor advises you differently. Take a pain reliever for cramping or soreness as recommended by your doctor. Aspirin or certain other pain medications may increase the chance of bleeding. Be sure to take only recommended medications. Your doctor will advise you on when to return for further treatment or care. Notify your doctor if you have any of the following: Heavy bleeding Foul-smelling drainage from your vagina Fever and/or chills Severe abdominal pain Your doctor may give you additional or alternate instructions after the procedure, depending on your particular situation. Now this is good information, but there are other issues that arise and women need to fuly understand what they are having done to their body BEFORE using abortion as a go to birth conntrol!!! I do agree with the overturning of Roe vs Wade because - as I stated before - abortion should have never become the go to birth control in the first place. We have other options - SAFER options!!!!