Michele Bachmann misleads supporters about CDC abortion data

April Murch

FACT: More than 1/3 of all black fetuses are aborted.

SOURCE: Mother Jones magazine (Aug-Sept 2010 issue)http://motherjones.com/media/2...

Sherpson.

This is the problem with most politics today. Running and screaming about what one side wants to do about the other and how evil one side is more so than the other. Here is the reality, with the disclaimer that I am in favor of allowing abortions considering certain limitations (ie late term abortions should not be allowed unless there will be harm to the mother). When we are looking at a scholarly study, or one that purports itself to be a study performed to the highest standards, they are going to be edited and/or peer reviewed. It generally is not about hiding information, covering up conspiracies or anything of the like. In fact, the report, based on what I have seen is not made by politicians hiding behind the project of obtaining re-election. Also, considering that the facts support the idea that delays have happened in the past in years where this report gets published should not indicate any wrong doing, unless that is, those who challenge the contents of the report can use facts- rather than inferences- to prove what they are saying. Also, to my knowledge this report isnt about whether or not abortion is good, it is facts, figures and findings on the years legal abortions. Kirk, it doesnt seem like the author of the article hacked or contravened anyone'e security or privacy in obtaining the email. Though, it is proper to hide the identity of it's author, particularly where that person is not a public figure. I do not want to make a value judgement as to the contents of what the study contains, mostly because a) I do not know the information that it contains and b) this is not an argument as to the relative pro's and con's of abortion. This is merely about whether or not what one politician has said regarding the release of a document is true. It takes time to release documents which require an immense amount of data collection, processing and review. Turning this into an ideological quibble over who is right and who is wrong on some sort of politcal/moral ground simply diverts from the issue at hand here- the honesty of certain people's comments.

Joelzwilliams

I'm black and a veteran. Like many other vets I joined the military because there were no good jobs in my hood. I was at the VA hospital today and was surprised to see how many other vets were there who were "persons of color".

That's when It dawned on me that the right-wing rails against abortion, yet they always want to cut WIC, Head Start, welfare and a myriad of other programs designed to help poor mothers once the child is born. Is that because the hawks want a steady supply of willing soldiers for their never-ending wars? Wars that kill and maim children other than their own?

WemiZemi

I never thought about it like that before, makes a lot of sense dude. Wow.

www.net-privacy.at.tc

Kirk the Conservative Jerk

Um, what? Email showing "report has been submitted for editing". Oh Hart, the crime of attempting to hide the identity of the email sender and it's recipients. Hey Hart, I'm a extremely resourceful person, so how about I obtain then publish your personal email, work email, home address, yearly income, charitable givings, height, weight, names of friends and family, etc, etc? OR, should I submit that info for editing, so I can "cover up" and "mislead" those whom view it? Is anyone swallowing this tripe?And"The report has been delayed, not "killed."................But why Hart? To "edit" it? Or is this person responsible for it's publication just incompetent? Oh the efficiency of government.

I read through the Media Matters article, and it also lacks any evidence of skewed information on the part of Red State or Michele Bachmann. But hey, Liberalism is like a religion. No proof needed, just faith.

Funny how you and Misleading Matters lack the main point of the publication-*More than fifty three million lives have been snuffed out at abortion clinics around our nation since 1973. Another statistic of that report - 4.1 black abortions to 1 white abortion. But hey, pay no attention to that elephant in the room. And remember, 4 to 1 were black. Your Tax dollars hard at work.

And this from a collective that feels "capital punishment is inhumane".

Joseph Stalin would be so proud of you liberals; making a good old fashion, "ethnic cleansing", ethical.

bronson

So, just to be clear, you're insinuating that roughly half of the voting public supports ethnic cleansing through some sort of pro-choice conspiracy?

I think it's more likely that your "4 to 1" figure reflects national poverty statistics, the latest available figures being 25% of blacks below the poverty line compared to 9% of whites (National Poverty Center).

I know that not all abortions are related to poverty, but I don't think anyone should be surprised that poverty figures and abortion figures correlate in some way.

Your failure to acknowledge any of this just reinforces the opinion that Bachmann and extreme conservatives like her will take a statistic and shape it to their will, ignoring any "inconvenient" perspectives that might, heaven forbid, lead to an honest and reasoned discussion.

Kirk the Conservative Jerk

Ok bronson, where did I divert from, or refuse to have a discussion about what I led into? Because you said it, it must be so? I'm black, so I’ve got something I would like to say - Lack of ambition, stemming from, lack of parental guidance, and the constant liberal mind warp of "here's something extra for you, just for being black, (because your skin color determines you're not good enough to earn it on your own); this is what is at fault for these statistics. Everyone is a victim of someone else’s "wrong doing", and never a victim of the choices they made. All the time I tell people, that liberal racism has made my life so much easier. Everywhere I go, concerning work (affirmative action), government offices/courts (free council, only for "minorities") , applying for loans (special "black only" programs), going to college and the free "black only" money to do so, ya get a leg up. Getting free points on the entrance exam for checking the "black" box, and then told there is "black only" money to pay for most of it. Yep, pretty sweet! But hey, no wonder my race has and is being left behind. Life is rather comfortable, without even trying. No need to achieve for ones self, just complain enough and someone (probably a gullible liberal) will do it for you. A devious perpetuation by the liberal nation to create a bunch of little black children, waiting for government daddy to come wipe their asses. Cause ya know, government has eliminated the need for a father to provide for his children, especially if black. No need for personal merit. No need for personal excellence. Government will open the door, while I keep my hands in my pocket. Maybe we should all train our dogs in the manner. Poop on the floor, that's ok, it must be too hard for ya to wine at the door. Here, have a treat. Awe, you chewed up the couch? It must be hard to be a good dog; you deserve to sleep on my bed. Hey bronson, name us just one "white only" program. Would a program like that make you feel cheap, inferior, second-rate, defective, flawed, imperfect, substandard, deficient, inadequate, insufficient, or unacceptable? Make you feel dirty? Make you feel like your cheating? Especially if you're receiving it only because of birthright or genetic makeup. Ever heard the phrase; people born into money, wont appreciate it? Hell, give a kid allowance just for being alive. Now tell them they can make an extra 10% of their allowance if they work their but off. Tough sell? Here in Minnesota, one doesn’t have to pass the math equivalency test to graduate high school. Now you only have to fail it three times, and you will be given your diploma in pity. Why did that other kid stay up studying?

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

PoundCake

To build upon what al3efroman said, it is quite interesting the correlation between being poor and being rich. In fact, the only difference is what is said, and what isn't said. For example: Work (affirmative action). That is a public program to help the advancement of minorities AND women. And the rich version of affirmative action? having your daddy set you up with a sweet job. Government offices/Court. Free counsel is offered to anyone who can't afford it (See miranda rights) and the rich version? Daddy probably has a team on retainer.. or better yet, he can talk to the judge on their next golf outing. Applying for loans/grants/scholarships. Contrary to your beliefs, there are programs available for just about every situation, from birth defects, to specific concentrations in school, the rest of which can be attained just for writing an essay, or having decent credit, or, depending on what you need a loan for, if you make a good enough case to the bank, you're golden. The rich version? Who needs loans/grants/scholarships? I'm rich! School (getting into college) some colleges will award minorities additional points on the entrance exams, and in fact, some states even award additional money to public colleges who have a more diverse campus (heaven forbid races intermingle). The rich version? Who needs extra points when Timothy Bottomtooth III is "grandfathered" into the Ivy League school all the Bottomtooth's have been going to (and donating to) for years.

Did you ever stop to think WHY these programs were implemented? You're probably under the impression that "some bleeding heart is just looking to expand on central government and let all minorities slide through life without working for anything", and if that's the case, it just goes to prove that the right wing media scare tactics are working. In REALITY, these programs where put into place to help even the playing field. It wasn't all to long ago "people of color" (like YOURSELF) couldn't even get a decent job, or pull out a loan, or go to school, because the "unsaid" bond between the have's were dead set on staying in the top 1%, and keeping the have-not's in their place.

Fast forward to today: have we, as a country, really made that much of a change? The Republican party is looking to cut funding to programs that are dedicated to creating a fair living environment for the less fortunate, and put that money where? Right back into their pockets. Sounds a lot like the have's versus the have not's to me.

Honestly, the most baffling thing to me is that you are in full support of the Republican party, yet you are a black male living in Minnesota. In what way do you expect the Republican party to help you?

Actually, you kind of sound like Clayton Bigsby.

al3efroman

Ah yes, it's clear now. Welfare is just like being born into money. That's a very well thought out argument. I can't imagine anyone remaining unconvinced.

webcelt

Do you have this much of a problem with basic facts? Bachmann said the report was killed. It wasn't. Red State said it always comes out at a certain time. It doesn't. In both cases, at best they got their facts wrong and didn't bother checking. Passing on something you don't know to be true may not be the same as saying something you know to be false, but it's in the ballpark. Instead of just admitting the obvious, that they got their facts wrong in this one instance, you go on a ill-informed rant about liberalism, and I do mean rant. No amount of further ranting, words-twisting, or subject-changing will change that.

bronson

Wow, you must be a load of fun at dinner parties.

By the way, my comment had nothing to do with liberalism, so I'm not sure where your rant came from. I was just offering a rebuttal to your claim that legalized abortion is facilitating ethnic genocide.

To a certain degree, I do think that decades of hand-outs have done more ill than good for blacks in America. But I don't think that two issues of heated debate--race and abortion--should be thrown into the same pot just yet. You might enjoy mean-spirited contrarian debates all day long, but I get exhausted by it.