Abortion Reform with Common-Sense Limits
Today’s heated debates around abortion often miss the real struggles behind them. While I believe in protecting life, we also must recognize why exceptions matter and make our policies truly meaningful.
1. Birth Control Isn’t Foolproof
Nearly two million contraceptive failures occur each year in the U.S. newyorker.com+3vox.com+3thepublicdiscourse.com+3ewtn.com. Condoms break, birth control can fail, and no method is perfect. Even when people try to prevent pregnancy, unwanted pregnancies can happen—and our laws need to reflect that reality.
2. No One Should Be Forced to Raise a Child They Didn’t Choose
Imagine forcing someone into parenthood against their will. It’s not just unfair—it’s harmful, for both the parent and the child. We must allow for carefully defined exceptions to protect individuals from lifelong consequences when pregnancy results from rape or when birth control fails.
3. Pregnancy Is Costly—Especially for Medicaid Recipients
The average cost of pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care is nearly $19,000, with out-of-pocket costs of almost $3,000 for those with private insurance kff.org+2healthsystemtracker.org+2healthinsurance.org+2. Many expectant families rely on Medicaid, but if health coverage gets stripped back, these costs will devastate working-class families.
4. Rape Exceptions Aren’t Optional—they’re Essential
Since Dobbs, around 64,000 pregnancies from rape have occurred in states with near-total bans—and most didn’t have realistic access to abortion forbes.com+8time.com+8healthinsurance.org+8vox.com+4theguardian.com+4ncnewsline.com+4. Some states claim emergency contraception eliminates the need for rape exceptions, but it’s not always effective or accessible—especially under trauma spectrumlocalnews.com+1reddit.com+1.
🛠️ My Proposal: Balanced & Compassionate Reform
✅ Protect the unborn
✅ Include clear exceptions—rape, contraceptive failure, and critical health risks—to ensure law doesn’t become inhumane
✅ Safeguard Health Coverage
Codify Medicaid support for all pregnant individuals—no gaps, no denials
✅ Ensure Access
Guarantee emergency contraception nationwide, improve education, and fund reproductive healthcare to reduce unintended pregnancies
✅ Why This Matters for SC District 1
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It's fair: people shouldn’t be punished for accidents or trauma
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It's practical: healthcare costs shouldn’t bankrupt families
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It's humane: we uphold protection without leaving victims trapped
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It’s political courage—putting people’s lives over ideology
