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posted by janrinok on Tuesday May 29 2018, @07:40PM   Printer-friendly
from the generational-attitude-shift dept.

Al Jazeera reports

Polls have closed in an Irish referendum on abortion that could represent a change in the path of a country that was once one of Europe's more socially conservative.

Voters turned out in large numbers on [May 25] to have their say on whether to repeal the country's Eighth Amendment, which outlaws abortion by giving equal rights to the unborn.

An exit poll, conducted for the Irish Times by Ipsos/MRBI, suggested that the country voted by a landslide margin to change the constitution so that abortion can be legalised.

The vote to repeal the constitutional ban was predicted to win by 68 percent to 32 percent, according to the poll of 4,000 voters, the Irish Times said.

[...] If the proposal to repeal the Eighth Amendment is defeated on [May 25], the country will not have a second referendum and it could be another 35 years before voters have their say on the matter again, [Prime Minister Leo] Varadkar said.

[...] 78 percent of the Irish population is Catholic

[...] Thousands of people living abroad returned home to vote. Ireland is one of the few countries in the European Union that does not allow those abroad to vote via post or in embassies.

Those away for less than 18 months remain eligible to vote at their former local polling station. Those living on the Atlantic islands cast their ballot a day early to help prevent delays in transportation and counting the ballot papers.

When the constitutional amendment to instate the ban was voted on in 1983, 66.9 percent voted "yes," and 33.1 percent voted "no".

Widely reported, including:


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  • (Score: 5, Funny) by SomeGuy on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:06PM (58 children)

    by SomeGuy (5632) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:06PM (#685835)

    Nice, the topic of abortion again. Que all the drooling idiots that think they know what is absolutely right for everyone because they are sure they read something about a magic sky man not liking it in some ~2000 year old book of gibberish while reading out of the left corner of their eye, standing on their head, tripping on something from an aerosol can, and gargling their mother's balls.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:18PM (56 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:18PM (#685841)

      Don't also assume that what's best for me is to fund other people's abortions.

      That is, by your own logic, you should reject the notion that the State should pay for abortion services, or for complications caused by such services.

      • Sure: "My body, my choice".

      • But also: "My choice, my wallet".

      Similarly, men should be allowed to "abort" their children, by abandoning them financially before birth. This creates equality of choice:

      • Man wants child and woman wants child: Child born; both take on responsibility to fullest extent.
      • Man wants abortion, and woman wants child: Child born; woman alone takes on responsibility to fullest extent.
      • Man wants child, and woman wants abortion: No child born.
      • Man wants abortion, and woman wants abortion: No child born.
      • (Score: 5, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:33PM (20 children)

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:33PM (#685857) Journal

        Don't also assume that what's best for me is to fund other people's abortions.

        You don't. Problem solved.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:40PM (15 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:40PM (#685867)

          Sure, you can earmark tax monies to go to Planned Parenthood's pap smears program, but that doesn't stop Planned Parenthood from undercharging for abortions and overcharging for pap smears, thereby effectively subsidizing abortions instead.

          Seriously, you people are as dumb as a pile of bricks.

          • (Score: 5, Informative) by Whoever on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:52PM (14 children)

            by Whoever (4524) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:52PM (#685877) Journal

            Medicare reimbursement rates. PP can't just charge what it likes.

            You are the idiot.

            • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:58PM (9 children)

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:58PM (#685883)

              Now, Planned Parenthood can say "We just charge the mandated rate!"

              Of course, health care in the U.S. is so inflated because everything is overcharged (due to such governmental meddling). The result is that money can be shifted pretty much anywhere without anyone being able to call people out.

              Furthermore, an organization that is hell-bent on providing abortions on quasi-religious grounds will find ways to increase efficiencies so as to make such legerdemain even more effective.

              • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:15PM (3 children)

                by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:15PM (#685898)

                an organization that is hell-bent on providing abortions on quasi-religious grounds

                WTF? What "quasi-religious grounds" would these be? Sacrifices to Moloch? This is fundie Christian nutball projection at its finest.

                • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:19PM (2 children)

                  by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:19PM (#685903)

                  One person's rationale is often another person's religious nuttery.

                  If you're forcing people at the point of a gun to pay a tithe to fund your plans, then your ideas might well be a manifestation of such nuttery.

                  • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:01PM

                    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:01PM (#685938)

                    "We're coming for your capital gains, Chuck!"

                    And we are going to spend the money on arts education, and there is nothing you can do about it.

                  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @06:09AM

                    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @06:09AM (#686119)

                    Nobody is forcing you to take part in a civil society. You are free to leave.

                    Killing yourself is an option, and in this case nothing of value would be lost.

              • (Score: 3, Insightful) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:36PM (4 children)

                by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:36PM (#685964)

                because everything is overcharged (due to such governmental meddling).

                Stupid A/C troll has no clue about how the US health system works.

                ...hell-bent on providing abortions on quasi-religious grounds...

                Stupid A/C troll is a troll.

                • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:06PM (3 children)

                  by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:06PM (#685983)

                  During WWII, The US Government put wartime caps on employee compensation, so corporations used a loophole: Providing "benefits" in addition to salary, one benefit of which was health care insurance plans.

                  Hence, insurance became tied to employment, and thus became easy prey for politicians.

                  Next, the Government implemented its own competing insurance system, Medicare (and to an extent, Medicaid), which has used the power of the government to influence distort the natural market forces inherent in risk management sectors such as insurance.

                  Under the distortion, the insurance companies abandoned risk management, becoming instead convoluted, specialized payment networks that collude with government officials to set national policy and profits. It is no longer private in any meaningful sense (indeed, it's virtually detached from any kind of market signals), and it no longer behaves as an insurance sector should.

                  YOU are the one who doesn't understand how the U.S. health-care system works.

                  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:46PM

                    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:46PM (#685999)

                    I would love to give capitalist medicine an honest try. We need to undo the damage that wage cap did by tying insurance to employment. Self-employed people routinely complain about this, because they cannot get the group policies that are offered to employers. Additionally, the employer-insurer link is regressive against small businesses (self-employed being the extreme case of small business and the people against which it is the most regressive).

                    What we have right now is the worst of both worlds. I think we need single payer, but I'm a bootstrapper so I'm willing to take my chances with capitalism. If only we could have it.

                    I suppose it should not be surprising that socialism can outperform our frakenstein pork monster of a health "care" system.

                  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @06:13AM

                    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @06:13AM (#686126)

                    Private only ever meant owned by a person or group of persons.

                    Never has it ever meant anything to do with market signals.

                    You do not grasp basic economic concepts but you are grandstanding like a 5-year-old.

                  • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday May 30 2018, @09:48AM

                    by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Wednesday May 30 2018, @09:48AM (#686197) Homepage
                    "it's virtually detached from any kind of market signals"

                    Tosh! You seem to not understand how a market works. I bet you think a market has a buyer and a seller. Sorry, but it doesn't - it has competing parties A_n which are willing to provide product or service X in return for product or service Y, and competing parties B_m which are willing to provide product or service Y in return for product or service X.

                    You think that market forces will drive the "price" down, such that the "sellers" have to provide the greatest amount of product or service to the "buyers" for the lowest "price", but you've got the two parties confused. Market forces are driving the "price" up - the "buyers" are the medical providers, who are demanding the largest amount of $$$ off the supplier of that resource, the ill. And because it's a free market, and dollars are very much a commmodity item, those suppliers have to buckle to this market pressure.

                    Markets find equilibrium - that doesn't mean there's pressure one way or the other - it means there's pressure in both directions. You're only seeing one of those directions, and completely overlooking the other.
                    --
                    Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
            • (Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:16PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:16PM (#685900)

              Now, Planned Parenthood can say "We just charge the mandated rate!"

              Of course, health care in the U.S. is so inflated because everything is overcharged (due to such governmental meddling). The result is that money can be shifted pretty much anywhere without anyone being able to call people out.

              Furthermore, an organization that is hell-bent on providing abortions on quasi-religious grounds will find ways to increase efficiencies so as to make such legerdemain even more effective.

            • (Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:20PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:20PM (#685905)

              Now, Planned Parenthood can say "We just charge the mandated rate!"

              Of course, health care in the U.S. is so inflated because everything is overcharged (due to such governmental meddling). The result is that money can be shifted pretty much anywhere without anyone being able to call people out.

              Furthermore, an organization that is hell-bent on providing abortions on quasi-religious grounds will find ways to increase efficiencies so as to make such legerdemain even more effective.

            • (Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:32PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:32PM (#685913)

              Now, Planned Parenthood can say "We just charge the mandated rate!"

              Of course, health care in the U.S. is so inflated because everything is overcharged (due to such governmental meddling). The result is that money can be shifted pretty much anywhere without anyone being able to call people out.

              Furthermore, an organization that is hell-bent on providing abortions on quasi-religious grounds will find ways to increase efficiencies so as to make such legerdemain even more effective.

            • (Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:45PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:45PM (#685926)

              Now, Planned Parenthood can say "We just charge the mandated rate!"

              Of course, health care in the U.S. is so inflated because everything is overcharged (due to such governmental meddling). The result is that money can be shifted pretty much anywhere without anyone being able to call people out.

              Furthermore, an organization that is hell-bent on providing abortions on quasi-religious grounds will find ways to increase efficiencies so as to make such legerdemain even more effective.

        • (Score: 5, Informative) by Thexalon on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:55PM (3 children)

          by Thexalon (636) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:55PM (#685978)

          Also relevant: Even if you did have to pay for it, funding somebody else's abortion is often the cheapest possible alternative. Compare the cost of taxpayer-funded abortion to the cost of one or more of the following, all of which are more likely to happen in the case of unwanted children:
          - Welfare programs
          - Child services interventions
          - Domestic violence services
          - Policing and incarceration and damage from criminal activity (from either baby or their parents)
          - Health care for baby
          - Health care for mom

          Compared to, say, treating fetal alcohol syndrome, paying for a D&C is a bargain.

          --
          The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:08PM (2 children)

            by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:08PM (#685984)

            Why not support UBI or a one-time lump-sum payment contingent on sterilization?

            • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Wednesday May 30 2018, @12:44AM (1 child)

              by Grishnakh (2831) on Wednesday May 30 2018, @12:44AM (#686021)

              Why not support UBI or a one-time lump-sum payment contingent on sterilization?

              Because the people who are opposed to abortion funding and welfare are also opposed to UBI. It's a lot easier to get welfare passed than a UBI.

              The sterilization thing is generally considered eugenics and unethical, including by the people who are opposed to abortion funding. In fact, if anything, the anti-abortion people are probably even more opposed to sterilization than the pro-abortion people.

              The problem is that the anti-abortion people simply have no realistic solutions for society's problems. Their entire solution consists of "pray" and "don't have premarital sex". The former doesn't do anything and the latter is unrealistic and doesn't work (as proven by teen pregnancy rates in places where only abstinence is taught in public schools). They don't want to pay anything to deal with social problems, such as public education (they consistently vote to defund schools), so we wind up with abortion being necessary. They'll preach about adoption, but none of them want to adopt the kids produced by the sector of society that has the most abortions.

              • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @10:35AM

                by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @10:35AM (#686209)

                They also have a preferred way out of the problems they create: they are all for longer incarcerations (effectively, slave labor) and capital punishment (public death spectacles).
                They're freaking Ancient Romans!

      • (Score: 3, Informative) by SomeGuy on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:36PM (7 children)

        by SomeGuy (5632) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:36PM (#685860)

        Gotta love that phrase "by your logic". It is a guarantee that what follows totally misses the original point.

        • (Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:42PM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:42PM (#685869)

          It is a guarantee that what follows totally misses the original point.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:58PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:58PM (#685882)

            Gotta love that phrase ""Gotta love that phrase "Gotta love that phrase""

            It guarantees that the entire discussion devolves to a pointless pedantic meta-discussion and eventually generates a stack overflow. :P

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:02PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:02PM (#685887)

              No, stackoverflow is a USEFUL site! Don't besmirch its good name.

        • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:48PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:48PM (#685873)

          See: Que all the drooling idiots [who] think they know what is absolutely right for everyone because they are sure they read something about a genius Jewish professor of Women's Studies proving abortions are a public good in a 30-year-old dissertation of gibberish...

        • (Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:47PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:47PM (#685972)

          See: Que all the drooling idiots [who] think they know what is absolutely right for everyone because they are sure they read something about a genius Jewish professor of Women's Studies proving abortions are a public good in a 30-year-old dissertation of gibberish…

        • (Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:09PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:09PM (#685985)

          See: Que all the drooling idiots [who] think they know what is absolutely right for everyone because they are sure they read something about a genius Jewish professor of Women's Studies proving abortions are a public good in a 30-year-old dissertation of gibberish…

        • (Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:47PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:47PM (#686441)

          See: Que all the drooling idiots [who] think they know what is absolutely right for everyone because they are sure they read something about a genius Jewish professor of Women's Studies proving abortions are a public good in a 30-year-old dissertation of gibberish…

      • (Score: 5, Insightful) by KilroySmith on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:05PM (9 children)

        by KilroySmith (2113) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:05PM (#685890)

        Don't also assume that what's best for me is to fund other people's religions.
            Seems to me that the church exemption from taxes does precisely that.

        Don't also assume that what's best for me is to fund people who can't afford to pay for their own health insurance.

        Don't also assume that what's best for me is to fund a military whose mission is driven by lining the pockets of the rich, not protecting the USA from attack.

        Don't also assume that what's best for me is to fund medical care for infants born with serious birth defects.

        Don't also assume that what's best for me is to fund programs and practices intended to change social conventions to allow Women and Blacks to be treated the same as old white protestant males.

        As a taxed society, we all pay for things that might offend our sensibilities. Get over it.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:24PM (8 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:24PM (#685906)

          I encourage you to pursue your line of thinking further.

          After all, would it not be a noble goal to work towards a society in which, as much as possible, it isn't necessary to force people to pay for things against their will?

          Put another way: Are you suggesting Mussolini's view? "Everything in the State; nothing outside the State."

          • (Score: 2) by KilroySmith on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:32PM (3 children)

            by KilroySmith (2113) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:32PM (#685914)

            So Anarchy sounds good to you?

            I hope you're the biggest man around with the biggest gun and the most friends, 'cause otherwise you're toast.

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:36PM (1 child)

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:36PM (#685916)

              Try again?

              • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:03PM

                by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:03PM (#685941)

                Why try with a close minded moron?

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:14PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:14PM (#685987)

              GP is an anarcho-capitalist [wikipedia.org] in addition to being an anti-social nutter and pedophile.

              Ask her about men and angels.

          • (Score: 4, Insightful) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:43PM (3 children)

            by PartTimeZombie (4827) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:43PM (#685968)

            Are you suggesting Mussolini's view? "Everything in the State; nothing outside the State."

            Why does everything in the US have to devolve into a binary "either this or that" argument.

            You might not be aware, but there are millions of people all around the world that live in neither a Libertarian paradise nor a Totalitarian hell.

            Those of us in the civilised world tend to have no trouble making compromises and living happily with the results.

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:54PM (2 children)

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:54PM (#685977)

              How much should be in the State?

              What are the objective criteria, set in advance, for choosing? It's not enough to say "Let the public vote on it", or whatever; history is replete with examples of The Will of the People yielding again and again monstrous squanderings of societal resources, if not downright Totalitarian nightmares.

              The Founders of America realized this, and tried to set such criteria by means of the Constitution. Well, a mere 200 years later, and their attempt at small, non-intrusive, representative government has become yet another global empire with Tyrannical properties.

              Don't avoid the question. Help us figure it out.

              • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @09:42AM (1 child)

                by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @09:42AM (#686195)

                "objective criteria, set in advance"

                There it is again, the "procedure over results" that has infested and ruined so many things, among others US courts.
                What you are asking for for is the social politics equivalent of communist 5-year plans. It is just as stupid.
                Unless you aim for the equivalent of sticking to Windows XP "because it's objectively proven to work" you need to take risks and try new things, and scrap them if it doesn't work.
                Or be happy to live in a society stuck forever in the past, with the standard of living to go with it.

                • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:51PM

                  by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:51PM (#686445)

                  The State is in the business of choosing winners and losers from the beginning, not helping society to find winners or avoid losers.

                  That's why your Communists failed.

      • (Score: 5, Insightful) by takyon on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:06PM (3 children)

        by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:06PM (#685892) Journal

        Defund the Pentagon, NSA, FBI, CIA, DEA, etc. and then we can talk about the chump change that Planned Parenthood gets.

        You are much more likely to see funding for Planned Parenthood get axed anyway since it's an evangelical cause célèbre these days.

        --
        [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:27PM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:27PM (#685908)

          That's not an argument for funding Planned Parenthood.

          You'll be sad to note that we agree [soylentnews.org].

          • (Score: 2) by shortscreen on Wednesday May 30 2018, @05:55AM (1 child)

            by shortscreen (2252) on Wednesday May 30 2018, @05:55AM (#686111) Journal

            An observation that people don't like where their tax dollars are going is not necessarily an argument against taxation. Another interesting possibilty would be to allow taxpayers to decide on the allocation of funds themselves.

            2016 Libertarian candidate Dr. Feldman (R.I.P.) had a plan that would have allowed taxpayers to redirect their money to qualifying charities instead, serving a dual purpose of democratizing social spending and shrinking the federal government (when all their revenue dried up).

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:53PM

              by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:53PM (#686446)

              How do you determine that certain amount which citizens must allocate?

              It's all so stupid, and your idea just emphasizes the stupidity of organizing society in this way.

      • (Score: 4, Insightful) by sjames on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:45PM (4 children)

        by sjames (2882) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:45PM (#685925) Journal

        But also: "My choice, my wallet".

        OK, but don't bitch about it when the unwanted child gets found on a doorstep and the state has to support it to adulthood.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:56PM (3 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:56PM (#685979)

          You (sjames) are just swinging the gun around, telling other people to take care of things for you.

          • (Score: 5, Insightful) by sjames on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:27PM (2 children)

            by sjames (2882) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:27PM (#685992) Journal

            Not me. I'm just recognizing that it happens and that unless we're prepared to legalize infanticide, that's the cost.

            • (Score: 1, Flamebait) by janrinok on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:03AM (1 child)

              by janrinok (52) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:03AM (#686149) Journal

              Definition of Infant: "a very young child or baby."

              Nobody is suggesting that children should be killed after being born, so your claim of 'infanticide' completely misses the point.

              This is a discussion on abortion in case you missed TFS.

              • (Score: 4, Insightful) by sjames on Wednesday May 30 2018, @08:13AM

                by sjames (2882) on Wednesday May 30 2018, @08:13AM (#686161) Journal

                The immediate question was why should the state support an abandoned child (see subject). My reply (somewhat in the spirit of a modest proposal) is that the only other choice at that point is infanticide.

                Going back a bit, I was pointing out that without abortion, unwanted children get abandoned and then the state has to support them.

                Summary, if the AC that started the thread doesn't want to support abortion for fiscal reasons, the remaining choices are more expensive support of a child to adulthood or infanticide. Do you see another option that isn't even worse?

                TL;DR: No, I do not believe that every sperm is sacred.

      • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:28PM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:28PM (#685993)

        Man wants abortion, and woman wants child: Child born; woman alone takes on responsibility to fullest extent.

        This one is dangerous, it creates a loophole for a man to claim he wants an abortion just so he gets the financial benefits. It would need to be coupled with appropriate disincentives, e.g. he has no legal rights over the child whatsoever, or cannot have any contact with the mother/child, etc. Chances are such a mother would also be relying more on social benefits, so society ends up paying for what the man previously would have been. This combination doesn't have a simple solution, nor do I expect there to be a one-size-fits-all either due to varying social and financial circumstances of the parents involved.

        I agree with the other 3 combinations though. But isn't that pretty much what we have anyway?

        Perhaps the concept of equality of choice is at fault. After all, the man doesn't physically experience the pregnancy or the childbirth. Goes back to the time-old advice to men to not stick their tools into things without thinking through the consequences.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @03:23AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @03:23AM (#686071)

          Get rid of the welfare programs.

          Allocating resources should be no business of the State; that's the business of The People, through voluntary association between individuals.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:33AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:33AM (#686156)

          it creates a loophole for a man to claim he wants an abortion just so he gets the financial benefits

          There are no financial benefits. You appear to be so stuck in the old "the man works and pays for the woman and children (aka. his property), that you confuse not being forced to pay for someone else as a benefit.

      • (Score: 2) by cubancigar11 on Wednesday May 30 2018, @04:11AM

        by cubancigar11 (330) on Wednesday May 30 2018, @04:11AM (#686085) Homepage Journal

        Man wants child, and woman wants abortion: No child born.

        Why? Are women not adult enough to know what consensual sex entails? It is not "magic" it is fucking. Here is a radical idea - Man wants child, women wants abortion: woman compensates financially to man and gets an abortion.

      • (Score: 2) by mojo chan on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:18AM (1 child)

        by mojo chan (266) on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:18AM (#686154)

        Man wants abortion, and woman wants child: Child born; woman alone takes on responsibility to fullest extent.

        That creates a huge imbalance in responsibility. The guy can be irresponsible, making no effort to avoid unwanted children. The woman gets pregnant, he "aborts" and now the responsibility is entirely on her to undergo a traumatic medical procedure or support a child for at least 18 years.

        --
        const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:57PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:57PM (#686448)

          Done and dusted.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @08:49AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @08:49AM (#686170)

        Similarly, men should be allowed to "abort" their children, by abandoning them financially before birth.

        So are you saying that only people that make a contract allowed to have sex? You know, maybe something we can call "marriage" where they both say they will support their offspring?

        But as you well know, this doesn't work for the same reason why abstinence doesn't work. And since the *BODY* of the woman, the man can't demand anything of it. If the woman wants the child and the man changes his mind, tough luck. If you want to have sex, you have to deal with its consequences. And if that means you are only paying alimony for the next 20 years, then maybe it's a reminder about something you did.

        Changing your mind before birth is BULLSHIT. If you want to change your mind, change it before 10 weeks are up. Women don't have that choice either. Can't change your mind at 30 weeks and fuck off.

        Take responsibility for your actions.

      • (Score: 2) by AssCork on Wednesday May 30 2018, @05:57PM

        by AssCork (6255) on Wednesday May 30 2018, @05:57PM (#686379) Journal

        Man wants abortion, and woman wants child: Child born; woman alone takes on responsibility to fullest extent.

        I think we should force those that opt for abortion to be registered (much like certain USsians do with firearms).
        Before an abortion is performed, they check the registry.
        "I'm sorry sir, but you've hit the California limit of 35 abortions this year, State law says we have to sterilize you before we can proceed with termination"

        Man wants child, and woman wants abortion: No child born.

        Disagree.
        The woman should bear the child, then sign-over all rights. Men have endured the above scenario for long enough, so the proverbial shoe should spend a spell on the other foot.

        --
        Just popped-out of a tight spot. Came out mostly clean, too.
    • (Score: 2) by unauthorized on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:06PM

      by unauthorized (3776) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:06PM (#685891)

      Rather, cue in the virtue signalling. That's not going to happen, and you know it, SN doesn't appeal to religious fundamentalists.

  • (Score: 3, Touché) by requerdanos on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:15PM (5 children)

    by requerdanos (5997) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:15PM (#685840) Journal

    gewg writes:

    Al Jazeera reports

    So, Aljazeera, being neither cath nor prod, can be viewed as... neutral?

    • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:20PM (4 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:20PM (#685844)

      You know, because that's what the creator of the Universe desperately desires.

      So, take their "analysis" with that in mind.

      • (Score: 4, Touché) by KilroySmith on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:43PM (3 children)

        by KilroySmith (2113) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:43PM (#685923)

        As do Americans (although we're down to circumcising only 77% of newborn boys...).
        What was your point again?

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:59PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:59PM (#685980)

          What was your point? Or, were you just supporting the other poster?

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:36PM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:36PM (#685994)

          Maybe GP was encouraging us to support the American Academy of Pediatrics' modest proposal (2012) to roll out FGM in US hospitals?

          Don't worry, the AAP retracted it lightning fast. Women are organized against such barbarism.

          Men I guess are mostly a-ok with being exploited and violated by other men. It's almost homoerotic in a way.

  • (Score: 2) by krishnoid on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:38PM (7 children)

    by krishnoid (1156) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:38PM (#685865)

    And not a single soul was lost.

    • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:43PM (6 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:43PM (#685870)

      It was a tradition for every teenage Irish girl to "holiday" in London for her first abortion. Guess they're about to lose some tourist euros.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:48PM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:48PM (#685871)

        What was traditional for the second one?

        • (Score: 2) by zocalo on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:53PM (1 child)

          by zocalo (302) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:53PM (#685878)
          Hopefully by then they've got a decent job and can afford to go somewhere with a better climate as well as abortion clinics.
          --
          UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:15PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:15PM (#685949)

            And less wankers. (British meaning of the word)

        • (Score: 2) by Fluffeh on Wednesday May 30 2018, @01:06AM

          by Fluffeh (954) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday May 30 2018, @01:06AM (#686025) Journal

          A wedding party?

          *sips coffee*

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:18PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:18PM (#685901)

        Just yet another unexpected consequence of Brexit! Unify Ireland!!!

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @12:07AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @12:07AM (#686006)

        Northern Ireland (a separate country, not a region of the country of Ireland) is still living in the 19th Century, so maybe Ireland will pick up some of their abortion-seeking vacationers' business.

        -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:54PM (2 children)

    Clinic

    I think she was raped but didn't ask

    She was overcome with grief

    When she was in with the doctor I dashed out and bought her a teddy bear

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:58PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @08:58PM (#685884)

      When she was in with the doctor I dashed out and bought her a teddy bear

      Was it baby-sized?

    • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:08PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:08PM (#685894)

      SOCIALIST PIG!

      Oh wait, I'm not an idiot.

      Good job :D

  • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:19PM (2 children)

    by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:19PM (#685902) Homepage
    ...
        When the constitutional amendment to instate the ban was voted on in 1983, 66.9 percent voted "yes," and 33.1 percent voted "no".

    I just can't understand why, in the late 20th century, people would vote to have less control over their on lives, and less choice? Maybe it was 100% of the men, and only 33% of the women voting yes to no rights, back then, and the men have evolved a more advanced lobe in their brains since then? A demographic breakdown based on age, religion, sex, and education level from both referenda would be very interesting? Have there been people who've flipped, or is it just the case that there are nearly 2 new generations of people who aren't suck in the dark ages that are now voting?
    --
    Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by KilroySmith on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:41PM (1 child)

      by KilroySmith (2113) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:41PM (#685921)

      >>> I just can't understand why

      Because most people can't separate "I believe this" from "you should follow my beliefs". Those who believe that homosexual acts are a sin have a very difficult time separating "It's a sin, so I shouldn't do it" from "It's a sin, so you shouldn't do it, and I'll send men with guns to arrest you if you do". Those who believe that aborting a fetus is a sin have a hard time not telling others that they shouldn't abort fetuses.

      From the other side, of course, those who believe that a fetus is a human being, and deserving all the rights of a human being, believe that a human being shouldn't be murdered. Replace "fetus" with "Negro" in that statement, and we'd all agree - hell it was the rallying cry of abolitionists 200 years ago in the USA.

      Tough conundrum.

      • (Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:23PM

        Because most people can't separate "I believe this" from "you should follow my beliefs". Those who believe that homosexual acts are a sin have a very difficult time separating "It's a sin, so I shouldn't do it" from "It's a sin, so you shouldn't do it, and I'll send men with guns to arrest you if you do". Those who believe that aborting a fetus is a sin have a hard time not telling others that they shouldn't abort fetuses.

        I draw your attention to this, from 1973:

        “The correct way to punctuate a sentence that states: "Of course it is none of my business, but -- " is to place a period after the word "but." Don't use excessive force in supplying such a moron with a period. Cutting his throat is only a momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about.”

        --Robert A. Heinlein

        No one should get to decide what happens inside someone else's body. Full Stop.

        Don't like abortion or contraception or drugs or alcohol or high-heeled shoes or unfiltered cigarettes or wearing white after Labor Day? Don't do/use those things. Beyond that, Heinlein has more advice, this time from 1966:

        "My old man taught me two things: mind own business; always cut cards"

        --
        No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by crafoo on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:38PM (5 children)

    by crafoo (6639) on Tuesday May 29 2018, @09:38PM (#685918)

    How long until Ireland decides it needs a policy change to mass import immigrants from 3rd world countries to combat the dire, existential threat of falling birthrates?

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @12:20AM (2 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @12:20AM (#686012)

      to combat the dire, existential threat of falling birthrates

      ...or perhaps the recent generations of Working Class people in Ireland have noticed that, with increased automation, there isn't a need for geometric population growth--or, indeed, ANY population growth.

      The recent generations of Japanese figured this out some time back.

      ...and, of course, it bears mentioning that in 1983 (the year they voted for the ban) things for the Working Class hadn't gone completely to shit worldwide quite yet.

      -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @10:50AM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @10:50AM (#686213)

        Oh, as long as there is population growth somewhere else, you need your own too, or you will lose your freedom. Other people, with values different than yours, will settle among and around you in great numbers and run the things their way, perhaps forcing you to comply. Automation is indifferent to that.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @12:02PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 30 2018, @12:02PM (#686224)

          No, I don't.
          You think that -you- do because you're clearly a Reactionary Authoritarian White Supremacist.
          I'm not.

          people, with values different than yours, will settle among and around you

          Dude, I live in a city that's majority Latinx.
          That's on the edge of other cities who have a large Southeast Asian population.
          When I go to my favorite grocer, I see folks who speak Arabic and other folks from the subcontinent.
          All of them are now USAians.

          I think that's very cool.
          If that sort of thing bothers you, it's because you're a bigot.
          That's a character flaw.
          It indicates a narrow mind.

          -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

    • (Score: 2) by shortscreen on Wednesday May 30 2018, @06:03AM

      by shortscreen (2252) on Wednesday May 30 2018, @06:03AM (#686113) Journal

      This is a referendum we are talking about here. Has any country anywhere ever had a referendum where the people voted for mass immigration?

    • (Score: 2) by b0ru on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:01AM

      by b0ru (6054) on Wednesday May 30 2018, @07:01AM (#686147)

      Could not moderate insightful enough. Given the current trends in the EU, this is certainly to follow. I find it very hard to believe, being Irish, from Ireland, that this was any sort of a landslide vote. Every referendum since the Lisbon Treaty vote seems to swing to what our government, and ultimately the EU parliament, want. This referendum, and what will likely happen next are like something from Praktischer Idealismus by Coudenhove-Kalergi. Abortion aside, the current state of affairs in Europe would put the doubt of raising children in this climate into any prospective parent's mind. Living in interesting times, indeed.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:14PM (4 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:14PM (#685947)

    Just because a Constitution was ammended doesn't mean it has it has be permenant. Things change.

    • (Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Tuesday May 29 2018, @10:31PM (3 children)

      Just because a Constitution was ammended doesn't mean it has it has be permenant. Things change.

      To which amendment are you referring to? The First [wikipedia.org]? The Thirteenth [wikipedia.org]? The Nineteenth [wikipedia.org]?

      Your lack of specificity makes me wonder as to your point. And your poor spelling and grammar further reduces your credibility.

      Please do elucidate.

      --
      No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:17PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:17PM (#685990)

        No one amendment specifically, though the second amendment would be an obvious choice. It was written at a time when guns were rudimentary, and the scope of their use has changed. With that example I hope my point is now clear. Thanks for the critique.

      • (Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:20PM (1 child)

        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:20PM (#685991) Journal
        I give people slack on grammar since English is often a second language for them, and English grammar is an uncouth beast.

        Having said that, there are so many inconvenient amendments out there. Every amendment has a detractor somewhere. Would be nice if the AC were to be more specific.
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:52PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 29 2018, @11:52PM (#686000)

          Presumably the amendment in TFA

          When the constitutional amendment to instate the ban was voted on in 1983, 66.9 percent voted "yes," and 33.1 percent voted "no".

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