INDIANAPOLIS – Plans by State Rep. Gail Riecken (D-Evansville) to begin finding immediate solutions to Indiana’s shockingly high infant mortality rate has been derailed by Gov. Mike Pence and his super-majorities in the Indiana House and Senate.
Administration officials and key negotiators in both legislative chambers refused to include Riecken’s proposal to create an Infant Mortality Reduction Grant Fund in the final version of Senate Bill 408 that was approved today in the Indiana General Assembly and sent to the governor for his consideration.
“Indiana ranks fifth in the nation in the number of child deaths,†Riecken said. “The problem is immediate, and the time to find solutions is now.â€
Riecken’s proposal was designed to use interest on the money contained in the Indiana Checkup Plan to finance grants that would have funded a variety of programs that work to reduce infant mortality rates. One example would be campaigns that work to inform mothers about the serious risks of drug use during pregnancy.
“The top two causes of infant mortality in our state are babies who are born too small and too early,†Riecken said. “Of the nearly 300 children who died in Indiana in 2011, substance abuse was found to be a factor in nearly half of those cases.
“To have even one child die under such horrible circumstances is one too many, and I believe these are cases that could be prevented through proper education,†she continued. “My proposal would have laid the groundwork in providing that type of instruction.â€
However, during negotiations on Senate Bill 408, Riecken said she was told that the Pence administration did not support the grant program and did not want it included in the final bill, a contention supported by negotiators for the Republican super-majorities in the House and Senate.
“This program to protect babies would not have cost one dime in new state money, since it would have used only the interest from an existing fund: the Indiana Checkup Plan,†Riecken said.
“The price tag would have been a small amount, compared to the hundreds of millions of dollars that are going to be devoted to cutting taxes for large corporations in Indiana,†she continued. “Of course, these babies do not have the ability to pay for high-priced lobbyists to curry favor in the halls of the Indiana Statehouse, so it is easy to ignore their cries for help.
“These are the times that make me wonder about the priorities of those who control our state government,†Riecken said. “It is very easy to talk about caring about protecting families, but doing something about reducing our terrible infant mortality rates appears to be a lesser priority than protecting big corporations.
“Today’s actions were very disappointing, but I will continue to fight for these children now and into the future,†Riecken concluded.
“Of the nearly 300 children who died in Indiana in 2011, substance abuse was found to be a factor in nearly half of those cases.”
“…and I believe these are cases that could be prevented through proper education…”
Do you really think a drug addict would care if they knew about the dangers? To assume drug users are not aware of the effects on their own bodies is unlikely. They know though they may not acknowledge such to their self. They don’t care about the dangers to themselves so why would you think they would care about its effects on an unborn child or those around them?
The answer is known else Reicken would not be able to state numbers, so why do a study? Doesn’t Indiana already have programs, agencies, TV ads and campaigns to “get the word” out about drug usage and infant mortality, nor is that taking into account efforts by the Ad Council and Public Service Announcements.
Because Mrs. Reicken, being the consumate political liberal hack she is, introduced this gotcha bill, not to save any unborn infants from their doped mothers, but, rather, to have a bogus campaign issue.
After all, it’s “for the children.” Of course, she has no problem what-so-ever killing the unborn children in PP’s abortion mills.
I think you are onto something. Indeed, I was going to toss the “for the children” mantra into my post but figured I already had enough words to make liberals heads explode with their faux concerns about “freeing people”.
It’s not just a matter of having a bogus campaign issue. There’s also the shoveling of tax money into the pockets of liberal activists who will be performing these phony studies when they’re not butchering babies in abortion clinics.
Always follow the money when dealing with liberals. Their desire to sink their snouts into the public trough cannot be resisted, even when looking for talking points.
Leave the NRA, the defense contractors, and Department of War out of this.
Most Americans were very glad when the Department of War, American defense contractors, and American soldiers (or “warmongers” as certain liberals call them) defeated Mr. H. Tojo, Mr. A. Hitler, and Mr. B. Mussolini.
Some liberals are still quite angry over this success. Not even the election of Mr. B. Obamalini has been able to snap them out of their funk.
Ah. You know, it never occurred to me where their hatred for the founding principles of American came from, now it is clear. But I think it goes further back than the 1940s.
I think if a person took the time their anti-founding principles could be traced back to the very same people wanting George Washington to be our next king. He said no and that really really pissed them off but now they have one so now they are in payback mode.
A perfect example of what happens when a good legislator tries to do something for children in a state run by something like Mike Pence.
Any proposed fetal study would have already been stamped by the reprobate legislative majorities and signed by the scowler, no matter the cost.
And just how many more studies do we really need to confirm and more importantly reaffirm the effects of drugs on children in the womb and after birth? These things are known already and I think disaffected is more on the spot that Reicken is just using this for political gain.
Bandana, when you post a comment like this after reading her press release that clearly states the babies die due to the drug abuse of the woman, any intellectual integrity you have is discarded.
Don’t drown in the koolaid.
Means a lot coming from you, troll.
The absolute only way this high infant mortality rate amongst women addicted to drugs can be reduced is for the women to be put in a controlled environment, like a jail. An addict does not give up drugs because they’re dangerous to self or a fetus. Rarely does a person give up drugs unless they are separated from that drug by the criminal justice system. If it wasn’t for jails and prisons the infant mortality rate would be higher. The only time a woman addicted to drugs visits a doctor is called drug seeking activity.
Oh quit it Gail. You’re a an abortion without exceptions politician with a ketchup stain the size Urbana trying to turn an issue into political hay.
Thanks for trying Gail, some of us appreciate your efforts.
Just call them fetuses and have Joel Osteen’s casino err I mean church pay for the study out of petty cash.
So let me see if I am reading you right My Morals only. Every year about 12,000 unborn lives are ended in Indiana by abortion, while Gail is concerned about 300 deaths a year caused by what a mother is doing to her body while carrying an unborn life? Then somehow Joel Osteen fits into the scenario.
OK, they’re fetuses. Now can we care for the 12,300 without hating on someone’s Christianity?
Good post. A nickel in the pocket, a nickel on the counter is still a nickel.
Mrs. Rieken,
This bill failed so let’s attack this important issue another way – if you’re serious.
Issue a proposal that anytime a low birth weight baby is born or an infant death occurs an automatic drug test using hair samples is given. If the drug test is positive let’s charge those guilty with either child neglect in low birth rate cases or murder iif the infant is stillborn or dies after birth.
If you’re really standing up for the children this should be your next line of attack.
If you’re grandstanding we’ll know because you will not try further measures such as I suggested. Tweak it as you will but a proposal like I suggested has merit.
As you state if it saves just one life it is worth it.
Education & a law like this – especially once it is enforced – will help curb these horrible incidents.
I HEAR THE WORD !!! And the word is sterilization.
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