If it’s good for back-door vouchers, it’s good for abortion counseling

by David Safier

Judge Roslyn Silver wisely decided a law forbidding tax credits for organizations that discuss the possibility of abortions with their clients is illegal. The judge's reasoning: If an organization that counsels against abortions can get tax credits, so can one suggesting abortions as an alternative.

Rep. Debbie Lesko, who wrote legislation getting rid of tax credits for organizations counseling on abortion issues, objects. Hey, she says, those tax credits are really government money because the government gives the donors their money back when they pay taxes, and it's illegal to use government money to fund abortions.

Hmm. What do you think of private school tuition tax credits, Debbie? Is that government money too? If so, we have to get rid of tax credits paying for private school tuition, because the state constitution forbids the use of state funds for religious education. If the private school tax credits are state funds, that makes them vouchers, and the state Supreme Court ruled vouchers are unconstitutional. That's why their proponents say, No, they're not vouchers, because the money doesn't make it through the state house doors, so it's not officially government money.

You can't have it both ways, Debbie. Your conservative friends should warn you, you're wandering into dangerous legal territory here.