Public policy in the aftermath of the Dr. Klopfer revelations

You read about Ulrich George Klopfer this week. He’s the abortion doctor who just died, and his family discovered the remains of 2,246 aborted fetuses in his home, reminiscent of the Kermit Gosnell story.

Pro-life supporters are repulsed by the macabre need for some abortionists to preserve “trophies” of their victims. Even folks who tend to be wishy-washy on the subject nonetheless find their consciences shocked by such extravagant, indulgent disregard for human dignity, while abortion-rights supporters just want to change the subject and talk about “safe,” legal, abortions.

This grisly story has many levels of meaning in terms of public policy. A compassionate society needs to honestly address the issues if it is sincere in creating vibrant, healthy communities. Let’s consider three legitimate issues a just society should consider, whether one’s views are pro-choice or pro-life.

Should licensing requirements for abortionists be more or less restrictive?

Dr. Klopfer lost his medical license for being incompetent and ignoring the law. He performed an abortion on a ten year old child and did not report the rapist, the girl’s uncle, to the authorities.

He performed abortions on thirteen year-old girls without fulfilling the three day reporting period required by Indiana law.

And yet at a national level, in states like Maine, New York, and California, Democrats are pushing to dumb-down licensing requirements by allowing lower-salaried midwives, nurses, and physician assistants to perform abortion surgeries.

Lawsuits targeting physician-only laws have proliferated in recent years, which is ironic since the medical risks of ‘back alley’ abortions is what drove the movement to legalize human abortion in the first place. Apparently, Big Abortion wants to bring the back alley into their clinics with lower-skilled, cheaper help that increases their profit margins.

As a just society, will women be better off with less-qualified abortionists performing these invasive procedures on their bodies? That is the public-policy decision we are facing, and Dr. Klopfer’s death reminds us that we need to address it quickly.

Do women need more or fewer reproductive healthcare options?

Dr. Klopfer plied his trade in West Bend, Indiana, where presidential candidate, Pete Buttigieg, is mayor. As we wrote last month, Mayor Pete blocked the construction of an authentic women’s reproductive healthcare center because it would compete with a nearby abortion clinic.

In other words, he came down on the side of Big Abortion, not women’s health, putting the profitability of political supporters ahead of his constituents’ health.

It took the mayor awhile to respond to the Dr. Klopfer revelations, but when he finally did, here is what Mayor Pete said:

Mayor Pete Buttigieg

“Like everyone, I find the news out of Illinois extremely disturbing, and I think it’s important that it be fully investigated. I also hope it doesn’t get caught up in politics at a time when women need access to healthcare. There’s no question that what happened is disturbing. It’s unacceptable. And it needs to be looked into fully.”

One can’t help but question the mayor’s veracity on his concern for “access to healthcare” in light of his actions to block a pro-life clinic.

As a side note, isn’t it fair to ask the mayor and those of a like mind:

Why were Dr. Klopfer’s actions disturbing? Is it really better to throw the bodies of aborted babies in the dumpster rather than preserving them in jars in the abortionist’s family room?

Dr. Klopfer forces us to face the issue that little human beings are being killed by human abortion.

Should a compassionate society mandate respectful treatment of fetal remains?

In 2015, the Center for Medical Progress revealed Planned Parenthood’s willingness to sell fetal body parts and tissues for profit.

Is this practice acceptable to a compassionate society?

Dr. Kermit Gosnell as well as Dr. Klopfer stored fetal parts in formaldehyde in their homes and offices.

Is this practice acceptable to a compassionate society?

Dr. Gosnell and Dr. Klopfer have lifted the veil that obscures the reality of abortion: abortion is violence directed against little human beings. In response, states like Mayor Pete’s home state, Indiana, have passed laws requiring that abortion clinics either bury or cremate fetal remains following abortion procedures.

Vice President Mike Pence as Governor of Indiana signed the bill into law.

The Supreme Court upheld the law.

A contradiction

The law exposes the contradiction a compassionate society has to deal with, as Indiana Right to Life President, Mike Fichter, clearly expresses:

“Here we now have a troubling dichotomy that cannot stand: on one hand we recognize aborted children have dignity and are not garbage, on the other hand the court refuses the inherent, God-given dignity of each unborn child by recognizing their civil rights. This once again places Roe (v. Wade) on a collision course with itself.”

The ACLU and abortion rights groups oppose respectful internment of aborted babies. ACLU’s Director of Reproductive Freedom Project, Jennifer Davlin, is concerned that the law will drive up costs and make abortions less affordable:

“Laws like Indiana’s are part of an nationwide strategy to stigmatize abortion and push it out of reach.”

Writing in Slate Magazine, abortion rights advocate, Jane Maienschein, builds on this theme:

“And medical facilities will be required to find ways to carry out expensive burials and cremations as well as places to accept the material, and then presumably pass all those costs on to patients.”

Profit is king

It always seems to come back to dollars and cents with Big Abortion.

The Dr. Klopfer revelations are simply the latest chapter of a lurid tale of the powerful preying on the weak for the sake of profits.

Pro-life health clinics are blocked because they will cut into Big Abortion’s profits.

Licensing requirements are being weakened to boost Big Abortion’s profit margins.

Humane disposal of human remains is opposed because Big Abortion’s profit margins will be impacted.

In light of these revelations, a just society should simply end the practice of human abortion. Human dignity is human dignity.