Like many states, Kansas is having trouble making ends meet because our country’s ongoing economic rollercoaster. The state legislature has been debating a few different options to raise revenues, most of which are ideas that have been considered in many states facing the economic crunch: raising court fees, privatizing services, and increasing the state sales tax. However, one state Senator, Mary Pilcher Cook, took it upon herself to think a bit outside the box. Her idea? Start taxing abortions.

Yes, you read that correctly. Pilcher Cook wants to impose a sales tax on abortion procedures. Her rationale?

She noted that governments routinely use tax policy to effect behavior – cigarette and liquor taxes, for example, or tax breaks designed to spur economic activity. “If you want less of something, you tax it,” Pilcher Cook said.

Her amendment ultimately failed (narrowly), but this seems to represent a dangerous new frontier in the fight for access to abortion services. With town councils and legislators imposing restriction on insurance coverage of abortion (not to mention the millions of women who have no insurance coverage whatsoever), this kind of legislation has the very real possibility of making the burden of payment for an abortion too much for many women. And, as is usually the case in these situations, the hypocrisy here is amazing. On Pilcher Cook’s website, she touts her strong belief in limited government. And says this:

Kansas leadership has been relying on a disturbing trend recently of using governmental control as solutions to issues.

Ms. Pilcher Cook: How is this not an example of “governmental control?” You’re admitting that you’re trying to impose a tax to limit abortions! It’s just unbelievable to me.

So what do you think? Is this an example of one lone, hypocritical legislator? Or do you think we’re going to start seeing legislation like this popping up elsewhere?

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