By Tracey Rippon, DHSc, MS, CNM
The Right to Life: A Question of Geography?
In the United States, progressives and conservatives hold deeply opposing viewpoints on reproductive rights. These differences result in vastly different legislative priorities, centering either on protecting a pregnant individual’s right to bodily autonomy or protecting a fetus’s right to be born. However, a stark irony emerges when analyzing the broader application of these values. Many of the same political voices who staunchly advocate for “pro-life” policies at home simultaneously champion billions in funding for devastating military actions abroad, such as the current war in Iran.
Choices of War: Counting the Costs
According to official Pentagon testimony delivered to Congress, the war in Iran has already cost American taxpayers $37.5 billion. Independent economists and internal defense assessments predict that the comprehensive costs are already far higher. But even if we take the baseline $37.5 billion figure at face value, we must ask a fundamental question: How could that have been better spent on US soil?
Investing in the Lives of Americans
It is well-documented that the United States spends significantly more on healthcare per capita than other wealthy nations, yet we face poorer health outcomes and lower life expectancies. Imagine what could be accomplished if we prioritized human life at home over military interventions abroad:
Erasing Medical Debt ($30 Billion): The federal government could completely purchase and wipe out the past-due medical debt currently crippling low-income families.
Funding Universal Mental Healthcare ($5 Billion): This investment could fully secure and fund universal mental health crisis networks and services across all 50 states.
With an additional $67 billion emergency war supplement currently pending in Congress, the list of potential domestic improvements is nearly endless. We could keep expanding healthcare access, lowering prescription drug costs, and reinforcing the wellbeing of every American.
What Does “Pro-Life” Truly Mean?
If the conservative political mandate is truly to be “pro-life,” why does it only consider the unborn or stop at our borders? Conservative politicians also frequently invoke slogans like “America First.” Yet, it does not sound like we are putting American lives first when we deploy billions in missiles abroad while our own communities suffer from gaps in healthcare access. This spending disparity is not consistent with “Pro-Life” or “America First”, it sounds more like an intentional policy choice.
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About the Author: Dr. Tracey Rippon, DHSc, MS, CNM, is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and healthcare educator with over two decades of global experience in clinical practice, research, and academia. Her experience spans maternal-fetal health systems in both the US and Australia.