No exaggeration:
Pro-choicers have been accusing conservatives for decades of valuing fetuses more than actual born children (and exponentially more than post-pubescent women), and now state legislators in Michigan are considering proving them right. The legislature held a hearing on Tuesday for House Bill 5684 and 5685, which would “allow taxpayers to claim a dependency exemption for a fetus that has completed at least 12 weeks of gestation as of the last day of the tax year and that has been under the care and observation of a physician since at least 12 weeks of gestation.”
Just last year, on the other hand, the legislature eliminated a tax credit for parents.
What could possibly motivate this other than wanting to make a philosophical statement? And as Sam Goldwyn said, “If you want to send a message, use Western Union.”
By the way, the House Fiscal Agency (which is nonpartisan) estimates that this new tax credit could cost the state \$5–10 million, so fiscal soundness clearly played no part in the decision.