Morality is not determined by the church you attend nor the faith you embrace. It is determined by the quality of your character and the positive impact you have on those you meet along your journey
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Contraception, EVERY woman's right in this country.
This is a very good ad by the DNC, which I think completely kneecaps the GOP's attempts to turn this into a debate over religious freedom.
What do you think?
Is there really any gray area left that the Republicans can take advantage of here?
Does the Catholic Church object to paying for Viagra, too? Does the Catholic Church object to paying for vasectomies, too? Or is just the women's side of reproduction that they want to control.
The insurance companies are willing to "pay" for birth control pills coverage for Catholic (and other objecting) employers. Well, golly, gosh, the insurance companies don't MANUFACTURE that money. They just charge all the other employers more so they can give a freebie to the Catholic Church.
The issue that has been resolved is "who will pay for birth control pills" for employed women. It has ZERO impact on unemployed women who must find the cash OR churn out the babies randomly.
I sure hope this gets some wide exposure (although it's about 20 seconds too long, IMO and needs to put the "Republicans want to take these rights away" graphic closer to the beginning.
In fact, the Democrats need to pound the "taking away women's rights" meme loudly, strongly and often.
Marco Rubio's name needs to be added to that ad in bold under his picture. He is the extreme (and very popular among the repugs) right-wing senator from Florida who sponsored the bill to make ANY employer exempt if they have an objection to covering birth control.
If you like the video, "like" it on youtube. just click near the bottom of the viewing box where it says "watch this video on youtube" and then you can give it a thumbs up. And Stumble it if you are a stumbleupon user.
Once again, Checkmate. That's MY President! It's going to be fun watching the Rethugs and Baggers go into anaphylactic shock when President Obama and the Dems win in November ... by ... a ... LANDSLIDE!!!
The Bishops' religious freedom was never threatened by the first contraception rule or by Pres. Obama's compromise which, unfortunately, gave the impression that religious freedom was involved. Pres. Obama and the Democratic Party needs to go further and explain why the rule doesn't violate anyone's rights.
A 'telling' comment I read today, that things haven't changed -- says it all whether it is children or in this news article link, women who filed complaints about sexual assault - and the response was 'crickets' but the actions when finally an investigation, they had made sure to parachute the priest to Italy. How convenient and they want to have the control women's bodies/health:
CatholicBishops - morals -pedophiles - Which word doesn't fit? Church still parachutes priests out ignoring complaints http://tinyurl.com/73dhn8l
Like the GOP - just think of the new jobs bill they'll introduce with contains job creation and expands government as they'll be hiring 'Uterus Police'.
President Obama cannot mandate contraception in the Catholic hospitals, facilities - but the Church can 'mandate' their religious beliefs on the employees in the hospitals, teaching facilities.
I also see it as GOP decries against Sharia Law, yet now get their marching orders from the Vatican 'Law'.
"Beyond Pelvic Politics" New York Times Op-Ed by Nicholas Kristof:
http://t.co/Qy9xz9JE
Andrew Sullivan also had an interesting post - explains how Obama set a trap for the right. (I think Andrew may really be a Dem!)
The catholic bishops seem to forget that contraceptives are also widely used for treating polycystic ovary disease, endometriosis, and ovarian cancer prevention (b.c. pills will cut risk of ovarian cancer in half).
Would they split hairs on a case by case basis, or just preempt all medical decisions?
I just do not get it. The GOP wants smaller government so they can fit it up women's vaginas?
Young women of this country need to wake up and become active, or we WILL be back to the days of coat hanger abortions for all except the rich, who will have those "White Out" D & C procedures done.
Regarding the unemployed women: I believe under the Affordable Care Act we will be allowed to buy ins. coverage, and will be subsidized if our income is below 400% of poverty level.
I'm not an apologist for our health care system, but I believe there will be insurance coverage available.
In the mean time, we must all support, defend and fight for organizations like Planned Parenthood.
If you were a self-insuring employer or an insurance company, which would you rather pay for (and risk): birth control pills for any woman you covered, or obstetric and gynecological bills/delivery expenses/hospital bills/possible malpractice litigation expenses for unplanned children – including those resulting from high-risk pregnancies?
There is a much bigger story here than the superficial story of birth control and religious 'freedom'. The (republican) argument makes no economic, common, religious, or constitutional sense. No, something else is afoot. Something very sinister.
JMO, but I think this is nothing more than a Koch-brothers', et al, orchestrated step #1 toward the full repeal of 'Obamacare'. First, we see a 3-year old's level of screaming tantrum and hissy fit over 'religious rights/freedom' vis a vis access to birth control. Then, once they've bullied their way through THAT argument (because if it went to court, any federal judge would uphold Obama's current position), we watch as their plan's step #2 emerges: letting employers and insurance companies cherry pick willy nilly and choose other things from which they want to be exempted. The ultimate step is that pretty soon, health insurance policies will become mere skeletons (but extremely pricey skeletons), and the consumer will be left with no choice at all, and an even emptier wallet – not only at premium time, but also when it comes time to actually pay for the measly services rendered and covered.
Trust me, I think I smell a huge rat here. They will make sure the campaign issue is framed NOT as an anti-contraceptive argument, but an anti-Obamacare argument (anti-regulation, anti-big government, endangerment of religion by socialists, blah, blah, blah). We have just witnessed the first step in the drama otherwise known as, 'Republicans (after throwing giant tantrum) Getting Their Own Way'.
I think Mr. Rubio also needs to be clearly identified with his position of opposing women's health.
I suspect there a number of men who also want contraceptives available--particularly those men who otherwise would be extremely young fathers, with no job skills and little maturity,--and those men who discretely keep several woman to make themselves happy,--not to mention mature men who wish to plan with their wife a family that they can support. Or responsible men who would like to prevent the spread of std's like HIV,HPV, and herpes
Newt the Catholic - had three wives. Only had kids with wife #1 - not the mistresses who became wife #2 and #3. And wife #3 is likely NOT to be menopausal yet,though she looks well beyond it.
Hmmmm.
ANd Rubio regularly attend non-Catholic church services - isn't that a bit of a problem with the RCC?
I sure hope this insane issue is contained in the delirious world of the rightwing nutjobs, and that the number of those who are sucked into it, is small.
I see on Facebook that even those you can easily detect are quite slow-witted are asking, "I don't get it...no one's MAKING anyone take birth control, just making it AVAILABLE." (Of course, not with such correct spelling or grammar.)
These are the ones who were so easily led to HATE the "99%" of which they were unable to deduce they were a freaking MEMBER.
So, if THIS issue is the Republican "Waterloo" due to its extremely flimsy premise, so be it.
@9:30pm Thank you for the references. For anyone else living with a catholic-raised Republican I suggest printing and sharing these two well written pieces to get your point across.
The attack is on our intelligent, caring president, however according to Linda Greenhouse in The New York Times and Nick Baumann in Mother Jones "the Equal Opportunity Commission ruled in 2000 that omitting contraception from health insurance plans was unconstitutional and California and New York already have the precompromise version of the Obama insurance rule"
On Morning Joe, the panel is saying that this is a trick that the Obama administration is playing by characterizing this as an issue about contraception.
The GOP is now positioning itself to say that the Democrats are using the issue as a wedge issue (because the Dems are winning this fight)and it merely masquerades an attack on the church overall.
BS is deeper this morning than the snow falling in my area. Peggy Noonan, in particular, is saying there is "mischief" afoot by the White House.
Who are F do they think they are trying to kid? They must truly think we are all imbeciles -- or maybe they are just talking into a mirror.
Contraception should be available to women and Republican men should stop trying to take charge of our reproduction. Santorum indicates sex is not for enjoyment. He is such a jerk and so behind times! I truly think the women will come out and vote against them. They had better, or we are gonna be in a huge friggin' mess.
Unfortunately, the sheep that follow the GOP are stupid enough to believe anything they decide to make up. Next we will be hearing about aliens coming to take their guns, that should get them riled up. I continue to be surprised about what they get away with and I continue to blame fake news for most if it and, of course, our educational system. The stupid in this country is very, very scary.
...The firestorm over the birth control rule has captured the attention of voters who otherwise pay little attention to politics. Republicans have largely held the upper hand so far by keeping the focus on religious freedom, but Obama’s new accommodation for faith-based nonprofits weakens that argument. And as some moderate Republicans have already warned, wading into a no-holds-barred culture war over contraception could be a political disaster for the GOP.
Misunderstanding and Underestimating President Obama
...However, once again the ubiquitous word "cave" has appeared in association with this decision. There was a time when this would infuriate me, but now I laugh at the predictability of the critical left. Of course, if you dare disagree with them, then they launch into name calling that would make any junior high student proud. I think one reason for their childish, often surly, reaction is their unstated, unreasonable expectations of President Obama. It's as if some on the left have never listened to his speeches, press conferences, or town halls because if they had, surely they would have some understanding of the man.
For example, Barack Obama is a man who truly understands the art of politics better than any of his critics on the right or left and certainly any of the ideologues. Plenty of evidence exists to support this as he brings home one victory after another for the American people in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds. Certainly many do understand him, calling him the chess master while his opponents are merely sitting in the park playing checkers. But time after time those of us who have defended the President are called idiots, morons, Obamabots, etc. in spite of the fact our defense of President Obama has been well-founded and well-placed. But the critical left still doesn't get him.
As an example of the obtuseness of President Obama's critics on the left, let me take you back...
Those critics on the left who just don't get Barack Obama do so because they lack vision, subtlety, and nuance. Most importantly, the critical left always loses sight of the goal. The goal was not bringing down the Catholic church but to provide the best possible preventative care for women without the co-pays many women cannot afford.
May I offer this extended metaphor. Again those critics on the left are painting by numbers, showing their lack of creativity, imagination, impatience, and foresight, while President Obama is the great master, bringing all of his creativity, imagination, and patience to the canvas. He has a vision for his painting, but he realizes that he is working with a wet canvas requiring layers of paint. To rush through his creation would only leave a muddy mess, not a grand work for generations to appreciate and enjoy.
So I guess the President did cave to those who wanted to launch a war against religion, but for the women of America, who never lost sight of the real goal, it is a grand victory.
Is this how it's going to end for the Republican Party?
--TPM: Not satisfied with President Obama’s new religious accommodation, Republicans will move forward with legislation by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) that permits any employer to deny birth control coverage in their health insurance plans, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Sunday.--
Currently, 28 states mandate that employers' health insurance cover contraception for its employees, eight of which require it regardless of whether they are religiously affiliated or not. Many Catholic universities and hospitals already provide the coverage. The Obama administration's religious exemption is far broader than current law and actually a loosening of restrictions. But for some reason, GOP leaders think they have a dog in this fight and are betting that this will be wedge issue to sway Catholic votes away from the President in the upcoming 2012 election. This despite the fact that 58% of Catholics believe that employers should be required to provide their employees with health care plans that cover contraception, and that 62% of women overall, a huge voting block to be sure, agree as well.
So not only are they tying one end of the Blunt Amendment rope around the Catholic opposition rock, but they're tying the other end around their necks with a flawed "religious freedom" argument and attempting to roll back existing law for employers whose businesses have nothing to do with religion, and tossing it off the wingnut bridge.
This policy has earned praise from a wide range of individuals and organizations, including many organizations that will be directly affected by this policy. Here’s what people are saying:
There are many reasons to support the use of contraception.
It can help teenagers avoid the cycle of poverty. It allows women to plan their educations and careers. It can help with overpopulation and strain on our environment. Contraception helps a myriad of medical conditions.
This week has been dominated by religious voices speaking out against contraception.
I suppose that shouldn't be a surprise since Christianity has been controlled by men for more than 2,000 years, and there has been a strong belief in both Catholic and Protestant traditions that women were created solely for childbirth.
But there are way too many voices, speaking in the name of God, who target health services for women, and especially poor women.
As people of faith, we need to make our voices on behalf of women clear.
Does the Catholic Church object to paying for Viagra, too? Does the Catholic Church object to paying for vasectomies, too? Or is just the women's side of reproduction that they want to control.
ReplyDeleteThe insurance companies are willing to "pay" for birth control pills coverage for Catholic (and other objecting) employers. Well, golly, gosh, the insurance companies don't MANUFACTURE that money. They just charge all the other employers more so they can give a freebie to the Catholic Church.
The issue that has been resolved is "who will pay for birth control pills" for employed women. It has ZERO impact on unemployed women who must find the cash OR churn out the babies randomly.
I sure hope this gets some wide exposure (although it's about 20 seconds too long, IMO and needs to put the "Republicans want to take these rights away" graphic closer to the beginning.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the Democrats need to pound the "taking away women's rights" meme loudly, strongly and often.
Why is it that telling Christians they don't get to deprive others of their rights is somehow an "attack on religious liberties"?
ReplyDeleteIt's like saying a law forbidding the murder of hoboes is an "attack on free speech".
I just don't get it.
I love our President.
ReplyDeleteMarco Rubio's name needs to be added to that ad in bold under his picture. He is the extreme (and very popular among the repugs) right-wing senator from Florida who sponsored the bill to make ANY employer exempt if they have an objection to covering birth control.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2475909
Fear not, Jesse, they'll think of something.
ReplyDeleteIf you like the video, "like" it on youtube. just click near the bottom of the viewing box where it says "watch this video on youtube" and then you can give it a thumbs up.
ReplyDeleteAnd Stumble it if you are a stumbleupon user.
Thought you might be interested in this.
ReplyDeletehttp://wonkette.com/463278/cpac-once-again-full-of-self-hating-gay-men-hunting-for-gay-sex#more-463278
M from MD
Once again, Checkmate. That's MY President! It's going to be fun watching the Rethugs and Baggers go into anaphylactic shock when President Obama and the Dems win in November ... by ... a ... LANDSLIDE!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Bishops' religious freedom was never threatened by the first contraception rule or by Pres. Obama's compromise which, unfortunately, gave the impression that religious freedom was involved. Pres. Obama and the Democratic Party needs to go further and explain why the rule doesn't violate anyone's rights.
ReplyDeleteA 'telling' comment I read today, that things haven't changed -- says it all whether it is children or in this news article link, women who filed complaints about sexual assault - and the response was 'crickets' but the actions when finally an investigation, they had made sure to parachute the priest to Italy. How convenient and they want to have the control women's bodies/health:
ReplyDeleteCatholicBishops - morals -pedophiles - Which word doesn't fit? Church still parachutes priests out ignoring complaints http://tinyurl.com/73dhn8l
Like the GOP - just think of the new jobs bill they'll introduce with contains job creation and expands government as they'll be hiring 'Uterus Police'.
President Obama cannot mandate contraception in the Catholic hospitals, facilities - but the Church can 'mandate' their religious beliefs on the employees in the hospitals, teaching facilities.
I also see it as GOP decries against Sharia Law, yet now get their marching orders from the Vatican 'Law'.
"Beyond Pelvic Politics" New York Times Op-Ed by Nicholas Kristof:
http://t.co/Qy9xz9JE
Andrew Sullivan also had an interesting post - explains how Obama set a trap for the right. (I think Andrew may really be a Dem!)
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/02/12/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-set-a-contraception-trap-for-the-right.html
O/T, but OH SNAP!
ReplyDeleteAnd so the backlash begins...
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/feb/12/annual-hoops-for-cure/
Here's a tinyurl to copy and paste in case my link is messed up:
http://tinyurl.com/No-To-Komen
The catholic bishops seem to forget that contraceptives are also widely used for treating polycystic ovary disease, endometriosis, and ovarian cancer prevention (b.c. pills will cut risk of ovarian cancer in half).
ReplyDeleteWould they split hairs on a case by case basis, or just preempt all medical decisions?
I just do not get it.
ReplyDeleteThe GOP wants smaller government so they can fit it up women's vaginas?
Young women of this country need to wake up and become active, or we WILL be back to the days of coat hanger abortions for all except the rich, who will have those "White Out" D & C procedures done.
Regarding the unemployed women: I believe under the Affordable Care Act we will be allowed to buy ins. coverage, and will be subsidized if our income is below 400% of poverty level.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an apologist for our health care system, but I believe there will be insurance coverage available.
In the mean time, we must all support, defend and fight for organizations like Planned Parenthood.
If you were a self-insuring employer or an insurance company, which would you rather pay for (and risk): birth control pills for any woman you covered, or obstetric and gynecological bills/delivery expenses/hospital bills/possible malpractice litigation expenses for unplanned children – including those resulting from high-risk pregnancies?
ReplyDeleteThere is a much bigger story here than the superficial story of birth control and religious 'freedom'. The (republican) argument makes no economic, common, religious, or constitutional sense. No, something else is afoot. Something very sinister.
JMO, but I think this is nothing more than a Koch-brothers', et al, orchestrated step #1 toward the full repeal of 'Obamacare'. First, we see a 3-year old's level of screaming tantrum and hissy fit over 'religious rights/freedom' vis a vis access to birth control. Then, once they've bullied their way through THAT argument (because if it went to court, any federal judge would uphold Obama's current position), we watch as their plan's step #2 emerges: letting employers and insurance companies cherry pick willy nilly and choose other things from which they want to be exempted. The ultimate step is that pretty soon, health insurance policies will become mere skeletons (but extremely pricey skeletons), and the consumer will be left with no choice at all, and an even emptier wallet – not only at premium time, but also when it comes time to actually pay for the measly services rendered and covered.
Trust me, I think I smell a huge rat here. They will make sure the campaign issue is framed NOT as an anti-contraceptive argument, but an anti-Obamacare argument (anti-regulation, anti-big government, endangerment of religion by socialists, blah, blah, blah). We have just witnessed the first step in the drama otherwise known as, 'Republicans (after throwing giant tantrum) Getting Their Own Way'.
I think Mr. Rubio also needs to be clearly identified with his position of opposing women's health.
ReplyDeleteI suspect there a number of men who also want contraceptives available--particularly those men who otherwise would be extremely young fathers, with no job skills and little maturity,--and those men who discretely keep several woman to make themselves happy,--not to mention mature men who wish to plan with their wife a family that they can support. Or responsible men who would like to prevent the spread of std's like HIV,HPV, and herpes
Newt the Catholic - had three wives. Only had kids with wife #1 - not the mistresses who became wife #2 and #3. And wife #3 is likely NOT to be menopausal yet,though she looks well beyond it.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm.
ANd Rubio regularly attend non-Catholic church services - isn't that a bit of a problem with the RCC?
I sure hope this insane issue is contained in the delirious world of the rightwing nutjobs, and that the number of those who are sucked into it, is small.
ReplyDeleteI see on Facebook that even those you can easily detect are quite slow-witted are asking, "I don't get it...no one's MAKING anyone take birth control, just making it AVAILABLE." (Of course, not with such correct spelling or grammar.)
These are the ones who were so easily led to HATE the "99%" of which they were unable to deduce they were a freaking MEMBER.
So, if THIS issue is the Republican "Waterloo" due to its extremely flimsy premise, so be it.
@9:30pm Thank you for the references. For anyone else living with a catholic-raised Republican I suggest printing and sharing these two well written pieces to get your point across.
ReplyDeleteThe attack is on our intelligent, caring president, however according to Linda Greenhouse in The New York Times and Nick Baumann in Mother Jones "the Equal Opportunity Commission ruled in 2000 that omitting contraception from health insurance plans was unconstitutional and California and New York already have the precompromise version of the Obama insurance rule"
OT but I know you like Adele.
ReplyDeleteAdele performs "Rolling In The Deep" at the Grammys:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/12/adeles-grammy-performance_n_1272168.html
God is concerned with the health of women.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2012/02/12/god-is-concerned-with-the-health-of-women/
On Morning Joe, the panel is saying that this is a trick that the Obama administration is playing by characterizing this as an issue about contraception.
ReplyDeleteThe GOP is now positioning itself to say that the Democrats are using the issue as a wedge issue (because the Dems are winning this fight)and it merely masquerades an attack on the church overall.
BS is deeper this morning than the snow falling in my area. Peggy Noonan, in particular, is saying there is "mischief" afoot by the White House.
Who are F do they think they are trying to kid? They must truly think we are all imbeciles -- or maybe they are just talking into a mirror.
Contraception should be available to women and Republican men should stop trying to take charge of our reproduction. Santorum indicates sex is not for enjoyment. He is such a jerk and so behind times! I truly think the women will come out and vote against them. They had better, or we are gonna be in a huge friggin' mess.
ReplyDeleteYea, President Obama! Reelected him!!!
Thank You, Rick Santorum! Thank you for ringing the death bell of the Republican Party, as it stands today.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations are also due to Senator Mitch McConnel for upping the anty.
Even your 'base' does not want to return to the 13th Century.
As our eloquent President just laid out for you, you are on the wrong side of the issue.
Good luck with your war on women, and you'd best look in the mirror when you accuse President Obama of waging a war on what YOU call 'freedom'.
You are trying to wage a war that has already been won. Good luck with that.
The rest of us have moved on, and are trying to build a better future.
Sarah Palin came out against Planned Parenthood in her recent speech. (Republican Conference in D.C.) What an idiot!!!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the sheep that follow the GOP are stupid enough to believe anything they decide to make up. Next we will be hearing about aliens coming to take their guns, that should get them riled up. I continue to be surprised about what they get away with and I continue to blame fake news for most if it and, of course, our educational system. The stupid in this country is very, very scary.
ReplyDeleteHas Obama Cornered Republicans On Contraception?
ReplyDelete...The firestorm over the birth control rule has captured the attention of voters who otherwise pay little attention to politics. Republicans have largely held the upper hand so far by keeping the focus on religious freedom, but Obama’s new accommodation for faith-based nonprofits weakens that argument. And as some moderate Republicans have already warned, wading into a no-holds-barred culture war over contraception could be a political disaster for the GOP.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/02/has-obama-cornered-republicans-on-contraception.php
Misunderstanding and Underestimating President Obama
ReplyDelete...However, once again the ubiquitous word "cave" has appeared in association with this decision. There was a time when this would infuriate me, but now I laugh at the predictability of the critical left. Of course, if you dare disagree with them, then they launch into name calling that would make any junior high student proud. I think one reason for their childish, often surly, reaction is their unstated, unreasonable expectations of President Obama. It's as if some on the left have never listened to his speeches, press conferences, or town halls because if they had, surely they would have some understanding of the man.
For example, Barack Obama is a man who truly understands the art of politics better than any of his critics on the right or left and certainly any of the ideologues. Plenty of evidence exists to support this as he brings home one victory after another for the American people in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds. Certainly many do understand him, calling him the chess master while his opponents are merely sitting in the park playing checkers. But time after time those of us who have defended the President are called idiots, morons, Obamabots, etc. in spite of the fact our defense of President Obama has been well-founded and well-placed. But the critical left still doesn't get him.
As an example of the obtuseness of President Obama's critics on the left, let me take you back...
http://www.broadwaycarl.com/2012/02/misunderstanding-and-underestimating.html
Those critics on the left who just don't get Barack Obama do so because they lack vision, subtlety, and nuance. Most importantly, the critical left always loses sight of the goal. The goal was not bringing down the Catholic church but to provide the best possible preventative care for women without the co-pays many women cannot afford.
ReplyDeleteMay I offer this extended metaphor. Again those critics on the left are painting by numbers, showing their lack of creativity, imagination, impatience, and foresight, while President Obama is the great master, bringing all of his creativity, imagination, and patience to the canvas. He has a vision for his painting, but he realizes that he is working with a wet canvas requiring layers of paint. To rush through his creation would only leave a muddy mess, not a grand work for generations to appreciate and enjoy.
So I guess the President did cave to those who wanted to launch a war against religion, but for the women of America, who never lost sight of the real goal, it is a grand victory.
http://www.broadwaycarl.com/2012/02/misunderstanding-and-underestimating.html
GOP Walking the Contraception Plank
ReplyDeleteIs this how it's going to end for the Republican Party?
--TPM: Not satisfied with President Obama’s new religious accommodation, Republicans will move forward with legislation by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) that permits any employer to deny birth control coverage in their health insurance plans, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Sunday.--
Currently, 28 states mandate that employers' health insurance cover contraception for its employees, eight of which require it regardless of whether they are religiously affiliated or not. Many Catholic universities and hospitals already provide the coverage. The Obama administration's religious exemption is far broader than current law and actually a loosening of restrictions. But for some reason, GOP leaders think they have a dog in this fight and are betting that this will be wedge issue to sway Catholic votes away from the President in the upcoming 2012 election. This despite the fact that 58% of Catholics believe that employers should be required to provide their employees with health care plans that cover contraception, and that 62% of women overall, a huge voting block to be sure, agree as well.
So not only are they tying one end of the Blunt Amendment rope around the Catholic opposition rock, but they're tying the other end around their necks with a flawed "religious freedom" argument and attempting to roll back existing law for employers whose businesses have nothing to do with religion, and tossing it off the wingnut bridge.
more...
http://www.broadwaycarl.com/2012/02/gop-walking-contraception-plank.html
President Obama's Latest "Cave"
ReplyDeleteAnd no, it wasn't a cave.
http://www.broadwaycarl.com/2012/02/president-obamas-latest-cave.html
This policy has earned praise from a wide range of individuals and organizations, including many organizations that will be directly affected by this policy. Here’s what people are saying:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/02/12/what-they-are-saying-preventive-health-care-and-religious-institutions
From HuffPo today:
ReplyDelete~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``
There are many reasons to support the use of contraception.
It can help teenagers avoid the cycle of poverty. It allows women to plan their educations and careers. It can help with overpopulation and strain on our environment. Contraception helps a myriad of medical conditions.
This week has been dominated by religious voices speaking out against contraception.
I suppose that shouldn't be a surprise since Christianity has been controlled by men for more than 2,000 years, and there has been a strong belief in both Catholic and Protestant traditions that women were created solely for childbirth.
But there are way too many voices, speaking in the name of God, who target health services for women, and especially poor women.
As people of faith, we need to make our voices on behalf of women clear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
http://tinyurl.com/7cscm47