Republicans Giving Women 'Back Of The Hand Treatment': Wasserman-Schultz

The Republicans who shouted down and continuously interrupted female members of the House testifying in favor of the health care bill on Saturday were giving women what amounted to the "back of the hand treatment," Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.) said Monday.

The abortion-rights champion and senior Democrat criticized House Republicans in a conference call with reporters and called the behavior the most disrespectful she has seen during her 17 years in elected office.

"We already had a clear sense that Republicans were opposed to our efforts to advance women's health," Wasserman-Schultz said. "Now we know they're opposed to letting women voice their opinions on health care as well."

As members of the Democratic Women's Caucus tried to list from the House floor how the health care reform bill would offer women important protections they currently lack, Republicans -- led by Georgia Rep. Tom Price -- constantly interrupted them.

"I object!" the Republicans shouted over and over while Reps. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) and Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Ohio) spoke. Acting speaker Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) couldn't get the Republicans to stop.

"Republicans are so desperate to block reform, to protect the status quo, that they tried to silence women -- not just women members - but the millions of women who would benefit from the new protections," Wasserman-Schultz said.

Those protections include prohibiting insurance companies from charging women more for coverage or treating pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. Women are often charged as much as 48 percent more than men for health insurance, according to Dr. Judy Feder of the Center for American Progress.

The version of the bill that ultimately passed by a narrow 220-215 margin included a provision by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) that dramatically limited elective abortions by prohibiting public and private insurers from covering them.

Wasserman-Schultz said she intended to oppose the Stupak amendment and that it was unlikely to survive in the Senate. She would not say how she would vote should the Stupak amendment make it in the final version of the bill.

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Comments

[OneLiberalLady]

Republicans voted for the Stupak amendment, and yet did not vote for the bill. This makes no sense until you realize it is just part of their cynical and manipulative strategy to torpedo healthcare reform. And on top of the symbolic binding and gagging of women that the Stupak Amendment represents, the Republicans feel the need to literally shout women down. That must be the icing on the cake to them.

[Eris23Skidoo]

They probably think it's "fun."

[billobasher]

Does anyone honestly believe that any bill Obama supported would be supported by the Republican's? He could take their bill and put his name on it and they would oppose it. THe opponentes of health reform are saying the very same stuff that they said back in 1993. Instead of "Hillarycare," they call it "Obamacare." The same lies are told. "It will cost more." "Higher premiums," "Socialized medicine."

Republican's have NEVER cared about reforming healthcare. Bush had eight years and never offered anything other than that drug plan for seniors that he did not offer a way to pay for.

Their opposition is about defeating Obama. Nothing more. Back in 1993 Bill Kristol then an advisor to the GOP said in a memo. "We can not allow Clinton to have this big of a victory."

[realpolitic]

Republicans practice such boorish behavior as if the world has not progressed since the 1950's. To then it is still a white male world where older white guys make decisions and everyone else falls in place. How out of touch can an elected official afford to be? They must want to lose the women's vote, along with the black and Hispanic vote. Who do they think will be left to vote for their reactionary candidates?

[KIVPossum]

P T Barnum's shows always sold out.

[Eris23Skidoo]

And Glen Beck is very popular, I hear....

[itys]

Wasserman-Schultz: here is another politician that should be removed from office. Never held ANY real job since the day she left college, never really worked for a living (you telling me that being a politician is a hard job). Tell you what Debbie, come on over to Orlando and we'll give you the real thing. OK.

[realpolitic]

Oh, she's to blame for the Republican's boorish behavior. Damn! If only she would have had a real job since college then conservatives would have not acted so rudely! Yes, that explains how conservatives feel about personal responsibility!

[Observer963]

Rape victims bring it upon themselves is the philosophy!!!

[billobasher]

Obama said last night that he will not accept any abortion laws that restrict the current status quo. Relax guys. The Dems in the House did what they had to do to get a bill out. This will be fixed in reconciliation.

[gilmon]

Would the Line item veto be useful in dealing with The Stupak (Stupid) Amendment?.

[thepheonix]

The abortion issue is a b@mb in the legislation that will cause it to fail. Either way, you will not get a resolution. Go one way and lose votes. Go the other way and lose votes. This will k*ll the bill

[Eris23Skidoo]

I don't think so. If that were the case, the GOP would just add an "abortion clause" to every bill they don't like in order to get it to fail.

[lonbwoy]

Lets see:

A Democrat proposed this amendment

Democrats in the House voted for it

Blame,Blame,Blame!!

[grooveygrover]

it was written jointly by a dem and a repub

[Gover]

I hit a girl once and I liked it.

[thepheonix]

It should be written like this:

The girl hit me once and I liked it.

[DianeRPCFL]

You're right, we do balme republiturds for everything. They are deserving of as much blame, ridicule, mockery and contempt as we can muster.

[Strywever]

Fascinating how the Tighty Righties WANT the government to interfere with healthcare decisions on this issue, isn't it? They spend all summer screeching about the horrors of government interference in healthcare decisions, then line up like little marionnettes in an attempt to force government interference in healthcare decisions.

Deafening dissonance and situational values . . . again.

[Eris23Skidoo]

What, you expected them to be consistent or in any way whatsoever to make sense? Come on! We all know that this is a game to them! A game about power, nothing else. They don't REALLY care about abortion and other issues. They care about having sex with little boys. And maintaining enough power to get away with it.

[Manhattanite]

Debbie W - S rocks!

[swift goat pet for truth]

second.
her district is so lucky to have her.

[power1]

Let's not forget that a Democrat proposed this amendment. You liberals are unbelievable, you have complete control of the government and yet you still want to blame republicans for everything.

[Strywever]

What does "you liberals" mean? You're not under the mistaken impression that all Democrats think alike on everything, are you? We are not the party of lockstep ideological unity. We actually encourage airing differences of opinion, attitudes, beliefs, and perspectives. Makes it harder to get things done sometimes, but I for one believe it's much better for the country in the long run.

[KIVPossum]

LMOA. Liberals traditionally have encouraged differences of opinions. That seems to have changed the last year. With what should be a solid list of liberal credentials going back 40 years, my intelligence and liberalism is called into question daily by the neo-progs on this site.

[Rmath]

"Complete control of the government"? You can't be serious.

Can you spell filibuster?

[Eris23Skidoo]

Yeah, no fooling. And how about how they obstruct every last thing...? The GOP are against America. They want us all to be as big of failures as their darling Bush.

[LegallyPalin]

Who do you think republicans ha te the most?

1. Women
2, Gays
3. Blacks
4, Hispanics
5. Canadians
6. The French
7. Muslims
8. Liberals
9. All of the above equally

[swift goat pet for truth]

It depends who they have in front of them at the time.

[Manhattanite]

10. Everyone who does not march in lockstep with them AND/OR does not look like them

[devans00]

I get the impression that Republican men look at how the Taliban treats women and thinks, "Hey those guys have the right idea."

[Eris23Skidoo]

They think that removing the Burkha is the same thing as treating them as an equal...

[parlimentMike]

WOMEN! The Republicans don't like you, and the Democrats don't respect you. YOU are an obvious constituency for the new PEOPLES PARTY.

With the gays, the unions the women, those screwed by this unresponsive system, and those who have simply become aware, we could forge an unbeatable alliance for the benefit of the people of America.

[grooveygrover]

where do I sign up?

[Mattie]

sign me up, I gave up on getting any respect from the Democrats in power, and don't get me started on the Republicans.

[Observer963]

Too good to be true!

[Eris23Skidoo]

Who says the dem's don't respect women? Hello? Are the democrats NOT the party of women's rights? Are you trying to rewrite history? Whatever.