The Republican crusade to limit access to birth control for women across the country took an ugly turn last week. As our Republican colleagues continued their effort to extend the reach of the government into the bedroom, most of them stood silently by while one of their favorite radio personalities launched a despicable, sexually charged attack on a respectable young woman. If this is what passes for family values in Republican circles these days, things in the Grand Ol' Party have indeed come to a sorry pass.
It is a certainty that their efforts, if successful, will have a damaging effect on women's health. Make no mistake -- though the headlines have been about birth control, the issue here is women's health.
Birth control is directly and undeniably related to women's health. Birth control protects women from the risk of bearing children before they are ready. Birth control helps to ensure that women do not bear too many children or bear children too soon after their last pregnancy. Birth control is used to relieve symptoms of endometriosis, regulate a cycle, reduce acne, relieve symptoms of depression, reduce migraines, treat polycystic ovary condition, alleviate anemia, and even reduce the risk of some cancers.
And despite misleading Republican talking points about not wanting to subsidize birth control, studies have shown that it may be less expensive in the long run for employers to provide employees with no co-pay coverage of birth control than to deny such coverage altogether. This is in large part due to the fact that no-cost coverage improves a woman's access to birth control, which means fewer unwanted and/or potentially harmful pregnancies. And that can significantly reduce the huge long-term costs of care related to problem pregnancies and pre-mature births.
According to a 2010 Policy Review by the highly regarded Guttmacher Institute, there is a strong, long-standing body of evidence that contraceptive services are a vital and effective component of preventative and public health care with substantial positive consequences for infants, women, families and society.
And stripping a young woman of her employer provided insurance coverage can produce a serious economic barrier to her ability to access such services. Oral contraceptives alone can cost an uninsured woman as much $1,210 dollars a year.
So, denying birth control coverage to women can result in significant negative consequences for infants, women, families and society.
Of course, the biggest impact will be on women. Because 100 percent of those who can have their health damaged by an unplanned pregnancy are women.
100 percent of those who die from complications related to pregnancy are women.
100 percent of those who give birth -- are women.
So, I would like to suggest to our Republican friends that they drop the pretense that the subject is religious freedom. It is not. Changes to the health care reform act already made by the Obama administration mean that churches and religious organizations do not have to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives.
No one at these organizations with religious or moral objections to birth control has to use contraceptives, approve of contraceptives, prescribe contraceptives, or dispense contraceptives. Some religiously affiliated organizations, however, will not be allowed to impose their religious views on those who do not share them. In this collision of rights, the right of women to access health care must prevail.
Some sincere members of the religious community have tried to make the case that they do not wish to have any of their tax dollars go towards supporting access to birth control in any way whatsoever. But one of the accommodations we all must make for the privilege of living in a free and pluralistic society is that sometimes our tax dollars will help to pay for activities we may not approve of, or support.
For instance, I share with many religious leaders a deep-seated opposition to the death penalty. And yet our tax dollars will comingle with the funds from those in the majority who approve of capital punishment. When executions occur some small portion of my tax dollars will go toward paying for an executioner's salary. And I do not approve. But that is part of the price we all pay for living in a democracy. Yes, it may seem problematic at times. But, in all the world, there is no better system of government.
I also know that there are good folks on the other side of the aisle who argue that access to birth control is simply not an issue. And those are nice words. But actions of the far right speak much louder than words -- and taken together they form a clear and disturbing pattern.
· On the state level, Republicans in at least 18 states are pushing bills or ballot initiatives that would define "personhood" in such a way as to render illegal many forms of commonly used birth control.
· Republicans in seven states have filed lawsuits to attacking the provisions in the health care reform act that give women access to contraceptives.
· On the national level, Republicans have introduced legislation in both the House and Senate that would outlaw many forms of commonly used contraceptives.
· Republicans in the House have already voted to strip Planned Parenthood of any federal funding, which would make it much harder for poor women to obtain reproductive health care and contraceptives.
· Republicans in the Senate brought legislation to the floor to allow any employer, including for-profit private sector companies, to deny insurance coverage for contraceptives if doing so is contrary to their religious beliefs or "moral convictions." Democrats voted it down. But Republicans vow to keep trying.
Taken all together, these legislative initiatives show a widespread effort by the far right wing to impose their own religious views on those who may not share their beliefs and to limit a woman's access to reproductive health care and contraception. And if they succeed, it would have a negative impact on us all.
That is why, at that now infamous Republican hearing on birth control, I asked: "Where are the women?" Women must have a say on policy issues related to their own health. And you know what? I never did get a good answer from them. So I would like to hear from you. Send me your own personal stories of the health consequences of access denied. Send me your own pictures of decision-making bodies, without a single woman on the panel. Send them to me -- at: info@carolynmaloney.com -- and I will send them a message for us all.
And I think I am going to just keep on asking: "Where are the women?" Because I think all of us deserve an answer. Women deserve a place at that table.
Follow Carolyn Maloney on Twitter: www.twitter.com/carolynbmaloney
I am already paying $50 a month with insurance !
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2012/0124/Mitt-Romney-taxes-show-very-high-charitable-giving-tied-to-Mormon-church
it matters which charity. recently, the mormon church was spending hand over fist to influence the gay marriage bills in california. that does not help those in need. here are some sad numbers: ""This analysis finds that less than one-third of the money individuals gave to nonprofits in 2005 was focused on the needs of the economically disadvantaged. Of the $250 billion in donations, less than $78 billion explicitly targeted those in need."
http://storytellersrus.hubpages.com/hub/Is-there-a-deeper-difference-between-conservatives-and-liberals-when-it-comes-to-obsessing-over-the-poor
let's see your research.
Did you perhaps think this was a readily apparent mark? No. Because you would die of fright to see yourself stained with it. But, it is there. Your confused dishonesty is it's visible presence. Can you defeat God? What will become of you before Him stripped of the trappings of this world? For a few shillings of power. People are sorting themselves out- unawares you do God's will.
SHAME on Carolyn Maloney and all other enablers who wants to keep women and wards of the state.
Democrats happen to understand that this country has evolved a system where you typically earn your health insurance coverage through your work - their labor - not Rush's handouts - creates the wealth that pays for that coverage. And that the woman along with her doctor - should determine what measures they should take to protect their health - not you - not Rush - not the Church. And for those who are young - or disabled - or disadvantaged - or retired - we have devised a system we believe is far better than leaving them in the street to die - as the crowd at that Republican debate seemed to be cheering for.
So make it clear - you are conservative - you think women are irresponsible - you want to let them die to teach them a less. Put GOP in big letters on those signs. See you in November.
Unfortunately there are way too many people that believe the falsehoods perpetuated by the right wing zealots.
Your a whack but your funny-
You make little sense but your cute-
Which... explains your response. :)
Faved!
If I understand things correctly, anyone can buy birth control now. Why does the blanket need to be spread so far? If we have medical techs advanced enough to determine when it is necessary is one thing, but to offer to all, at tax payer cost is absurd in all circles. Lets see if the death panels will allow the same for all cancers and other illnesses at any age. I bet not.