Associated Press
Snowe, Collins break ranks on contraception coverage.
Last week, President Obama unveiled a compromise on contraception coverage at least in part because he'd been pushed into making a change. The White House wasn't especially concerned about criticisms from the right, but it was Democratic discomfort with the administration's policy that led Obama to look for an alternative.
In the wake of Friday's announcement that accommodates religiously-affiliated employers, Dems are on the same page -- and now it's Republicans who are divided.
The problem is with the GOP's proposed response to Obama's policy. Congressional Republicans, led by Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), have decided the best way to reject the White House compromise is to go after access to contraception itself.
Indeed, the new GOP policy aims to allow all private-sector employers to deny any health services that businesses might find morally objectionable. Do you work for a grocery store owner who opposes contraception? You're out of luck. How about an accounting firm that doesn't like HIV tests? Too bad. Are you an employee at a factory that finds cervical cancer screenings offensive? Good luck to you.
As Igor Volsky reported, and as was discussed on the show last night, this is a bridge too far for some Republicans: Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine have endorsed the White House policy, not their party's extreme response.
What about other alleged GOP moderates like Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.)? Greg Sargent connected with Brown's office yesterday and learned the senator opposes the White House compromise and backs his party's countermeasure.
Scott Brown apparently believes the way to win a close race in Massachusetts in the 21st century is to block access to contraception and other forms of preventive care -- even when his more centrist GOP colleagues are siding with the Democratic president.
It's not at all clear that Republicans have thought this through. Polls show strong support from the American mainstream not only for contraception but also for Obama's coverage policy, suggesting this is an election-year culture war fight the GOP is likely to lose. The fact that Republicans are already divided on the issue only reinforces doubts about the wisdom of the party's strategy.
It's unlikely to happen, but the smart move would be for Republicans to quietly shift their attention elsewhere. If Democrats are lucky, the GOP will ignore this and continue its war on contraception.
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You know what, though? The Democrats tend to give up the fights they "can't" win... and cede whole swaths to the Republicans. (Support the military? Fiscal responsibility? These are assumed to be Republican strengths because the Democrats don't contest strongly enough.) It's true that right now the populace overwhelmingly supports access to contraception... but it wasn't that long ago when the populace accepted the fact of global warming. Unrelenting pounding of the drum might cost in the short run but can pay off in the long run, by changing the terms of the debate.
So let's not sit back and blithely assume that the Republicans are diving off a cliff here. We still need to make sure there is a debate on this, or people will silently and unknowingly gravitate to the right.
Looks can be decieving. Rewording legislation to better reflect the reality of the true argument is a sly trick. It was always the insurance companies that were going to be responsible for this coverage.
I do have problems with some "compromises" but my main objections are that Obama kept the patriot act and homeland security. These are both unAmerican.
Amen. We know the GOP will continue to chip away and chip away at this issue. They've done it with just about every other issue and look where we are. It's time to stand up and be loud.
"Fiscal responsibility? These are assumed to be Republican strengths because the Democrats don't contest strongly enough."
Curiously, every Democratic administration since, and including, Truman's has left office with a budget deficit as a fraction of GDP lower than when it entered.
And every Republican administration since, and including, Nixon/Ford has left office with a budget deficit GREATER than when it entered.
The irony is that fiscal responsibility is assumed to be a Republican strength and Democratic weakness, but the reality is just the opposite.
The simplest difference being, actually, that Dems. "tax and spend" and Reps. "borrow and spend".
Actually, I have found it is a little more effective to to ask a anti-choice republican or anti-choice catholic why they are trying to control what goes on in my wife's vagina. It helps the anti-choice folks understand the cognitive dissonance of their position, and it's fun to watch the expressions on their faces as they understand the question!
The Republican party could take a lot of lessons from Snowe and Collins about understanding and doing what's right for the bulk of America, and finding common ground with Dems. But they will never do that because they are the party of mostly old white men who want to go back to the days when they got to decide everything for everyone.
They are chasing after the money their backers wave around and can not be bothered with what we the people say.
Yes, but the women that do that sort of thing are locked up for "Prostitution" - so once again the disparity in treatment!!
Ah but its only prostitution if you fail to kiss her.(this is why GW kissed McCain after ripping him apart)
Another outlandish and totally fabricated "controversy" that has most ordinary Americans shaking their heads. How does worrying about...contraception (?!?!) help grow our economy or create new and good-paying jobs for Americans? This is a straw man issue cooked up by Republicans and their allies to derail the President and derail our country. This hurts America. Even most Catholics support Obama's position on birth control. what is this, the 1980's? http://www.sunstateactivist.org
Actually, I think this is a straw man issue cooked up by the Obama administration to take the focus off the economy and other issues on which Republicans have been stonewalling legislation -- and on which Republicans have labelled a failure. This gives people something else to focus on. It helps them see the kind of maniacs Democrats are working with in Congress.
Your proposition that this issue was created by the administration and/or the Democratic party is absurd. Please do some research before you post your comments.
I think what pol-4134612 said was funny. Whether is was accurate or not, who cares? I think it was probably satire.
How long are the republicans going to get away with this "sleight of hand" stuff? While they make a big deal out of this stupid non-issue, what real issue are they making America ignore?
Let me be the first female to jump into this conversation. For YEARS now Viagra and the other ED fixes have been covered by insurance companies without one female speaking out against it. But Holy Heaven forbid, that we have insurance companies cover birth control. To me it is much better to cover birth control than viagra. Lots of families can not afford another child in these economic times we are in. Catholic women take and support birth control and support this measure by over 58% in polls. And to me Birth Control is WAY BETTER than ABORTION!!!
We are left to ponder as to why these maggots are determined to ignore their own constituents. It would appear that they have discovered that their base will never vote them out.
Mary! Do not stand between a man and his God-Given, sacrosanct right to get and sustain an erection!
WHY is it that these same Republicans that have created this artifical controversy over birth control are the ones that want to cut benefits to the poor, among which is Planned Parenthood. One would think that all these guys would want more access to birth control so as to reduced that number of unplanned children who end up on welfare rolls. They seem to talk out of both sides of their mouths. And what about the "war on religion" they talk about. Wasn't it the R's that held hearings about the rising dangers of Islam. Seems to me they just want to wage war on religions they don't like, but the president now he' evil because he supposedly went after theirs. Two-faced is what they are.
You hit the nail right on the head as to both your points. The Republicans DO speak out of both sides of their mouths about abortion and welfare/child care issues. As to the "war on religion" issue, its only if its THEIR religion that is being affected is it a "war", otherwise they are protecting their constituents against "evil doers" as W used to call them. Bunch of hypocrites is what they are. Too bad most people won't call them out on such things and they get away with it all the time.
Exactly, Tom. In the R's perfect world, 1) A woman could not use contraception, 2) would have no right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy (which is more likely when you have no contraception), and 3) deny any aid to that woman when she has all those unplanned children and can't afford to house, feed, or clothe them.
Further, they would minimize education funding for those children, provide minimum wage jobs (or abolish the minimum wage and child labor laws and pay them even less), and control the media (which would only consist of Fox News) in order to influence those uneducated minds into voting for the wise and benevolent Republicans. And they would control the courts so that nobody would ever be able to win legal battles against their laws or their interpretation of the Constitution.
They make me sick.
I forgot to mention, even though it's a given - all would have their version of Christianity seared into their brains.
As a liberal from Maine, I've seen, over the years, that both Snowe and Collins generally take moderate positions and champion women's rights. I hope they are the spearhead that fractures this recent GOP attack on a woman's right to medical/health equality in our troubled country.
Voices in the dark echoing the cry of the people they represent will not deter the far flung right from its mission to turn American politics into a parliamentary free for all. We are watching Congress as it mimics the British Parliament with boisterous antics meant to amuse us as backdoor meetings with corporate puppeteers decide what will or won't actually get done.
Soon the right will once more insist upon making God Bless America the national anthem as much for the ratings as for the benefit of far right evangelical votes.
And then the Bishops can get upset again
I'm glad to see Scott Brown toe the party line on this. Mass needs to send this clown packing come November!
I hope he keeps it up...more votes for Warren.
This bill was written by insurance carriers and the chamber of commerce. Their goal is to dismantle any kind of coverage for potentially expensive health care. This bill would allow "disease specific" exclusion of virtually ANY kind of condition. All the employer would have to say is "I have a moral objection to paying for this" and because we are still stuck with a largely employer based health care system (for which the antidote is a public option or single payer), workers will have no recourse. They are using birth control because they can get the right wing crazies all riled up, but trust me, this is strictly money driven. They want to bring back a tactic that was being used heavily by Blue Cross/Anthem, especially in California; retroactively cancelling coverage for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Thousands of women have had to fight this. Its one of the things the insurers and the chamber of commerce hate most about health reform: No rescission. Yup, it will be women in the cross hairs....what else is new?
I thought Elizabeth Warren was going to beat Scott Brown easily without this issue. With his taking the extreme party position on contraception, she's going to annihilate him in November.
On another note, the GOP bill would have a number of consequences. Say you've been working for someone for 10 years and now he discloses that he opposes contraception and won't provide coverage. You're supposed to just leave and find another job (which you probably wouldn't want to do otherwise)?
This issue needs to stay completely private and this bill would require employers and employees to disclose up front their position on a very, very private matter. I don't think most rational people would want to do that.
I think the Republicans have been punked by Obama. And they're falling for it, hook, line and sinker. I hope they have a vote...every democrat who is running against them has something to use in the fall. You don't mess with women's access to birth control. Did they learn nothing from the Komen/Planned Parenthood debacle?
But...shhh. Let them think they're getting away with it. Let them dig that hole more deeply. Deep enough so the sun will never shine on them again.
If you want some insight into how neo-conservatives think you should watch Moyers interview with Bruce Bartlett.
http://billmoyers.com/segment/bruce-bartlett-on-where-the-right-went-wrong/
They really don't think invading someones privacy infringes on their freedom. It really is all about taxes and government spending to them.
It's all about energizing the base. Mainstream Republicans saw the Tea party sweep into power, and now try to cater to them. They are a weird lot. One one hand they want freedom and have those don't tread on me flags, and patriot costumes, and on the other they want to determine who you can marry(and how many) who can have health care and who can't, who can have contraception and will cut medicare and SS to satisfy the job creators as they call them(wall st)
They call this freedom!!
I think the President was just trying to do what is right for the country. Then those bat crap crazy republicans threw him in the Briar Patch.
"Then those bat crap crazy republicans threw him in the Briar Patch."
I get what you're saying, herps, but do you REALLY want to apply an Uncle Remus metaphor to President Obama?
This is all bluster and show by the GOBP. The Blunt bill (well-named, wot?) won't even get a committee hearing, let alone being sent to the floor.
I wish the media would get their terminology correct. The so-called "cultural wars" that are now coming to the forefront of the republican opposition to moving America forward is a misnomer. The right wing extremists and evangelicals have decried that Obama has threatened religiolus freedom. But is they who have declared a "war on religions that do not accept their religious tenets" - as they seek to impose their religious doctrine on all our citizens. The media, by referring to this as "cultural wars" gives it some legitimacy, just as labeling terrorists as "suicide bombers" instead of "suicide murderers" hides the true nature of those terrorists.
The catholic and evangelical positions on contraception, abortion, gay marriage, etc. are not cultural issues. They are religious doctrine handed down by men in Rome. And they use the cry of "religious freedom" to divert the true nature of their efforts to turn our country away from its secular underpinning which guarantees all our freedoms.
I do so love the Republican Party's efforts to protect the right of Middle Eastern investors to impose Sharia on American employees. I'm sure that the American electorate will appreciate it, too, when it's explained to them.
Old men are so terrified of women calling the sexual shots. Thank God Snowe and Collins came forth, it's about time some sane women in government spoke up. You can, ladies. Speak up. They're not going to burn you at the stake.
Looks like some people want to be re-elected.
I know - I'm old and don't understand everything. But WHY aren't we just expecting that the Republicans will totally get voted out of office? I know that there ARE republican-type people who think this is just as stupid as I do; who think that everything the Republicans haven't done over the past year is just as mind-boggling as I think it is.
So WHY don't the republicans in congress fear for their jobs? It seems so simple to me. Of course - I'm not a republican......
The Republicans are going to lead us back to the 13th century whether we want to go or not. What else do you expect from the sexist, flat earth is the center of the universe, bigots know what is best for you party. Besides we haven't had a good inquisition in a while, they long for the good old days.
I don't agree with paying for war...since I morally object to that, can I stop funding all forms of the DoD?
No suprise here. Senator Collins testified in 2000 pro contraception, even to religious institutions. Good she got Snowe to come along.
I think maybe the harsh Republican response comes from the fact that more women are in the Democratic party and will not vote for them anyway. They must think better to energize the base than try to court the women's vote. It will be interesting to see what the Republican women do, especially the ones that are not Evangelical. Scott Brown is really going out on a limb in Mass. a blue state. I don't think he realizes that he won because the democratic nominee ran a terrible campaign not because everyone loved the tea party. This should boost Elizabeth Warren. How can they all be this unaware of what the public wants
"It is not at all clear that the Republicans have thought this through"
The trouble with the GOP is that they do not think through any of their positions.
Take their fear mongering on Iran. Someone needs to point out to Iran that if they nuke Israel they will not only nuke some of Islam's most holy sites, they will also get the fall out in a few days. Weather patterns on this planet move generally from west to east. And of course the "weapons of mass destruction" argument has already cost the GOP and the U.S. dearly.
What about a "threat" from China? China cannot attack the U.S. We are their best customer to say nothing about how much money we owe them and providing them with reserve currency.
The GOP's failure to think through their war on women's rights is just part of a pattern of shallow thinking -- if you can call it thinking. They do not seem to see the consequences of any of their policies.
i imagine scottie knows his time is up, and is playing nice with lunatic bros, so that he can become a lobbyist and a lacky for the likes of murdock, and the koch whores
I think an important fact is not being brought out, the radically charged GOP, attacks against Women's Rights, attacks against Gay Rights, and attacks on Blacks are literally an all out war against the American People by the white puritan churches. Settle down children, or we will attack back.