I've long been concerned about whether Ron Johnson, elected to the Senate in 2010, is really up to the job. After all, the Wisconsin Republican has argued that snow in Greenland is evidence of global cooling; he thinks "sunspot activity" is responsible for global warming; and at the height of the BP oil spill disaster, he said he'd sell his BP stock, just as soon as it was more profitable for him to do so.
This week, however, Johnson broke new ground, sharing his unique perspective on contraception access. Scott Keyes asked the far-right senator about the issue, and posted this startling clip.
For those who can't watch clips online, Keyes asked Johnson about the millions of American women who can't afford access to birth control. The Republican replied, "My wife actually went online here in Wisconsin and typed in, 'what if I can't afford birth control?' Came up, bam. If you can't afford it, you can get birth control in this country."
When Keyes asked what that meant, Johnson added, "You can get it. Go online, type it in. It's easy to get."
I can appreciate the power of the Internet as much as the next guy, but if Ron Johnson believes low-income Americans can simply go online and -- "bam" -- easily find cheap contraception, he seems to have a comically exaggerated sense of the efficacy of online services.
Indeed, ThinkProgress put the senator's advice to the test.
ThinkProgress went online and Googled "what if I can't afford birth control?" The very first link explained that the entire process, from the initial exam to a follow-up to the pills themselves, can cost upwards of $210 the first month. The rest of the first-page results included two sites informing women that if they can't afford contraceptives, "don't have sex," four sites attacking Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke, and one site explaining how birth control is a lot more expensive than many believe.
Bam?
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Steve, you're repeating yourself...
His wife also told him, "You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant."
'ceptin' Alice.
His wife probably also told him, "You can get anything you want on the Internet, but you're sleeping on the sofa from now on."
I've long argued that ahy candidate for public office should be required to pass an IQ test.
Johnson wouldn't pass the test...
Neither would the rest of them! GOP bad for America and worse for Americans!! Taking US back to the 1850's one repealed law at a time!!
I don't know how he finds the door to get out of the house .
I wondered for quite a while whether it was simple stupidity or self-interested dishonesty that lead the republicans to their positions. Of late I've concluded it's the latter. He'd likely score above average on an IQ test but fail a polygraph.
This same 'Einstein; yesterday was begging SCOTUS for "a shred of freedom". Apparently just male freedom to make life more difficult for women!
The right wing complains that they are losing their freedoms since President Obama took office. I'm wondering just what freedoms they are talking about. Since having good health care, contraception, and relief from major bills for illnesses sure does free someone up to live a normal life. Maybe because I am a democratic Socialist I look at things differently. But there is a whole lot of freedom given with the Affordable Care Act.
That argument is just plain stupid and out of touch. There is a high probability that if you can't afford birth control, you may not have a computer or easy access to the internet.
Libraries. Computer using at libraries is free. Internet cafes, libraries, hospitals, schools have wireless with computers for public use.
But if you're one of the working poor, I wouldn't exactly call it "easy access" to take the time when you're not working (especially if you have kids) to take the bus to the library or local college ("internet cafes" are a dying breed and what hospital has a computer for public use?).
And, if you can't afford a credit card to order the supplies, then what?
Also...computer skills may not be the longsuit for the people we are referring to.
Besides, noone is asking anyone else to pay for it...except the insurance companies. Over and over I read comments from "the right" saying they don't want their money used for this...well, guess what? it isn't paid for with tax money!
The rest of the post was:
The only people who are losing any "freedoms" here are women. Once again a middle-aged white man telling us what is good for us...as if we were so dim-witted that we cannot decide for ourselves.
Hey, look up douche-bag when you're on the internetz too, kay?
Ron Johnson is trying to take the tinfoil crown from Louis Gohmert. We in TX resent his attempts at denying us our #1 status in the tinfoil hat department and we also resent the rest of the Wisconsin contingent that is trying to unseat us. That contingent includes but is not limited to Ryan and Sensenbrenner. Wisconsonians may attribute the idiocy of their legislators to the fact that they are alcohol damaged from youthful bingeing, but they are still trying to take our crown and we won't stand for it.
To explain why Wisconsonians are alcohol damaged, if you drive on any of the rural roads, when you get to any intersection, you will find a tavern, at least one. If you ask directions from any local person, the directions to John's farm will entail going "to Monkey's Tavern and take a right. Then go until you reach Beaver Tap and go left. Pass Mike's Bar and John lives at the second farm on the right."
Wisconsin has really taken the tea-bait, hasn't it? Walker, Johnson, Ryan, the state legislature, Prosser...
sadly yes you are right...
We've still got that idiot Perry. Texas ought to get extra points just for how many times he's won re-election.
I'd also like to nominate the sheeple that voted these crazies into office! And can we implement IQ and mental stability tests for candidates for office?!?
Texas still has more crazies, but Wisconsin, based on the 2010 elections, is coming up fast on the outside.
I fanned you on this one. Only someone living in Iowa, Minnesota or Wisconsin can see the humor in this.
right after I moved to Iowa, someone gave me directions, "Drive down that road until you see a road where John kroese's barn used to be. turn right there. go on down to where Mr Vanderslosh 's house burned down 20 years ago, turn left there and go on down past that acreage where they were going to put the school last year, but couldn't afford the land...." Beings I'm in Iowa, I had to use ethnically accurate farmer's names. LOL
Texas does have a huge amount of crazies and the biggest one of all is Rick Perry! He's not only a fan of all the contraception stuff but he's taken our education money and spent it on other stuff and now we are being told that there really isn't a shortage of money for schools and teachers! It is amazing that people don't look beyond their noses at what these people are doing to us.
Perry on how well abstinence works: http://youtu.be/ngiJhmoFKkw
Some folks are more comfortable living in fantasy land. Reality is so troublesome! Apparently Rep. Johnson is one of these.
Um. . . he's a Senator.
The real question is, does his wife use birth control and does the insurance that the congress members get, cover it?
I think every house member that votes to take away contraception coverage should have to say whether his spouse of or in the case of a female does she use it, and who pays for it?
Ron Johnson is just one of many embarrassments to the State of Wisconsin. I'm still trying to figure out HOW he beat Russ Feingold. Women of Wisconsin, remember this in 2016 when this fool comes up for re-election!
Johnson is a great example of why contraception should be available to all women. If only he had been contraceived...
When the people of Wisconsin asked about his stands on major issues, Johnson's reply went something like, "My views about issues aren't important. When I'm in office, I'll tell you what I believe in."
And the people of Wisconsin still voted him in, replacing Russ Feingold, a highly effective and respected senator.
They deserve what they got. Unfortunately, the rest of us don't.
"When I'm in office, I'll tell you what I believe in."?????? Sounds like Romney, "If I told you my plans, you wouldn't vote for me." Huh??????
He'll have flip flopped by then and won't remember what he is actually for or who he told what to. What a mess he is!
He's a fool...as are many internet 'commentors'...YOU CAN GET PILLS AT WALGREENS FOR $9...I CHECKED...for cripes sake. Yes, you can if all you care about is PREVENTION. BUT if you have a medical problem, you have to go to the DOCTOR, get a PRESCRIPTION and pay for it ALL. Abortion? Well we're gonna wand you, make you see a doctor and YOU WILL PAY FOR IT. This is of course, ON TOP of paying for you're health care that is MANDATED BY YOUR EMPLOYER. Johnson and Blunt were at the Supreme Court yesterday arguing AGAINST health care and hoping to HELL you wouldn't connect the dots on the 'war on women' and denial of ALL health care.
I am appalled at the GOP's efforts to restrict access to something that a free market should determine the need for. Isn't it up to each health insurance company whether they offer policies that include contraception coverage, and shouldn't it be determined by demand for such policies?
What amazes me is the fact that the GOP abhors abortion, wants to limit it everywhere, get rid of it immediately, etc. Yet they don't want to pay for contraception. Do they not realize that the more contraception allowed, the less abortions? They've been preaching abstinence for years, it doesn't work. And they certainly do not abstain. However, if they really wanted to prevent abortions, they should be pleased that someone would be responsible enough to use contraception.
"Flyover Country" is not a location, but a suggestion. . .
This man is an idiot! What are we going to start doing - get birth control from Canadian pharmacies via the internet?
Is a straw dog argument kind of like a straw man argument, except somehow involving Sam Peckinpah?
Could a "straw dog" be like a pinata? The argument falls apart when people attack it?
I'm just glad his wife is trying to get birth control! In fact I am so glad if she can't afford it i will pay for her birth control!
Exactly!! Me too!! I don't want any more people with their way of thinking populating our earth. Wow!! I am so sick of this invasion and I just can hardly believe that this is really happening. I am 72 years old and I thought this kind of thing went out with the end of the dark ages (when I was born!!). Incredible!!
Now, if you type "what if I can't afford birth control" in to Google, you get a bunch of links to news stories reporting that some dumbass senator told women who can't afford birth control to Google it.
The first hit that's not about Sen. Googlepill is this one:
http://www.estronaut.com/a/cost_of_pill.htm
Notice the first suggestion under the "Can't Afford It?" section is "Visit Planned Parenthood", followed by "Get an insurance plan that covers birth control".
I just hope his wife takes lots and lots of birth control.
Ha, I wonder if she thinks the Internet is now providing her birth control, because she found it there. If that's how the internet works, I'm getting a Ferrari!
If his wife could find birth control that way, and the $9.00 Target item is not specifically what is safe and effective for all women, you sure can't do that now. Because he said that; when you google now, all you get is directed to reports of his comment. I love how the right wants to have their relationship with their doctor treated as sacred, but they want everyone else to just take their assinine advice, like we don't really need a doctor to advise us what is best for us.
Ron Johnson was elected because in 2010, incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold unilaterally disarmed in the funding race. Feingold refused to accept PAC money while Johnson was scooping up all the corporate dough he could get. Johnson outspent Feingold by 4-to-1.
Idiot. How people swallow this rhetoric and expect the rest of us to do so blindly like a bunch of sheep is unbelievable.
I just googled "What if a sitting US Senator is functionally retarded?" Bam! I got the answer right away. The answer has something to do with Canadian viagra.
Well, gosh, in his defense, maybe it really is easy to find cheap access to birth control if you "go online ... in Wisconsin." Pay attention, people!
If the Republicans sustain major losses in the next elections, including Walker's recall, these radicals in Congress will be chastened. The opinion polls will drive their votes and it is probable that many of these radicals will be tempered by the polls, particularly as it relates to them. The best possible scenario will be large Tea Party losses as well as some less than safe seats for Republicans. Once the radicals are driven out of the House, the radicals in the Senate will be alone. I don't think the rest of the Republicans are going to crawl out on the limb to help them. More elections will be 2 years away and a lot of Senate Republicans will be up for reelection.
I just Googled "How can I fly to Mars?" and got 1,180,000,000 hits!
Bam!
I'll see you suckers on Syrtis Major Planum! That's the large dark spot on Mars according to Wiki. And I'm going to be the guy who finds out why it so dark. Later!