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Republicans appear to be increasingly annoyed by talk of the GOP's "war on women," as evidenced by John Boehner's recent tirade on the House floor. To hear them tell it, the very idea is trumped-up "fiction," based on bogus misconceptions cooked up by Democrats and sympathetic reporters.
And yet, when it comes to public policy, the larger trajectory is hard to miss. Take Republicans in Arizona, for example.
Last month, Gov. Jan Brewer (R), under the auspices of "protecting" women, signed a measure banning most abortions in the state after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and requiring a state-mandated, medically-unnecessary ultrasound 24 hours before the procedure. Late Friday afternoon, Brewer went even further.
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on Friday signed into law a bill banning abortion providers like Planned Parenthood from receiving money through the state, her office said in a statement.
The Republican-backed Whole Woman's Health Funding Priority Act cuts off funding for family planning and health services delivered by Planned Parenthood clinics and other organizations offering abortions.
"By signing this measure into law I stand with the majority of Americans who oppose the use of taxpayer funds for abortion," Brewer said in a statement.
The problem with Brewer's statement is that it's not true -- taxpayer funding of abortion was already prohibited before this law was signed. Arizona hasn't provided any public funds to terminate any pregnancies.
Rather, what the governor and GOP policymakers in Arizona have done is cut off funding for contraception, cancer screenings, and basic preventive health care for families who are already struggling.
The next time someone says the Republican war on women is nothing more than media-driven hype, a myth trumped up by Democrats in an election year, remember it wasn't Dems or journalists who made this proposal law in the state of Arizona.
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Do they actually want AZ to be a swing state?
I think they're in competition with Texas and Oklahoma to be the first state to be declared insane.
I can't stand the GOP and their disingenuous BS on the War on Women but somehow when a WOMAN pushes this on other women and pretends it's for their own good, it makes me want to puke.
And the Rovian/Luntz title of the bill:
Whole Woman's Health Funding Priority Act
Exactly the Opposite of what it does.
What a vile evil woman
I get the feeling that Republicans are only biologically human. From their words and actions, I think they must be transpecies Daleks.
How can a governor not actually know what the federal law is? Especially when it's been stated so many times this year that federal funding cannot be used for abortions??? I don't get it.
Hey@CharJTF: It's not about knowing or not knowing. It's about pandering to her base and keeping them nice 'n stupid.
There's certainly that too, June, but in this case I think she honestly doesn't know. She's not called GED Jan for nothing.
Republicans like their women dumb so they can be controlled. You'll never see anyone the caliber of Hillary in today's Republican party.
I've never really understood how the money can be divided - they perform abortions, they get money from the government, but that money doesn't go toward abortions, the other money is used for that. Not arguing the point here, but I would like for somebody to kindly end my ignorance on this matter.
Actually, the process is quite easy due to the miracles of modern accounting. It is the same process for United Way Contributions which you 'dedicate' to a specific organization. Other organizations are left out from your contribution and it does NOT get made up from other persons.
Planned Parenthood funding for purposes other than abortions (the minor, yet an important part of the totality of what they do) does NOT provide more funding for abortions. But then again, the point of repuke lies is to convince those who want to be convinced and confuse many of the (Billbixy81) others.
It's called accounting. I can give you money for bus fare separate from what you plan to spend on movie rentals.
Still feeling ignorant? Try some basic bookkeeping courses.
Wow.. people here are mean for a general question. Very simple.. when someone comes in to get an abortion, they have to pay for the abortion. The funding they receive from the state is basically to keep their doors open.. and 97% of what they do is women's preventative health and birth control... and those are the services subsidized by the state.
principals of "modern" accounting- where did that come from- the question about how Planned parenthood can keep funds separate- is a good question- cash is cash on a balance sheet- - no GAAP principles support any of the above responses-who ever said take some basic bookkeeping courses- I assume never took accounting- you can certainly in terms of expense side list accounts for x or y- but cash is cash-
Except there are laws (federal as well as state versions in many) that require them to keep track. If they're not kept separate, jail awaits.
WTF does the truth have to do with anything for rethugnicans? ...the Republican war on women is nothing more than media-driven hype, a myth trumped up by Democrats in an election year may be an out and out lie, but it will get repeated over and over again until all of the Fox Noise/Rushbo/Sean Insanity viewers believe it and a good percentage of others will be so confused that they won't make it a consideration.
In the world of republican-speak, if you repeat a lie often enough and loud enough, it becomes the truth.
It's simple. Republicans don't consider these "women's" issues at all. They are "feminist" issues. When you are a right wing ideologue reality is all about the definitions.
The provide services to the poor, so we need an excuse to cut their funding. States contract with them because they do a good job and do it fairly efficiently--needless to say there's not a lot of lobbyist money coming from them, and I dare say it does not go to republican coffers--so we must end their state contracts. We have people waiting in the wings for that hard earned state money, and they'll do what they are supposed to and make contributions to the right party. And those services? Won't that take away from the money they can contribute to my re-election campaign?
I couldn't agree more. No one is making money from Planned Parenthood. I suspect that the insurance companies lobby is behind all of this. I haven't worked in two years and can't afford to buy health insurance. And my unemployment income is too high for me to qualify for Medi-Cal. Planned Parenthood is my only remaining option for checkups! The abortion issue is a smokescreen for something far more insidious going on behind the curtain.
Sometimes I wonder why I even turn on news or flip through blogs just to see more oppression taking place against women's health.Yet another measure to scare legit health care providers away from treating women who are seeking abortions. I'm pretty sure there was also no sympathy to those of rape/incest either. You'd think as a woman she'd be more sympathetic to the cause of 99% of the rest of america's women.. But sadly, it seems to be the opposite.
Old timey thinking: "if you're a woman and you're raped then you clearly deserved it by just being a woman, obviously. Don't be such a slut!"
I just love hard-extremist Religious views on women. Trophies and Sluts. *sighs*
Again, I wonder why I bother..
Even if Obama wins, they're still pulling this crap under his administration right now due to the way our lovely, insane, twisted government works. So what's it matter anyway if he does win at this point. It's not as if the other side has fired back enough to make even the slightest dent. It'd be nice if -all- of these types of Republicans were voted out and cooler-heads put in, but that won't happen. So what do we even do? We'll just continue to watch state after state fall into this apparent cycle of discriminating against women who are not like them. And for those of us who can't afford to leave our state (Yay.. Georgia..) We're pretty much screwed.
What was that about freedom and liberty and all that? Seems to me like i'm getting extreme catholic views shoved upon me every other day.
We can vote and let our voices be heard. I'm reminded of the cartoon with a Stork trying to swallow a frog but the frog has the stork by the throat. Never give up!
Vote with your dollars--it's far more valuable and powerful than your paltry political vote.
Never, ever, ever give a red cent to a woman-hating ideologue businessman who supports that scuzzy party; there are plenty of alternatives if you look. Pay Planned Parenthood for your routine women's medical care. Join the ACLU, which is the only organization I know that exists solely to support the Constitution.
Daily Kos suggested sending AZ Governor Jan Brewer a wire hanger in protest of this decision. I send mine this morning and hope her office receives thousands of them.
Soooo, let's see...if you don't work, the Repubs don't want tax money spent on poor women's health for such things as, say...contraception. If you DO work, they want employers to have the right to say no to contraception, even if it's for health reasons. Hello....sounds like war on women (walk like a duck, talks like ....).
it quacks alright.
Yup Republicans pretty much want women barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. Which in my case would be awful, because my wife is a terrible cook.
Dems have been eying Arizona as a potential flip state and there are two major groups of voters that could turn the state blue, Hispanics and women. The farther right these Republicans move, the more probable it is Dems can get elected in some "red" states. These actions by the governor and the Republicans will galvanize groups of voters who will become activists. What will happen as a result of the war on women's rights is we will see more women candidates for elected offices on the federal and state level. And they will not be running as Republicans.
The Republicans have alienated everyone in AZ except the Snowbirds. If you keep making the tent smaller and smaller don't expect those left standing in the rain to like you.
Bottom line is that women better get out and vote and women who are voting had better get their friends and relatives who are women registered and make sure they go to the polls. Women can stop this nonsense, or they can be passive recipients of the very bad deal the Republicans are giving them. Our power is in the vote; not in the talk or in the being upset about what is happening. If all eligible women register and vote their self interest there will be no war on women.
This is truly disgraceful! As a woman, living in Virginia is bad, but living in Arizona would be horrific! What is wrong with that woman????
She must be a relative to Sarah Palin. Her blatant lies are either due to ignorance of how our government works or just plain stupidity. The sad part is that Republicans want less government yet they appoint politicians that tell them what is going on ... and incorrectly. Republicans keep voting in Pharisees who love taking advantage of the ignorance of their constituents. I used to be a Republican until I opened my ears and realized that what I was being told was so far from the truth it was like believing the moon is made of cheese.
This is truly disgraceful! As a woman, living in Virginia is not all that awesome, but I can't even imagine living is Arizona! I keep asking myself what is wrong with that woman? How can she run a state with so little knowledge of public policy?
Are there other facilities women can go to throughout AZ to get low cost health care for women? I think this is crap if there are NO other options for health care for women that are affordable. Maybe it's time for another choice to be created for just health care. Oh I got I got it!!! Rep are going to create a affordable health care system for all, ...what's that you say? Not in my lifetime? Oh
Obviously the old rich white people who live in AZ don't care about anyone else.
The likes of Brewer in American politics continue to fly in the face of fact and logic and side with strong emotional issues that in fact damage their state and our country. They are every bit as much terrorists as any other enemy of our country walking our streets.
I will pray every day that this woman is assassinated.
That is funny. there is no god, especially one that grants assassination requests.
That's a moot point as I do not pray to Gods.
Women will die because of Jan Brewer, but like so many others of her ilk, she won't care!!! The women in this country must vote these idiots out of office before they force us into Burkas.
she makes me ill.
It amazes me how anyone can believe anything a Repugnitive says these days. From the presumptive Presidential candidate through the Congress and Senate down through the state and local levels, semi-half truths and outright lying is the norm. When will the press use the word 'LIE' instead of the many euphemisms that allow so much wiggle room. It's not misinterpretation on these politico's part, it's lying, pure and simple.
sort of like Elizabeth Warren claiming she is a native American
BOYCOTT ARIZONA! I've had two different vacations now in the last two years. Wanted to go to Grand Canyon as well as the Petrified Forest. Nope, none of my money is going into that backwards-azz state. I went to Mesa Verde, CO and Great Sand Dunes, CO instead. Spent $1400 last year and about $2000 this year. Arizona is for morons, don't support morons.
Gee, I wonder who's to blame here? Could it possibly be the voters. Just like everything else in life, you get what you ask for.