For much of the spring, Republicans were quite annoyed by talk of the GOP's "war on women." By late April, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) had just about had enough and delivered an angry tirade on the House floor. For Boehner and other Republicans, the very idea is trumped-up "fiction," based on bogus misconceptions cooked up by Democrats and sympathetic reporters.
But if the right wants to see fewer reports about Republican policymakers acting against the interests of American women, then Republican policymakers should stop taking actions that undermine the interests of American women.
This spring's political contretemps over access to contraception are returning to Capitol Hill -- and this time Republicans are trying to tie the issue to must-pass legislation, foreshadowing a possible government shutdown standoff unless conservatives back down and temporarily agree to set aside earlier grievances.
House Republicans renewed their effort Wednesday by advancing a measure through the Labor-HHS appropriations subcommittee with a rider to roll back President Obama's contraception mandate. Authorized by the Affordable Care Act, the rule requires employer-provided health insurance plans to cover contraception without co-pays, with carve-outs for churches and religious non-profits. Republicans on the panel defeated a Democratic amendment to strip the provision, suggesting they're willing to pick the fight.
Taking the lead on this, oddly enough, is subcommittee Chairman Denny Rehberg (R), who's in the middle of a spirited U.S. Senate race in Montana. It's odd for Rehberg to pick a fight over contraception -- a move that's unlikely to win him many votes in Montana -- but here we are.
It's worth keeping an eye on this, not only because so many GOP lawmakers are preoccupied with limiting access to contraception, but also because it's unclear just how far Republicans are prepared to go. The threat of a pre-election spending standoff is real.
As Sahil Kapur explained, Senate GOP leaders are prepared to simply keep funding levels where they are through the election. If House Republicans balk, however, birth control access may be a flash point that risks -- you guessed it -- a government shutdown, possibly in September.
What's more, it's not just contraception. GOP lawmakers are also looking to defund Planned Parenthood and eliminate Title X family planning efforts, among other things.
The larger pattern here is hardly a "fiction." It's obviously all too real.
Leave a Comment:
"As Sahil Kapur explained, Senate GOP leaders are prepared to simply keep funding levels where there through the election."
You might want to change "there" to "they are."
And yet, Republicans are still favored to win the House, and probably the Senate. Why is it so difficult to take advantage of the fact Republicans are essentially full-on dicks?
S&M is alive and thriving?
I noted on a past thread that there is a sado-masochistic element to political identification, religion, the military, and no doubt other things.
Republicans want to cut education, because in the long run it gets them more votes.
Oops!… Balok Barack Did it Again! His TOP Bundler, Jonathan Lavine, Was In Charge of Bain During GST Steel Layoffs
NOT GOOD; NOT GOOD AT ALL!
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/07/oops-obamas-top-bundler-jonathan-lavine-was-in-charge-of-bain-during-gst-steel-layoffs/
Hello William,
Lavine manages at Sankaty, which is the loans division of Bain. He is not "in charge" at Bain, nor does he have oversight of the ventures side of the business. Say he was "in charge", even back then, doesn't seem accurate.
And, notwithstanding that, as usual, something posted by a wingnut after saying "oops" turns out to be wrong, I am once again unsure what your point is. Are you saying this means Obama really laid those people off?
I am surprised that you guys haven't found a way to blame the heatwave on him yet.
I
Looks like little timmy's back. It's good to see a Bain guy understanding just what a danger Mitt Romney is.
Willie Green; your are off topic, and out of marbles.....
Disgusted...,
I agree that Willie is most likely Tinny back with a new account. In addition, I have reported Micah Carey as probably being a sock puppet for Robdon and/or Skip Hoffman.
So you have to LIE about me now???? And report me, because you can't win an argument?? Really?????? EntropyRules is seriously pathetic!
The "no value" button to report you as well as the "Inflammatory" button were both very appropriate when I reported you MisanthropyRules or whatever you call yourself! lol
You really need to get over yourself, "Micah Carey", "RobDon", "Skip Hoffman" or whoever you are. I am not even remotely impressed by your self-righteous indignation. I do not care that you don't like it. Your reaction is a classic troll reaction. Deal with it.
Just for the record, I would rather discuss issues with people who don't resort to mudslinging, lies and threats of having someone banned when they realize that can't adequately respond to an opposing viewpoint. I may have been discourteous when I made the 'trap door' comment, but again, that was an opinion. Accusing someone of being a "troll", falsely accusing someone of being someone else is, and reporting them as being a "sock puppet" with zero evidence of such, in my view, not only dishonest, but an intimidating attempt to essentially intimidate someone, and prevent them from expressing themselves is akin to Michelle Bachmann's smear tactics, and in my opinion indicates that someone who is willing to employ such tactics has some character flaws. Outside of the 'trap door' comment (and I would ask that the person who said that I "started this" read, or re-read, this person's posts to me prior to that comment, which barely constitutes an insult, I was respectful to him up until he decided that name calling, false accusations and extreme, hysterical anger were the only way he could deal with opposing viewpoints-which speak volumes about his inherent personality, and I honestly don't mean that to be in anyway insulting, but merely descriptive of his behavior. If he were being attacked in a similar fashion on a conservative web site, I would certainly call out anyone doing so, and I would have expected that somebody here would have the basic decency to do the same for me.
To reiterate (and expand on) what I said on another thread, claiming that Rush Limbaugh is not a conservative is not a "differing opinion" or a "point of view", it is flagrantly false, and anybody who makes such claims is, ipso facto, not interested in honest discussion. Anybody who wants to check the real "Micah Carey" can go to the past thread about Rush Limbaugh and see the sneers and insults from "Micah Carey" directed at a variety of targets, including the typical troll sneers about MSNBC's ratings.
Shutting down the government is not going to strengthen Republicans with public opinion. In fact, it has the opposite result. Boehner knows better and a shutdown just before the election will hurt all Republicans. But if this is what the right wing wants, let them do it. Dems should be eager and willing to let this scenario play out.
Boehner, in his last speech, sounded as crass and undignified as Christie and Kasich. I don't think he much cares if there is a shutdown. He seems more interested in sounding like a tough guy. Sadly this seems to be what a lot of people want in their politicians. They equate trailer trash behavior with being down to earth. Democrats are too much like moms who constantly capitulate to dad because they don't want the children to suffer; which never works. I don't see good things on the horizon.
Boehner is caught in a vise with Cantor and the TP and the regular Republican establishment. It is a no win situation. If the shutdown happens and a lot of Republicans lose elections, the establishment will blame Boehner. If he gets enough votes to stop a shutdown, then Cantor and the TP are going to throw a temper tantrum. I don't see him ever coming back as Speaker of the House or even Republican minority leader if Dems win the House. But his successor will likely have the same problems unless enough TP people lose their seats to scare the rest who are reelected.
Seriously, like Lawrence said last night, "Over the Cliff" together. I hope the dems have the balls to "stand their ground".
Dems have Republicans over a barrel with the Bush tax cut issue. The wealthy are not happy that their tax cut has been renewed. Boehner and the Republicans will be under pressure to negotiate. But the only way the know how to negotiate is hostage taking. That is the issue most likely to create a shutdown. The closer we get to the elections, the more pressure Boehner will feel, particularly if Obama looks like he will be reelected. If Republicans do not have enough people to override a veto after the elections, Obama is in the driver seat. He can hold the budget hostage to get what he wants.
I live in Montana, and this guy makes me CRAZY! And the horribly scary fact is that he has massive amounts of Karl Rove backed PAC money behind him, and our good guy (current) Senator Tester is going to have a real run for his seat this fall. I hope my state can wake up and smell the horrible BS that is everything Rehberg has ever stood for. If MT can be a last beacon of personal freedom and citizen protections in this country, then we're all more screwed than we even know.
* ahem, CAN'T be a last beacon...
How is Montana the last beacon or personal freedom and citizen protections in this country? Prohibitions against gay marriage are written into your crap states constitution. Additionally, there is no protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in Montana. Pretty much another of the big square states where nobody lives and nobody would want to.
I'm sorry--do you live here? Do you have any idea what it means when the culture around is just naturally one of "Live and Let Live", so it doesn't take a lot of garbage laws to enforce decent human behavior? Do you actually know any LGBT or women in this state who have major complaints in those areas (I'm a woman)? Maybe you shouldn't judge--since you obviously dont' know what you're talking about.
And as for not living here--please don't. We don't want people who feel like they need to come in and change our Big Sky culture to match your "Big City" ideals.
Women of the world; rise up from the men that want to be in your bedrooms and take your Vaginas from you; rise up, like Stonewall; rise up, like Selma; this is your war, fight for what is yours. They will be in California soon; rise up......
Why, you ask, Disgusted? The answer should be simple. After all the protests and signatures in Wisconsin against Scott Walker, what happened? The Koch brothers poured in 400 million dollars to buy the election. And, the moment the Dollar sign appeared in the sky, everything changed.
In other words, pour in enough money and people are redy to be bought.
It's as simple and as pathetic as that.
Perhaps Mr. Boehner and other Republicans should read The Republican War Against Women by Tanya Melich (Republican) published in 1996. Their mysogynism and hyporasy has been around for a very long time.
The best birth control would be for wives of Republican Congressmen to denied them sex until they get off this idea of denying women birth control. They just want women to stay bare foot and pregnant so they won't become educated and take over Congress. A pathetic bunch of spineless woosies.
You can bet that the teapubs will have their girl friends, daughters, and even their wives with access birth control and access to abortion. It is "those" people that can't have it so they have more bodies for their corporate wars and more children for heads of religious organizations to molest. It's the teapub "do as I say, not as I do" mantra.
Well gee, the bill proposes $20,000,000 to be used towards abstinence education. Talk about throwing money away to a program that doesn't work.
Contraception is NOT a health-care issue. How many women take contraception for purely HEALTH reasons. Seriously. Contraception is LIFESTYLE issue. There is no reason that I should pay more taxes so women can have sex without risk. Buy a diaphragm. Make him use condoms (No one has suggested we pay for condoms for men, have they? And condoms prevent both conception AND the spread of VD.) This is a completely BOGUS issue, made up by the Obama Administration to excite the easily excitable (there is a reason it's call HYSTERia) and grab headlines in the liberal press. NO medical plan outside of Medicare or Medicaid should be forced by the government to provide contraception. And while I don't think those plans should either, at least those are government, not private, programs. No employer anywhere should be FORCED to cover ANY medicine, medical procedure, treatment, condition, or equipment. Most employees should be thankful they have an employer provided medical plan AT ALL. It's called a BENEFIT for a reason, and it's entirely voluntary on the part of the employer. I'm sick to death of this ENTITLEMENT mentality we have created in this country. And Obama and Democrats are doing nothing but expand it.
If I work at a job,I want affordable healthcare benefits and contraception should also be a part of it too.I give a job 30 to 40 hours a week of my life,I deserve decent healthcare...healthcare is a right not a privilege,and I will always believe that.I'm glad the Supreme Court upheld the healthcare law...I voted for Obama the first time and I will vote for him this November.
Every work place should have affordable healthcare benefits for their employees.It's a right not a privilege.I voted for Obama the first time and I will again in November....also contraception should be included in healthcare.
Guess what larryecollins--contraception is actually a health care issue. Millions of women take the birth control pill to control heavy bleeding and painful periods. It is one of the only drugs that effectively reduces the symptoms of endometriosis (look it up) which affects countless women. Also, teen pregnancy is not only a health care issue, but a social issue that affects us all. Last I heard, most insurance covers viagra. Where is the "health issue" there? Unless you want to argue that too much build-up affects men's brains. That would explain a lot. I can tell you that if men had painful periods every month and were the ones who got pregnant, we wouldn't even be having this discussion. Birth control would not only be offered and paid for, but probably be delivered right to your door. What are you talking about being sick to death of this"entitlement mentality"? People aren't saying they want it free, they simply want it included on the health plan that they are paying for! I am sick to death of men spouting off about women's health issues. That is between me and my doctor, and guess what Larry? You don't get a vote. Can you imagine if women tried to interfere with men's health care and decisions about their bodies? Unless you grow a vagina Larry, shut the hell up!
Beautiful, Tracy!!!
Larry you really are a stoopid jerk. Insurance companies have agreed that providing contraceptives is cheaper for them than providing for a pregnant woman and then the reulting child. And just how do your taxes pay for my health insurance ? Embecile !
As a woman in a committed relationship, I have the right to decide if I want to have babies or not. Due to some hereditary issues on my fiance's side, as well as my own medical history, we have decided not to have children together. Don't tell me that I shouldn't have sex, or should use a condom, just to save you a few bucks. I pay for my medical coverage (through the nose, I might add) and my deductible is very high because that's all that is offered by my employer. But guess what? I PAY TAXES TOO, GENIUS! I have no problem with MY tax dollars going toward affordable health care for everyone. If you were to drink until your liver crystallizes, I would not begrudge you ONE RED CENT for your treatments. If your daughter as a teen ends up a meth head at a gangbang party every weekend, I would not begrudge her ONE RED CENT for her contraceptives. I would rather she had birth control than have a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome, or addicted to meth. I would rather you had medical treatment for the liver you destroy with your drinking than to let you die a painful, humiliating death just because you couldn't afford it.
If the women of America really want to fight and win this battle they need to, excuse the expression, fight like men. Band together. Make a statement. Take some chances. Remember the Greek, Lysistrata. She lead a team of women with the goal of keeping their men from fighting in foreign wars by just saying, "NO!!" No! No sex. No way.
Women already fought this battle in the 60s and 70s. It is disgusting that we have to fight it again in 2012.
Imagine 10,000 women from Lansing, Michigan signing an Internet petition swearing off sex until the Michigan legislature cancels all its anti-abortion legislation. It would make national, yea world press. If the ladies could keep their word it would have the political clout to get what they want. Quickly, I might add.
TRMS, When you first covered this story months ago relating the Catholic Bishops objection, you reported the number of states where already doing this. I followed up on your report and learned that despite all the noise from the right in my state and objections to a "war on religion" even from my representative...his own state already requires contraceptive coverage without exemptions for religious organizations.
Too bad he is not a consistent watcher of your program or done some research then maybe he too would have learned something.