Jim Robinson
Posted on 02/15/2012 2:37:54 PM PST by Kaslin
I can't believe that I actually agree with something President Obama has done. Granted, I'm one of those conservatives who has never subscribed to the full-meal-deal checklist, preferring to critically consider whether each of my positions is the most logical and sensible given the available information and my own values. Usually that process results in coming down on the "right" side of things. In this case, though, I somehow find myself in the odd position of agreeing with Obama and being rather miffed at his opponents.
The president's new birth control plan would insure coverage of women's birth control without co-payments or deductibles. Sounds fair, especially given that men's anti-impotence Viagra treatments have been covered by insurance plans for years. Some, including CNN's Jack Cafferty, have argued that impotence is a medical condition but birth control for women is optional. Really? This implies that sex for men is mandatory at all costs -- to the point of paid hydraulic assistance, if necessary -- yet women should be able to take it or leave it. But pregnancy is a medical condition -- one that some of us want to avoid as much as men do impotency. And in neither case is "just don't have sex" a realistic solution for any halfway normal human being with reproductive drive in its prime.
Others argue that men aren't getting their birth control paid for, so why should women get theirs covered? News flash: It's the woman's inescapable lifelong burden. Women have babies, regardless of whether the man sticks around. If she gets pregnant, the costs are hers to bear -- or, if she can't manage, the state's. A few extra dollars invested to prevent the creation of future welfare recipients -- not to mention abortions -- seems like a good trade-off.
Leave it to Facebook, that Petri dish of blowhards, to unveil some doozy responses, like, "Most women on birth control still get pregnant, so this is a waste of money." Given that women can live their entire lives on birth control and never end up pregnant, I'll just go ahead and call you-know-what on that. Another added, "Taking birth control to prevent pregnancy is like wearing a bulletproof vest to prevent yourself from getting murdered." Guess what? If a "bullet" gets through with one form of birth control, there's another called the morning-after pill that will prevent it from doing "full damage," if you get my drift. Which is all the more reason to ensure its accessibility.
Yet another argument was, "Why do I have to pay for other people's sex?" Look, by joining a health plan -- privately managed or otherwise -- you're already paying for other people's smoking, sex or lack thereof, alcohol overconsumption, poor food choices and so on. What does it matter if you're paying for the schmuck down the street to shove that extra donut into his face, or for a college student to have safe sex? If any religious entities object to birth control for women they don't know or support, perhaps they could first decline tax exemptions on the basis of benefiting from the same public pool into which these same women pay taxes?
Speaking of which, it's the 21st century. Can we not accept that both men and women are driven by sex as much as by food, and that any differentiation between the genders in this area has long been socially mandated through shaming and derogatory labeling of women who enjoy this very basic human and survivalist drive as much as men do? It's difficult enough for society to collectively accept sex as being just as normal as eating -- but it is. Both are basic, innate pleasures of being human. Yet we're bombarded with food shows, food magazines, food discussion forums, food classes, endless food banter at house parties. Just try doing any that with sex in polite company. Food and sex are on exactly the same level for us as human beings in our basic drive for survival.
There's still an overall taboo around sex that promotes rampant ignorance and prohibits rational consideration of its rightful place in our lives. Hopefully moves like this that destigmatize non-reproductive sex will take us one step closer to breaking that taboo so we can enjoy, among other things, a better quality of political candidates who aren't automatically disqualified for admitting they enjoy sex just for the fun of it.
I believe that I’m entitled to free plumbing service whenever I need it, as well as free oil changes for my car.
Who is Rachel Marsden and what conservative credentials does she have?
Obama has set the trap and the GOP has fell in. Helps seal the women voters.
“...what conservative credentials does she have?”
Why are you questioning her...She has the same reasoning skills as Meghan McCain. Well Duh!
I somehow got on the dnc mailing list when I did a poll about how bad romney is. I decided not to unsubscribe so I could see first hand what the dimocrats are up to. So this is what I got today. By the way, I sent a reply saying:
“Must the party lie to win? I researched this and found what your saying is totally false.”
email from the DNC
Linda —
This is just unconscionable: Republicans in Congress are trying to make it legal for ANY employer to deny birth control coverage to their employees.
Yes, you read that right. Republicans are on track to give corporations the power to deny women access to health care.
The vote is set for this week — we must act IMMEDIATELY.
We must raise $50,000 by midnight tonight to get activists mobilized and ads up and running in Republican districts about this atrocious assault on women’s health care.
Will you contribute $3 or more right now to our urgent Women’s Health Rapid Response Fund?
We can’t afford to fall short and delay taking action for another day. Women across the country deserve to know that right-wing Republicans intend to take women’s health care back to the dark ages. Please give what you can today.
Rep. Diana DeGette
Co-Chair, Pro-Choice Caucus
Contributions or gifts to the Democratic Congressional Campaign are not tax deductible.
Paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee | 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
(202) 863-1500 | www.dccc.org | Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Because I didn’t know who she was! I know who Meghan McCain is and don’t believe she has conservative credentials. Do you?
A Canadian based in Paris.....nothing she writes is surprising. The only question is why in the world does she consider herself ‘conservative’?
I am so tired of these ridiculous ‘academe’ types telling us what for
The media, of course, complicit as they always are, obfuscate the issue on purpose.
Her article have been in Townhall.com since 2008 and she is a columnist with Human Events Magazine, and Editor-In-Chief of GrandCentralPolitical News Syndicate, distributing to over 3,000 newspapers nationwide. She is also a media and political campaign strategist and TV/radio commentator. If you read the comments after the article, you notice that most disagree with her
Obama has it right? A country on the pill, abortion and gay marriage is in sad shape. Demographics rule.
You know...women and others...are awfully fond of saying that men think with their ummmm... genitals. My, my, my how things have changed now. Now we have women thinking with their vaginas. I can’t figure which is more insane and stupid.
Congratulations, feministas. You have finally succeeded in becoming exactly what you have railed against...a complete sexual object unworthy of consideration as anything more. It is the only place going full circle can end and there it is.
Childishness mixed with the entitlement mentality.
Breathtaking in its stupidity. On the one hand, women are self controlled, intelligent, able to make "choices" and are capable of anything. On the other hand, even "halfway normal" women are unable to keep from having sex, married or not. Only abnormal people can refrain from having sex, even for a short time.
You can do whatever the heck you want. But do NOT make your fellow citizens pay for YOUR CHOICES. Your choices are NOT my business and most importantly NOT the Government’s business. As soon as you accept Government Handouts via Government Programs, the Government will dictate to you how to behave; what toilet to use, what light bulb to use, what text book to use, what crop to plant, what health care choices you have, etc. etc. Aren't you uncomfortable laundering YOUR hard earned dollars through the DC Mafia? I know I am and I am willing to fight for your take home pay and your freedom to live life the way YOU CHOSE.
Ping to #14
Agreed. I believe I have a “right” to an endless supply of non-fattening chocolate ice cream too.
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