Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Misogyny in the Alleged Health Care Reform Bill

Dana Goldstein has the latest over at The Daily Beast on what is increasingly looking like a pro life health care reform bill. And just when you think the alleged health care reform bill can't get no worse, The Nation asks: Where's the Birth Control?

So here are a few choice quotations on the controversial subject of searching for women's constitutional rights in a Democratic controlled Congress and a Democratic controlled White House. Except when otherwise noted, quotes are cited in Goldstein's piece:

"[My health care plan] will include pregnancy-related services, and that will include abortion as insurance policies currently do.”

“I think we also have a tradition of, in this town, historically, of not financing abortions as part of government-funded health care. Rather than wade into that issue at this point, I think that it’s appropriate for us to figure out how to just deliver on the cost savings, and not get distracted by the abortion debate at this station.”

“We would say the bill leans toward the pro-life position.”
-- Judy Waxman,
National Women’s Law Center, 2009

"See, when Hillary Clinton was First Lady, it was all right to fight for women's access to a full range of reproductive healthcare services. Democrats weren't embarassed by that then, but times have changed."

“It’s a disappointment there isn’t more in the bill to proactively further women’s rights. I wish I was counting ways to improve women’s access to abortion. But right now, we’re counting ways to keep women from losing the coverage they already have.”
-- Nancy Keenan, President of Obama-Endorsing
NARAL Pro-Choice America, 2009

“We would like significant support from the administration on women exercising their constitutional rights.”
-- Judy Waxman,
National Women’s Law Center, 2009

"The first thing I'd do, as president, is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing that I'd do."

“If women have to buy abortion coverage as a rider, all men have to buy special erection insurance in case they need medical care for sexual dysfunction. As far as I'm concerned, if a man can't get it up, it's God's will and I can't in good conscience have my money touch any money that pays for that. Those Viagra ads literally make my stomach lurch. It's very, very icky.”


Posted by egalia at