“The war on women” is a hot topic issue in politics right now.
Democrats are attacking Republicans for attacking women’s rights, and Republican women are attacking Democrats, calling them “absurd” and “ridiculous.”
So what’s the real issue? Is there really a war on women?
In many aspects, yes.
Republicans are proposing funding cuts to many public services, including a $733 million cut to WIC (Women, Infants, and Children).
Not only will this cut be affecting women, but it will also be affecting the children these women would be forced to birth if their right to have an abortion is repealed.
No low-cost birth control. No abortions. Little or no support to feed the influx of infants.
State Rep. Terry England (R-Georgia), proposed women carry stillborn fetuses to term–just like cows and pigs do.
“I’ve had the experience of delivering calves, dead and alive. Delivering pigs, dead or alive. It breaks our hearts to see those animals not make it,” said England.
In Tennessee, Republicans are proposing to violate the HIPAA act by publishing women’s health records.
Take, for example, The Life Defense Act of 2012, which was sponsored by state Rep. Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough).
It will mandate that the Tennessee Department of Health make demographic information about every woman who has an abortion available to the public.
This will include her age, race, county, marital status, education level, number of children, the location of the procedure and how many times she has been pregnant.
Each report would also include the name of the doctor who performed the procedure.
Essentially this practice (the vote will take place Wednesday) will treat women as though they are criminals.
It can be argued that Republicans are trying to “equalize” the rights of men and women, but it is obvious that men who undergo penis enlargements or elect for vasectomies are not being threatened with public embarrassment.
Viagra is being pushed by old white men in government to be covered by health insurance.
Politicians, however, aren’t fighting for women’s sexual rights in regard to their libido.
Women aren’t forced to have abortions. They also aren’t forced to take birth control.
Not every woman who walks into Planned Parenthood is leaving with one less fetus in her uterus.
Actually, far from it. Most use the service to obtain other types of birth control.
Each woman should decide for herself whether or not an abortion is right for her.
It’s no one else’s decision.
WS • Mar 22, 2012 at 2:02 PM
Yes, but it was Obama, not republicans, that just last week ordered his DHS to pull funding for women’s health in the state of Texas over a political disagreement on abortion funding. As a former family planning employee, I find this heartbreaking for the women of this area and for the clinic I once worked at. Roe was decided by the Supreme Court. For better or for worse, it is now part of history. Admittedly I am a little too close to both sides of this argument, but I think all can agree that most of this is simply grandstanding for the politcal election season. If it was so dire, why didn’t we hear about this “war” until now? Too much of this debate is based on both sides engaging in rhetoric to appease their base.
John • Mar 23, 2012 at 2:10 PM
They only pulled funding b/c Perry was being discriminatory when it came to disbursing the funds. More often than not, Perry was giving the money to religion-based family planning services. There are two implications to this. First, it doesn’t give women access to all available options when it comes to reproductive health. If a woman wants to choose an abortion, she’s rarely given that option at the organizations that the Perry administration funded. Second, PP is often the only option in urban environments. This means that by pulling funding Perry was disproportionately harming women in those areas. I don’t like that the only option left for the government was to pull the grant entirely, but it was the only option left. If Perry is going to discriminate, his administration shouldn’t be allowed to disburse funds. And if Perry is willing to play politics like this, Texans shouldn’t keep re-electing him.
Cameron Shaffer • Mar 22, 2012 at 1:47 PM
I can live with marginally intelligent; I’ve been called far worse.
I actually with this op-ed for the most part (the conclusion about abortions doesn’t really flow from any of the info presented). The morons in Georgia and Tennessee are being cruel with the bills they’re advocating. However, the funding cuts are not attacks on women. If we assume for the sake of discussion that abortion is permissible and an issue of reproductive freedom, there is still little reason to accept public funding for them.
Welfare is the central issue when it comes to WIC, not women’s rights.
Michael • Mar 21, 2012 at 9:19 PM
Great editorial. I wish you’d publish more thoughtful commentary like this instead of Wayne Schields’ unhinged rants. Christ, I was so damn hopeful that the nonsense would stop when Cameron Shaffer graduated. But alas, since there are no “conservative” students willing or able to take his place, the torch gets passed to this 40-something loser . Gross. At least Shaffer was marginally intelligent. Schields just recycles all his crap from disgraced wingnuts like Glenn Beck.
WS • Mar 22, 2012 at 12:41 PM
Michael, Thank you for proving my point perfectly. You aren’t interested in opposing views. You are interested in yours and everyone else’s be damned. This should serve you well in the future. Name calling is an inherent part of the leftist thought process, which is EXACTLY why the glossary was pieced together in the first place. So, in this regard, thank you for providing a real life example. My gratitude exceeds more than I am capable of giving. Good luck to you sir in your intellectual endeavors at this university.
Also, thank you for visiting my blog! It is with support from people like you who take time away from their busy day to visit that I am now able to expand the reach of the site to a broader audience, bring on additional writers, print t-shirts, and, well, help me in my goal to reaching the 1%. God bless you sir!
Your friend,
Pathetic, gross, 40-something year old loser