The water is getting bloodier and bloodier as Republicans
continue to bleed more and more from self-inflicted political wounds for which,
in the end, they will have only themselves to blame.
Continually rising from the muck are politicians who want
nothing more than to stand between women and their doctors, women and their
health care and women and their right to determine for themselves what is in
their best health interests. And for many, that fight has centered on birth
control, and other contraception, and who should pay for it. While some
religious leaders, as well as a slew of opportunistic politicians have tried to
frame this as an assault on religious freedom, it really isn’t.
It’s an assault on women and families and others who happen
to believe that contraception is an important part of any health care program.
As I’ve said before, Catholic bishops have no place in this
debate. They condemn, on moral grounds, all forms of contraception. And Rick
Santorum, darling of narrow-minded conservatives across the country, has said
he thinks all forms of birth control should be outlawed. While I will agree
that religious organizations probably shouldn’t be “forced” to offer insurance
that includes things they are morally opposed to, I would narrowly focus that
on churches and not any organization that somehow feels opposed to any aspect
of limiting insurance coverage. Thankfully, the Blunt Amendment, which would
have allowed any employer to limit any coverage for any reason was defeated in
the Senate. Blunt has promised to try again.
So here we are more than 40 years from Roe v Wade and
politicians are suddenly proposing legislation that mandates trans-vaginal
ultrasounds and other unnecessary medical procedures for women contemplating
abortions. Politicians have therefore said they are more important than doctors
and know more about caring for patients than doctors do. That is, of course,
absurd. Politicians know little about anything and these legislative jabs at
women are merely political. Any proposed legislation that puts political agenda
between any patient her (or his) doctors should be viewed as an outrage. Forget
religious freedom, let’s talk about medical freedom. Free from politics.
Without a strong GOP leader, the party has let this debate
spin out of control. And not only will it hurt the party, but it continues to
provide and easy wedge between them and the Democrats as the election
approaches. Women’s health care will continue to be a major issue in the
campaign.
It’s an issue that became major because Republicans felt
they needed to pander to their most base right. But they need women if they’re
to win in the fall. And they will lose women across a broad cross section of
the political spectrum. Someone better stand up and end this assault soon, or
the Grand Old Party will end up bleeding out over an issue that shouldn’t be
one.
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