Normally, I don’t get too heavily into politics here on ‘sugarleg’ because I already spend a lot of time reading politics and watching politics and talking politics and writing emails about politics and blowing gaskets about politics, and then I really need a run to cool out, and then I just don’t want to talk about it after that. But this morning, a story that has been on my back burner came to a full boil, and I will burn the house down if I don’t share a few key pieces of information.
Many of you may have heard that the Republican led House of Representatives is trying to dismantle the new health car law and since they failed at a full blown repeal, they are trying to de-fund it piece by piece. Although they got elected on a wave of concern about keeping that nasty big government off our backs and promises to get the 10% of unemployed Americans working again, they are instead up to their old tricks of being in recess except for when they want big government to get inside my uterus.
After a massive public relations failure last week when they tried to re-define rape, a bill called H.R. 3 or “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” wants to use the tax code to ensure that no tax breaks are given to provide abortions. This is basically another layer of de-funding which already exists in the Hyde Amendment to the health car law (that says no federal funds to be used for abortions). There is another bill called H.R. 358, “The Protect Life Act” that wants to reinforce the Hyde Amendment. But here’s where it gets really scummy. From the Washington Post, “The “Protect Life Act” would prohibit federal funding of abortions under the national health care overhaul. It also would prevent funding from being withheld from institutions that are opposed to providing abortions.” Yeah, re-read the last part about “institutions opposed” and think about what institutions are pro-choice and those opposed. Opposed will get the money and pro-choice will not. And who is on the not-get-the-money list?
Yep, PLANNED PARENTHOOD. They are going after Planned Parenthood AGAIN. By using the tax code. Funny, I don’t seem to recall them having a lot of love for tax codes, or tax paying, or the IRS, but now they want to use the tax codes to keep funds away from a partially federally funded institution that serves women and families because they believe that that institution encourages abortion. And then they want to turn around and give tax breaks and dollars to institutions that oppose abortion.
Dear White Republican Overtly Religious Usually Wealthy Oft-Divorced Congress MEN (and a few of your women colleagues):
F**K OFF. My body is none of your business.
Have you ever even been in a Planned Parenthood? Because I have. When I started having sex way too young at age 15 and was terrified to tell my mom, but knew how babies were made thanks to SEX EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS and my parents candor, I found a friend to take me to PP to get on the pill. I went to PP all through high school and then after college when I had no health insurance, no longer had access to my PUBLIC UNIVERSITY health clinics or to be on my parents’ insurance (which thanks to the new health care law young adults up to age 26 CAN be) and needed excellent, low-cost health care and birth control. That MY tax dollars were funding!
Would you have preferred that I didn’t get a yearly pap smear? Maybe lady parts you’re not merely objectifying make you squeamish. Would you rather I risked pregnancy and STDs? Oh and I know you would have thrown me a fantastic baby shower had I gotten unintentionally pregnant. Or, maybe not… unwed baby mommas are all just doing it to be on the dole right?
And now you use rape as a way to chip away at a woman’s right to make personal, private health decisions that sometimes include abortion. Like I said, f**k off.
For those of you who did not see the brilliant and hilarious piece on The Daily Show last week about this, watch and learn. (WordPress won’t let me embed it, grrrr. Click above.)
Please feel free to vent with civility in the comments.
