Yet in the past six months, social conservatives have widened their offensive, and their new target is clear: Not satisfied with making it harder to obtain legal abortions, they want to limit access to birth control, too.
"Contraception is under attack in a way it really wasn't in the past few years," says Judy Waxman, the vice president for health and reproductive rights at the National Women's Law Center. "In 2004, we could not find any group—the National Right to Life Committee, the Bush campaign, anyone—that would go on the record to say they're opposed to birth control," adds Elizabeth Shipp, the political director for NARAL Pro-Choice America. "We couldn't find them in 2006 either, and in 2008 it was just fringe groups. In 2010, 2011, and this year, it's just exploded."
Even previously uncontroversial ideas about contraception are now being questioned. As I explained in this story about Obama's birth-control policy, most of the administration's recently-issued rule requiring companies to provide birth control to their employees has been widely accepted federal law for a decade. Requiring employers to provide birth control if they provide other preventative services was so uncontroversial that most employers—even Catholic universities like DePaul, in Chicago—simply changed their policies and offered birth control to avoid being sued. The percentage of employers offering birth control coverage tripled in a decade. The national controversy only erupted after Obama issued the new rule in January.
“In imposing this requirement, the federal government is violating a First Amendment right that has stood for more than two centuries. And it is doing so in a manner that affects millions of Americans and harms some of our nation's most vital institutions," Boehner said. "If the president does not reverse the [Health and Human Services] Department’s attack on religious freedom, then the Congress, acting on behalf of the American people and the Constitution we are sworn to uphold and defend, must."
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who introduced a bill last week that would allow religiously affiliated hospitals, universities and other organizations that morally oppose contraception to refuse to cover it for their employees, said no decision has been made on the timing of bringing legislation to the floor. Asked if he sees any middle ground with the White House, he proposed letting individual churches choose whether to pay for contraception for their employees.
Under the administration's rule, churches and houses of worship are already exempt from the general requirement to provide birth control coverage.
“For the last number of years, we in the pro-choice community in general — and we specifically as Republicans — have been saying as this pandering to a sort of social conservative faction of voters continues, you’re going to see the line pushed further and further and further,” she said. “And we’re now crossing the line from discussion of when we should regulate abortion to when we should now regulate legal doctor-prescribed medications like birth control, which is woven in the fabric of society as an acceptable medication.”
She pointed to widely-reported polling showing that a majority of Americans — and a majority of Catholics — support the White House policy and urged her party to take a step back before it’s too late.
• Alleviation of menstrual cramps
• Reduction of amount and duration of menstrual bleeding
• Regulation of periods
• Clearing up some types of acne
• Lowering the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers
• Treatment of endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome
Quote by Raine:
Morning Again! Sorry for the delays...![]()
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
Morning Again! Sorry for the delays...![]()
no worries![]()
Quote by Raine:Thanks for tossing up a stub. Mala.Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
Morning Again! Sorry for the delays...![]()
no worries![]()
![]()
Quote by Raine:
Seriously -- NH you are rapidly becoming one of the wing-nuttiest of states
Edit to add, the LINK
Quote by Mondobubba:
Say have you been reading Doonsbury this week? It has been spot on about the war on facts.
Quote by Raine:
Seriously -- NH you are rapidly becoming one of the wing-nuttiest of states
Edit to add, the LINK
Quote by BobR:Quote by Mondobubba:
Say have you been reading Doonsbury this week? It has been spot on about the war on facts.
today's was particularly biting.
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:
Seriously -- NH you are rapidly becoming one of the wing-nuttiest of states
Edit to add, the LINK
Ummm WTF? Really. Shame on social media to make them do it???
Quote by Raine:
Thanks, Scoop and Mondo.
And may I ask, how does this REALLY interfere with the way a person practices their faith?
Quote by Mondobubba:
States' rights! :eyeroll:
Quote by Raine:I swear that overuse by teapublicns is getting weary. THis here is the 9th amendment:Quote by Mondobubba:
States' rights! :eyeroll:
The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
In other words if it's federal law -- states cannot take those rights away from its citizens.
Quote by wickedpam:
Calista's only 45! That can't be right - she looks a good 10 years older. If she is I"m with Kathleen, I dress like a 4 year old too!
Quote by Mondobubba:
These constitution worshipers, they don't seem to really understand the who thing, do they?
Quote by Raine:
CPAC has decided to go fun on nutz.
Quote by Raine:Quote by wickedpam:
Calista's only 45! That can't be right - she looks a good 10 years older. If she is I"m with Kathleen, I dress like a 4 year old too!
She is only 45.![]()
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Good morning, bloggers!! I hope that everyone is doing well.
Raine, thanks for a great blog. I am puzzled by the attack on contraception and wonder if it is a prelude for a larger effort by the Committee to repeal the 20th and 21st Centuries?
For myself, I am busy preparing for my Massachusetts tests, researching school districts and communities. If anyone wants to meet up with me on March 2nd-March 4th, I will be in Quincy, Massachusetts those days.
Quote by Raine:
Well, I'll be damned. The Stock act passed in the house. now it goes to be resolved in the senate.
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
Well, I'll be damned. The Stock act passed in the house. now it goes to be resolved in the senate.
did Cantor suceed in watering it down? I got a flurry of emails saying he was trying to do some kind of back door deal
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) had released several changes to the STOCK Act earlier this week that broadened the bill’s disclosure requirements and insider-trading ban to the executive branch and ensured that lawmakers convicted of a crime couldn’t collect their pensions.
It also puts in place tougher rules on public officials participating in initial public offerings.
But the bill also scrapped a provision that would have required so-called political intelligence firms to disclose their activities much like lobbyists already do – much to the dismay of Democrats who favored tougher rules on the industry.
Cantor said on the House floor Thursday that the House bill gets rid of provisions that were “unworkable†or brought “far more questions than they would’ve answered.â€
Quote by Raine:according to the politco articleQuote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
Well, I'll be damned. The Stock act passed in the house. now it goes to be resolved in the senate.
did Cantor suceed in watering it down? I got a flurry of emails saying he was trying to do some kind of back door dealSo I thinking yes?House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) had released several changes to the STOCK Act earlier this week that broadened the bill’s disclosure requirements and insider-trading ban to the executive branch and ensured that lawmakers convicted of a crime couldn’t collect their pensions.
It also puts in place tougher rules on public officials participating in initial public offerings.
But the bill also scrapped a provision that would have required so-called political intelligence firms to disclose their activities much like lobbyists already do – much to the dismay of Democrats who favored tougher rules on the industry.
Cantor said on the House floor Thursday that the House bill gets rid of provisions that were “unworkable†or brought “far more questions than they would’ve answered.â€Â
Quote by Raine:make sure you get in tough with Tri on FB -- He's on his new job now, so he can't really peruse the blog.Quote by Will in Chicago:
Good morning, bloggers!! I hope that everyone is doing well.
Raine, thanks for a great blog. I am puzzled by the attack on contraception and wonder if it is a prelude for a larger effort by the Committee to repeal the 20th and 21st Centuries?
For myself, I am busy preparing for my Massachusetts tests, researching school districts and communities. If anyone wants to meet up with me on March 2nd-March 4th, I will be in Quincy, Massachusetts those days.
Quote by Will in Chicago:Quote by Raine:make sure you get in tough with Tri on FB -- He's on his new job now, so he can't really peruse the blog.Quote by Will in Chicago:
Good morning, bloggers!! I hope that everyone is doing well.
Raine, thanks for a great blog. I am puzzled by the attack on contraception and wonder if it is a prelude for a larger effort by the Committee to repeal the 20th and 21st Centuries?
For myself, I am busy preparing for my Massachusetts tests, researching school districts and communities. If anyone wants to meet up with me on March 2nd-March 4th, I will be in Quincy, Massachusetts those days.
I will do. I am not sure that I have Trojanrabbit on Facebook, but he can friend me. Or I can friend him.
Fortunately, a friend in Boston who is a professor thinks that I should not have any problem finding work there once I get all my credentials lined up.
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by Raine:
Calista has a birthday coming up.
oh lord
Quote by Raine:Quote by wickedpam:
Calista's only 45! That can't be right - she looks a good 10 years older. If she is I"m with Kathleen, I dress like a 4 year old too!
She is only 45.![]()
Quote by livingonli:
If this guest Thom is debating is any indication, the people at CPAC are a bunch of douche nozzles.
Quote by Raine:I just spent the past 15 minutes watching it on C-Span3 -- Got a chance to see Boner -- Blech.Quote by livingonli:
If this guest Thom is debating is any indication, the people at CPAC are a bunch of douche nozzles.
The best part? He was using a teleprompter.
Quote by livingonli:Quote by Raine:I just spent the past 15 minutes watching it on C-Span3 -- Got a chance to see Boner -- Blech.Quote by livingonli:
If this guest Thom is debating is any indication, the people at CPAC are a bunch of douche nozzles.
The best part? He was using a teleprompter.
You just got to love how they read all those teleprompter jokes off the teleprompter.
Quote by Raine:
Ok, I disagree with thom's thesis-- that we wouldn't have this problem if we had a national Health care program.
1) It's impossible to have that debate when the GOP is constantly attacking the very rights that women have fought for -- we are always on defense.
2) Separation of church and state does not giveyou the right to discriminate against women -- and that is what is being debated here.
4) In many areas of the country people don;t have much of a choice to what hospital they get to go to.
So there is no question that we need a Natioanl Health care system -- it's giving women a damn chance to breath so we can go forward instead of constantly being forced to protect the status quo.![]()
Thom is the one that is focusing on hospitals. This is far bigger than that. There are people advocating to be able to discriminate based on faith difference.
Quote by BobR:Quote by Raine:
Ok, I disagree with thom's thesis-- that we wouldn't have this problem if we had a national Health care program.
1) It's impossible to have that debate when the GOP is constantly attacking the very rights that women have fought for -- we are always on defense.
2) Separation of church and state does not giveyou the right to discriminate against women -- and that is what is being debated here.
4) In many areas of the country people don;t have much of a choice to what hospital they get to go to.
So there is no question that we need a Natioanl Health care system -- it's giving women a damn chance to breath so we can go forward instead of constantly being forced to protect the status quo.![]()
Thom is the one that is focusing on hospitals. This is far bigger than that. There are people advocating to be able to discriminate based on faith difference.
"Rule number 3: There is no............ rule number 3. Rule number 4:..."
I amuse myself.
Quote by BobR:Quote by Raine:
Ok, I disagree with thom's thesis-- that we wouldn't have this problem if we had a national Health care program.
1) It's impossible to have that debate when the GOP is constantly attacking the very rights that women have fought for -- we are always on defense.
2) Separation of church and state does not giveyou the right to discriminate against women -- and that is what is being debated here.
4) In many areas of the country people don;t have much of a choice to what hospital they get to go to.
So there is no question that we need a Natioanl Health care system -- it's giving women a damn chance to breath so we can go forward instead of constantly being forced to protect the status quo.![]()
Thom is the one that is focusing on hospitals. This is far bigger than that. There are people advocating to be able to discriminate based on faith difference.
"Rule number 3: There is no............ rule number 3. Rule number 4:..."
I amuse myself.
Quote by livingonli:
Is anyone else having a problem with facebook right now?
Quote by Raine:
Oh this is embarrassing.
A Cop Chased Himself For 20 Minutes Because CCTV Confused Him With a Suspect
Quote by Raine:At least someone is.Quote by BobR:Quote by Raine:
Ok, I disagree with thom's thesis-- that we wouldn't have this problem if we had a national Health care program.
1) It's impossible to have that debate when the GOP is constantly attacking the very rights that women have fought for -- we are always on defense.
2) Separation of church and state does not giveyou the right to discriminate against women -- and that is what is being debated here.
4) In many areas of the country people don;t have much of a choice to what hospital they get to go to.
So there is no question that we need a Natioanl Health care system -- it's giving women a damn chance to breath so we can go forward instead of constantly being forced to protect the status quo.![]()
Thom is the one that is focusing on hospitals. This is far bigger than that. There are people advocating to be able to discriminate based on faith difference.
"Rule number 3: There is no............ rule number 3. Rule number 4:..."
I amuse myself.
![]()
Quote by trojanrabbit:Quote by Will in Chicago:Quote by Raine:make sure you get in tough with Tri on FB -- He's on his new job now, so he can't really peruse the blog.Quote by Will in Chicago:
Good morning, bloggers!! I hope that everyone is doing well.
Raine, thanks for a great blog. I am puzzled by the attack on contraception and wonder if it is a prelude for a larger effort by the Committee to repeal the 20th and 21st Centuries?
For myself, I am busy preparing for my Massachusetts tests, researching school districts and communities. If anyone wants to meet up with me on March 2nd-March 4th, I will be in Quincy, Massachusetts those days.
I will do. I am not sure that I have Trojanrabbit on Facebook, but he can friend me. Or I can friend him.
Fortunately, a friend in Boston who is a professor thinks that I should not have any problem finding work there once I get all my credentials lined up.
Yes, you could friend me.
Finally, they are beginning construction on our new EMC chamber. For the next 4-5 weeks I'm going to be very busy making sure everything is right and watching the panic as people realize half of the Engineering lab is gone -- permanently.
Quote by Raine:
Ok, I disagree with thom's thesis-- that we wouldn't have this problem if we had a national Health care program.
1) It's impossible to have that debate when the GOP is constantly attacking the very rights that women have fought for -- we are always on defense.
2) Separation of church and state does not giveyou the right to discriminate against women -- and that is what is being debated here.
4) In many areas of the country people don;t have much of a choice to what hospital they get to go to.
So there is no question that we need a Natioanl Health care system -- it's giving women a damn chance to breath so we can go forward instead of constantly being forced to protect the status quo.![]()
Thom is the one that is focusing on hospitals. This is far bigger than that. There are people advocating to be able to discriminate based on faith difference.
Quote by BobR:Quote by Raine:
Ok, I disagree with thom's thesis-- that we wouldn't have this problem if we had a national Health care program.
1) It's impossible to have that debate when the GOP is constantly attacking the very rights that women have fought for -- we are always on defense.
2) Separation of church and state does not giveyou the right to discriminate against women -- and that is what is being debated here.
4) In many areas of the country people don;t have much of a choice to what hospital they get to go to.
So there is no question that we need a Natioanl Health care system -- it's giving women a damn chance to breath so we can go forward instead of constantly being forced to protect the status quo.![]()
Thom is the one that is focusing on hospitals. This is far bigger than that. There are people advocating to be able to discriminate based on faith difference.
"Rule number 3: There is no............ rule number 3. Rule number 4:..."
I amuse myself.
Quote by BobR:Quote by Raine:At least someone is.Quote by BobR:Quote by Raine:
Ok, I disagree with thom's thesis-- that we wouldn't have this problem if we had a national Health care program.
1) It's impossible to have that debate when the GOP is constantly attacking the very rights that women have fought for -- we are always on defense.
2) Separation of church and state does not giveyou the right to discriminate against women -- and that is what is being debated here.
4) In many areas of the country people don;t have much of a choice to what hospital they get to go to.
So there is no question that we need a Natioanl Health care system -- it's giving women a damn chance to breath so we can go forward instead of constantly being forced to protect the status quo.![]()
Thom is the one that is focusing on hospitals. This is far bigger than that. There are people advocating to be able to discriminate based on faith difference.
"Rule number 3: There is no............ rule number 3. Rule number 4:..."
I amuse myself.
![]()
Considering the reference was fairly vague, I present this:
the relevance begins about 2 minutes in...
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:
Seriously -- NH you are rapidly becoming one of the wing-nuttiest of states
Edit to add, the LINK
Ummm WTF? Really. Shame on social media to make them do it???
Quote by Raine:Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by Raine:
Seriously -- NH you are rapidly becoming one of the wing-nuttiest of states
Edit to add, the LINK
Ummm WTF? Really. Shame on social media to make them do it???![]()
Kyle is 20 years old.
Quote by Raine:
this is NOT SAFE FOR WORK. you can click the without the video playing tho. link