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Poetry and snark blogger who also has a creative side (who knew?)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Balancing the Budget on the Backs of Women

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So, the Republicans in the House want to balance the budget and show their opposition to abortion. Thus, they have voted on a bill that will effectively cost the taxpayer more money in Medicaid healthcare dollars by increasing teen pregnancy, increasing sexually transmitted diseases, and  increasing unintended pregnancies among poor women. And it will increase abortions. Oh, and cancer too. And HIV and AIDS. Way to go!!!

The House voted this month to block federal funding to Planned Parenthood, a huge provider of reproductive healthcare to poor and uninsured women.  None of the federal funding received by Planned Parenthood goes toward providing abortion services. These services are provided out of a different fund altogether.  In addition, the House, in an Amendment drafted by Rep. Mike Pence (R., Ind.), voted to eliminate the entire Title X program, which was founded in 1970 and is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and preventive health services, particularly to low-income families. These services include  breast and cervical cancer screenings, HIV prevention, education, and screening, pregnancy diagnosis, and counseling.

This is not just an attack on abortion, which, if I remember correctly, is still legal in this country. It is an all-out attack on women's health. By eliminating Title X, millions of women will lose access to the only healthcare they now have. They will have no means of acquiring birth control and will be at risk of unintended pregnancy. They will have no access to early cancer screening and detection and will be at risk of developing more advanced disease. Teen pregnancy rates will increase, and many of these teens will go on to give birth, as their access to abortion services will be increasingly limited. And just how is this supposed to save the country money? It won't. It will cost. It will cost money, and it will cost lives. But, what is the worth of health to a disadvantaged woman compared to the worth of political rhetoric to a politician? 

5 comments:

  1. This is the most ridiculous thing. Do republicans give a shit about anything besides their own bottom lines?

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  2. If there were many more strong voices out there like you maybe things like this would not be happening.
    Odie

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  3. thank you for your rant today, Lolamous. Your speaking to one of my favorite issues, that being: Health Care and womens issues. It's a selfish reason in that the issues that are paramount to women are parallel to those of my, latino american based ethnicity.

    I live in Northern Indiana and I am not a big fan or even a small one at that of (R)M. Pence.
    He is inciting ire in the Latinos of all nationalities by projecting his opinions on 'illegal immigration' (Arizona's S.B. 1070 and Indiana's bill 590) which assumes the face in the poster to be one of a Mexican.

    He speaks to all the most visible political issues to promote his career. His position on most of these issues leads me to believe that he has little human social empathy and his agenda is more rght wing/Tea Party based.

    Sorry for my rant and sorry for his representation of where I reside

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  4. There are assholes.....and then there are ASSHOLES!

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  5. That is just plain dumb. Completely and utterly dumb. When are people gonna learn?

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Rant with me. Come on, you know you want to!