Well, except for Mary Bono Mack, all the California Republicans in Congress voted in favor of strip out all Title X funding from the budget. From Joan McCarter:
The war on women is full on. The House voted today, 240-185, to block all federal funding to Planned Parenthood, and to go one further, by defunding Title X entirely. A handful of “Dems” voted with Republicans to endanger the lives of women all over the nation. …
Yep, culture of life. Cut off the means for millions of to have access to affordable birth control, thereby creating more unplanned pregnancies. Deny them affordable breast and cervical cancer screenings. Make sure they don’t know how to use contraceptives, and even if they do, they don’t have access to them.
Make sure that women can’t get abortions safely and affordably by making sure insurance won’t pay for it and hospitals can refuse to perform it, even if it means the death of the patient. These combined efforts will send more and more women into the hell created by monsters like Kermit Gosnell–the hell created by denying women access to affordable care.(dKos)
Back in my high school days, I volunteered for Planned Parenthood, in an educational program called “TACT” that aimed to educate local youth about the risks they face. The word “abortion” would come up at most once, and not in a particularly positive light. And while I was called a child murderer, I know that these are the programs that make up the heart and soul of Planned Parenthood.
Title X funding is simply imperative to the health of our nation. At a time when we are struggling to provide basic services, why would we gut a program that saves far more money than it requires? This is just another example of ideology trumping good policy under Speaker Boehner.
I am a woman. And I know what this is. It is a war against women. This is a move to keep us in our place–barefoot and pregnant, servicing these assholes, but not demanding anything they don’t generously give us. This is a move to kill off those of us who are outside of their monied class, and therefore not worthy of their august lust.
This is a war against the rights of women to make choices about our own bodies, lives, and medical care.
This is a war against me.
George Lakoff says using the word “choice” demeans it. It makes it sound like going shopping. I can see why a man who hadn’t faced this type of choice would think that. But, for women who face dark times in our lives, choice is a beautiful word. Choice means we have some small shred of control over our lives. Choice means we might be able to build something out of the ruins. Choice means we have an opportunity to pick up the pieces and move on. Choice is sometimes all the power we have.
As Rep. Speir so bravely said, it is often a painful choice. But it is ours. And these bullies want to take that away from all women–especially poor women. And there are more and more of us in that category all the time. Republican policies are almost guaranteed to make the number grow.
I will not allow it!
This is not Saudia Arabia where I cannot vote, drive, or travel without the permission of a male relative. This is not Salem in the 1700s where women were burned as witches so men could get their property.
I am no man’s chattel. And I will not be. Ever.
No woman will suffer this in my country as long as I am alive.
They have crossed a line that I will not permit. And I promise that, if it’s the last thing I do, they will be sorry for it. I urge every mother, daughter, and sister to rise up against this attempt to relegate us to second-class citizenship.
We are the real Citizens United. And, united, we have the power! We have the power to protect our sisters. And we must. Christine Finnie