No celebration.

[flewellyn]

So, yeah, sure, the health care bill passed the House. But, I am not cheering. With the Stupak amendment attached to it, it represents a giant step backward for women's health care. It wasn't enough for him, for the Republicans, or for 64 other Democratic representatives, that the Hyde amendment forbade the use of federal funds for abortions. No, they had to go a step further, and use the public option and the health care exchange to effectively prohibit private insurers from covering abortions, too.

Nor is there any guarantee of covering other women's health procedures, such as pap smears, mammograms, hormonal contraception, and the like. This amendment was a giant, extended middle finger to 51% of the United States population.

It remains to be seen whether the Senate does something similar, or if they act against this odious amendment. And there's always the conference committee, as well. But even the fact that this amendment passed, with the support of many Democratic reps (including my own!), is bad enough.

Comments

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

Pap smears and mammograms are mandated to be covered.

The bill is a weird hodgepodge.

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

Didn't see them when I read it. Must have changed.

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

It's a weird mix of good and horrible. Women's wellness visits to an obgyn? Not mandated. So if you go and get a pap smear, they pay for the swab and the lab work but not the doctor? Crazy. Really crazy. And birth control? Forget about it.

[spiderbabyx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's BS.

[xanath.livejournal.com]

Another case of, "You bitches women are going to take what we want you to have, and you'll like it."

I think the Establishment is a little shocked at the fact that a lot of women, myself included, are saying, "Fuck THAT shit, boyo. We're your base. Piss us off and your career is toast."

If this isn't stomped on in committee, if it is passed at all, I will work to see every single Democrat who voted for it in the House out of a job.

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

I intend to work for their ouster anyway. It's high time that Colin Peterson be replaced with a real Democrat. And Earl Pomeroy should damn well know better.

[happiestsadist.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can't be all that excited about something that passed by throwing half the population under the bus either.

[glenniebun.livejournal.com]

Between this and Maine, I've had to do far too much arguing with people who're nominally on the same side that I am but who--surprise!--turned out to be bigots.

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

I so wanted the healthcare thing to work out but just like most of the other things our gooberment does it's going to be fucked up.

We can't even end a war properly what makes them think they can help people heal? The rest of the world is still laughing at us or cursing us.

*sigh*

[eemfibble.livejournal.com]

Not entirely true, but I'm still not happy with the Stupak amendment.