2-part post: Biden & Women's Rights

[neadods]

In some ways it doesn't matter who Obama's running mate is because I wouldn't vote for McCain if you put a gun to my head. However, now that the choice is made, it should be examined.

Biden has been a Senator since '73 and served on Senate Committee for Foreign Relations. So that swirls the whole "Obama has no experience and is weak on foreign policy" argument down the crapper. (I won't even bother discussing the "Obama is a rich celebrity" argument coming from someone who doesn't even know how many homes he owns.)

But how would Biden vote on the issues I care about?

The Washington Post vote database puts him as voting Democratic platform 96.6% of the time. Good. I am a classic Democrat. Key votes of the last few years include:
- No on expanding surveillance without a court order
- Yes to expand children's health insurance
- Yes to inspect cargo coming into the country
- Yes to ban the use of torture (or whatever they're calling it these days.)

Unfortunately, he has also consistently voted yes for blanket war funding, although he did oppose the surge.

According to Project Vote Smart's Interest Group Ratings, Biden has consistently high marks from humane societies, farmer's unions, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, ACLU and other civil liberties groups, human rights, National Education Association, environmental conservation groups, Children's Defense Fund, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (Gun Owners of American schizophrenically ping-pong between low and high ratings for him), public health and disabilities groups, labor unions, liberal groups, military groups (especially disabled veterans - do look at McCain's voting record there), and senior and social security issues.

Most importantly to me, Biden has a rating of between 75 to 100% from NARAL and Planned Parenthood, which makes sense for someone who wrote the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This makes him the perfect person to contact regarding Bush's latest loogie smearing down the Constitution, the upcoming Health and Human Services Regulation to Protect Health Care Providers From Discrimination

Know how the far right likes to frame basic human rights - child custody, employment, hospital visitation, marriage - as "special" rights when homosexuals want them? Well, this little bit of legislative sleight of hand puts conservative Christians in a protected class by making it illegal for them to have to aid the termination of a pregnancy - "termination" redefined as birth control of any sort and "pregnancy" redefined as the moment of conception - regardless of the wishes and beliefs of the patient.

Think I'm making this up? The full text is online as a pdf. Pages 1 and 2 provide means of responding to the Department of Health and Human Services during the 30-day comment period.

I've run a search, and the words "woman," "fetus," "mother," "baby," aren't even in the document. What is there is a whole bunch of whining about how "standards of professional organizations have been used to define the exercise of conscience to be unprofessional" and the health care profession is "intolerant of ... certain religious beliefs" (p 9)

My heart bleeds purple peanut butter in sympathy. How dare organizations set standards of provided care and expect all their members to actually provide it! Page 10 goes on to snivel about "the mistaken beliefs that rights of conscience and self-determination extend to all persons except health care providers."

Everyone else in the world has the choice to not take a job if it conflicts with their personal convictions or to put up and STFU. I can think off the top of my head of about 25 different medical careers that don't ever bring abortion or birth control into the issue - there aren't a lot of cardiologists or radiologists or orthopedists having "conscience" problems on the job. So that whole "we're discriminated against" dog won't hunt. What they're asking for is the right to not do their job AND keep their job AND not be penalized, a "right" extended to no one else anywhere.

Remember that guy I linked to a week or so ago? This is his pet project, only now it's inching from "piss-poor idea" to "law of the land." There is a 30-day comment period. Let the HHS *and* your congresscritter *and* your Presidential candidates of choice hear from you.

Comments

[jinxed-wood.livejournal.com]

Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't this piece of legislation cause, in effect, a segregated health system? What happens now? Does the patient have her right to be treated according her beliefs too? Do Christians only treat Christians, Muslims only treat Muslims, and aetheists only treat aetheists, etc, etc? Sounds way too much like the road to sectarianism to me, and that isn't a road any sane government wants to take, but I suppose it was an argument that was bound to come up after that debacle about 'Intelligent design'.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Although pushed as "many" religions needing the ability to cite "conscience" in refusing to do one's duty, the historical fact is that it is only a specific brand of Christianity, and that it has been pushing for this for a very long time. The intended effect is to cut Roe v Wade off at the knees by making sure that someone involved in an abortion, from the janitor through the doctor, can "object" to being involved and thus stop the procedure.

It also includes the right to not have to tell anyone of your objections, and the right to not refer the patient anywhere else, as that is still permitting the abortion to be performed.

By reclassifying birth control as abortion, it is essentially making it legal for that to be removed as well. Not to mention all the other things for which birth control is subscribed.

The bottom line isn't to segregate health care, but to entirely remove it from as many women as possible by making the gauntlet to get it impossible to run except for the comfortably wealthy.

It cannot possibly pass Constitutional muster, but that it has gotten this close to being legal is alarming in the extreme. Especially as so much that equally violates Constitutional examination has been permitted these days.

The March For Women's Lives was the largest event ever seen on the Mall, and a fair number of people have forgotten it ever happened.

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

I emailed to consciencecomment@hhs.gov. Since the critters have gone out of the office for the weekend.

Lots of "women would die" and "Do you actually know the distance between hospitals? It's an hour between hospitals in the semi-rural areas. And if you're on the wrong side of the tracks, it's another ten minutes while the coal train rolls though."

That's not even hyperbole. When I lived in Jasper, other than the Catholic one in town, there was another Catholic hospital twenty minutes away until they closed that one down. Then you either had to head towards Evansville or Bloomington to find the next one. Both of which were an hour away.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Well of course they will. And the whores deserve it for wanting to have abortions birth control in the first place.

Please note that the man who wrote this refuses to answer if he thinks the 98% of American women who use birth control are committing abortion. Even when repeatedly point-blank asked.

They're trying to put a smiley face on the idea of shoving women back into second-class citizenship. Note that no men will have to go shopping for health care or be refused any. (Although I must cynically wonder if the howls of outrage if this was being applied to viagra would make a difference.)

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

I can't belive someone let him into public office. ( Oh, wait, I can! )

[neadods.livejournal.com]

He was put into office by the current administration over the protests of the people and the agencies he would oversee. 'Nuf said.

[stoplookingup.livejournal.com]

Next thing you know, doctors who believe that AIDS is god's punishment of homosexuals will be exempted from treating it.

Damn. I should shut up. Now I've given them the idea.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I do believe I linked a few years ago to a police chief who refused to call an ambulance for the victim of a gay-bashing because people would "get AIDS."

Only, IIRC, that guy got his ass handed to him for not doing his job.

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

I appreciate your research and analysis, and agree with your rage.

But mostly, I'm grinning like a nutcase at seeing someone else say their heart bleeds purple peanut butter.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I've known that for so long that I don't remember where I originally heard it!

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

There may well be an odd case of parallel invention at work, but I was darn proud of inventing it when I was eleven! ;-D

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

A loogie?
No nea, the Constitution of our country has been used as ass-wipe for too many years---instead of wiping his arse with it, this President shit on it. Over, and over again.

McCain goes into office---I'm out of this country in 2 years. Count.on.it.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'm almost surprised - you're further to the right on most issues than I am.

But then you also *pay attention* and Joe Schmoe in Idaho is probably still convinced that "we're number 1" and "the economy is strong" and "America is a superpower" and all the other illusions about the state of this country that are going to shatter soon. No nation ever stays on top forever. Just ask the Vatican. And England.

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

I'm probably more conservative when it comes to voicing my opinion than you. I would consider myself liberal-minded and pro-feminist. I think our reasons for standing on the same side of the fence are different (and really, who cares why you're here?).

Joe Schmoe in Idaho is still convinced of everything you've said. Except, Joe isn't just in Idaho...and Joe has no idea wtf is really going on. The part about Joe Schmoe that really concerns me is that he/she is right on board with the conservative Christian party lines that have crept up and infiltrated our nation post 9-11. Joe's glad to "see our Nation get back to its Christian roots. Christian values. Christian government."

That scares me.

I've been touting an expatriate move now for a few years. McCain in office is my tipping point (or Bush revealing an obscure executive order for a 3rd term).

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

on the same side of the fence are different (and really, who cares why you're here?).

Meaning to say: Glad to see you on this side of the fence.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

:>

[neadods.livejournal.com]

The part about Joe Schmoe that really concerns me is that he/she is right on board with the conservative Christian party lines that have crept up and infiltrated our nation post 9-11.

Post? No, it just got louder after 9/11. It has been here all along, simmering under the surface, focusing on Jesus=free market=no abortion=creationism in schools.

They yelled at Obama for saying that people who have no hope cling to God and guns, but it's the unvarnished truth and has been for a long time.

[keltique.livejournal.com]

grrr. maybe we should start a campaign to mail wire hangers to his office.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Tempting!

I mean, we already know that an organized protest against this kind of thing will bring overwhelming numbers. It's as if the march for women's lives never happened.

All in Favor of this post, Say Aye. -Aye!

[rasciana.livejournal.com]

From a voice too long gone from LJ, that read this, I must say I agree wholeheartedly that your view on this is sooo correct, and that the Crap that their trying to pass as law here, smearing the already mud slung Constitution, is disgracefull, and creepy not only to human rights in general, but to women needing/wanting an abortion specifically too. Thanks for not being afraid to post your beliefs online!

-Rasciana *^_^*