A number of acclaimed actors (faces
you will know) have come together to address a serious and timely issue in
American politics: the clear and demonstrable fact that women know nothing
about their own reproductive health. This is why it has fallen to Congress,
President Obama and the Republican field – notably dominated by men – to determine
for women what reproductive rights should be available to them, free of charge,
or should be legally prohibited and controlled (like cocaine and pseudoephedrine).
The folks at Funny or Die have put together
a helpful PSA to illustrate why this is the best course of action for the government:
Okay, I know this video is mostly
directed at members of the Republican party… okay, members of the Republican
presidential field… okay, Rick Santorum. There, I acknowledged it; you happy
now! Anyway, I know this is directed at Santorum, but it is easily forgotten
that the issue of reproductive health was not raised because it was part of any
Republican platform. The controversial issue of contraception mandates on
employers that are operated by religious institutions (four out of five
religions have a problem with birth control it would seem) was raised by the implementation
of the health care reform law early in 2012.
The only sign to the general public
that this issue was on the horizon was an odd sequence in an ABC News Republican
Debate when George Stephanopoulos repeatedly hounded Mitt Romney on the
legality of a hypothetical scenario in which a state limited access to birth
control. At the time, this made no sense to anyone. It was not weeks later that
the issue of taxpayer-funded, legally-mandated contraception access became a
political football after the White House moved forward with implementation of
exactly that provision.
Now, social conservatives like
Santorum get to confuse the issue of government mandates with the religious
aversion to sex for purposes other than reproduction.
And the issue has predictably allowed
left-leaning comedians the self-aggrandizing opportunity to feel superior to
the rubes in flyover country. Sigh. Check and mate by the Democratic party.
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