Despite the fact that safe birth control is used by - and considered acceptable to - most Americans, and in spite of the fact that the prevailing majority attitude is that it is irresponsible to have sex without contraception unless pregnancy is intended, conservative Republicans have now prevailed, pressuring President Obama and the Congress to remove contraceptive funding from the Stimulus Package. NY NOW, proud to be "partisan" for ALL women, does not consider this some gesture of common ground but rather a cave in to the bombastic and untruthful statements of the anti-women Republican House leaders.
Meanwhile, because it is generally acknowledged worldwide that family planning has a positive effect on family health and economic development, President Obama is restoring UNPFA (International Family Planning funds), and has lifted the Bush Administration's Global Gag Rule that banned US funds to organizations who even counseled about abortion. We of NOW-New York State say it is beyond hypocrisy to restore international family planning funds while eliminating such monies for poor women in the United States.
Our Congress is prepared to roll over and abandon women's reproductive health even when women's lives are literally hanging in the balance. Surely this is not the time for our allies to sit back, taking the expedient route of eliminating "contentious" women's issues from the discussion. Are we only pretending we have a government friendly to women. Indeed, in spite of promises to the contrary, women's bodies are being held hostage once again.
Marcia A. Pappas, President National Organization for Women-NYS
Note to Kim Gandy and the team at the national NOW office - THIS IS HOW YOU STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS!
Hey if Kim and her team need another example of how to advocate for women's rights, they might want to take a look at something Planned Parenthood put out...
MEDICAID FAMILY PLANNING PROVISION EXPANDS HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN
Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) expressed disappointment that a measure to invest in health care and allow states to expand health care access to more women was removed from the economic stimulus.
"We are disappointed that the Medicaid Family Planning State Option, a commonsense provision to expand basic health care to millions of women, including many who have lost their jobs in the current economic downturn, was a victim of misleading attacks and partisan politics, and dropped from the economic stimulus bill," said PPFA President Cecile Richards.
As ThinkProgress points out, "... conservatives are distorting and simplifying the facts.... this measure would not only aid states, but also provide preventative, cost-saving health care to help low-income women support their families and keep working."
"The American people have rejected the divisive politics of the past. They want commonsense solutions that invest in health care and get us out of this economic downturn. The Medicaid Family Planning State Option is commonsense policy that does just that. We applaud Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Henry Waxman for including this provision in the economic stimulus and are disappointed that it was removed," said Richards. "We are confident that we can work with the administration and leaders on the Hill to ensure passage of this commonsense proposal and extend basic health care to millions more women."
The Medicaid Family Planning State Option would simply allow states to expand their Medicaid family planning services, including cancer screenings and other preventive care, to more women in need, without having to go through the burdensome Medicaid waiver process. Despite the proven success of Medicaid family planning expansions, the cumbersome waiver application and renewal process delay implementation and waste state resources.
The Medicaid Family Planning State Option would have a significant impact on women's health and is vital to expanding care to the millions of women who are losing either their jobs or their health insurance in this economic downturn. According to the Congressional Budget Office, this provision would provide coverage to 2.3 million low-income women by 2014. A study by the Guttmacher Institute finds that this flexible option would help 500,000 women avoid unplanned pregnancy.
In media appearances over the weekend, House Minority Leader John Boehner wrongly claimed that the provision would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The fact is that this provision would save money. The CBO estimates that the Medicaid Family Planning State Option would save the federal government $700 million over 10 years, freeing up money to go toward other pressing state and national priorities during these tough economic times.
Currently 27 states have sought and received federal waivers to extend coverage for family planning services. Each of these states has demonstrated that doing so expands health care coverage to more women while resulting in significant cost savings.
Every public dollar spent to provide family planning services generates $4.02 in Medicaid savings in the following year alone. These cost savings could help states avoid additional cuts to their health safety-net programs, and allow them to use the savings on other pressing needs.
Independent evaluations of the current family planning expansions have significant estimated cost savings - for instance, $75 million in Arkansas over five years and $214 million in Alabama over three years.
According to RH Reality Check, the Medicaid Family Planning State Option "could save Rep. Boehner's state of Ohio $1.4 million in 2009 - money that could make a real difference in a hard-hit state that is struggling with significant budget shortfalls."
So my question tonight is this - Where in the hell is Kim Gandy in this fight?
Is she going to side with those who would sell out poor women within the first week of a new Democratic administration? Or is she going to join the fight to say "NO! - ENOUGH!"?
Richards and her team lay out the stats and the facts. More importantly, they join Pappas and many of us here on the ground - folks who've stood strong at clinic defenses and marched on Washington - in saying it's time our folks on the Hill grew a spine and did what we sent them to DC to do... and that's stand up for us and for our rights. To speak on behalf of the voiceless.
To act like DEMOCRATS.
Dammit that involves more than putting a "D" after your name on your letterhead and business cards. If you're representing us then dammit you need to eat, breath, drink, and sleep Democratic values, and live those values 24/7 - not just when you're out here asking for our votes.
Democrats stand up for women.
Democrats do NOT sell out the poor and the voiceless whenever they think its expedient.
MAKE THE CALL FOLKS!
First thing Wednesday morning I want each of you to make a couple calls. Let BHO know what you think of his plan by calling the White House - ask him to reconsider this wrong-headed betrayal.
Then call each of your congresscritters - 2 senators and 1 Congresswo/man. From Planned Parenthood...
Call the White House (202-456-1111) and your members of Congress (202-224-3121). Let them know that during this tough economic time, expanding access to basic health care is critical for women and families. The Medicaid Family Planning State Option is a priority for women's health and must be included in the next possible bill.
Ok - those are your marching orders. Now LET's DO IT!
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