Republicans Irate Over Expansion of Republican-Approved Program
The Drudge Report and Politico are breathlessly repeating Republican talking points that accuse House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) of hijacking the stimulus bill to promote contraceptive use.
At the risk of giving this ridiculous non-issue still more exposure today, I thought I'd point out a couple of basic facts.
First of all, the family-planning program that Pelosi supports expanding in the stimulus bill was created in 1972 under the leadership of Republican president Richard Nixon.
What's being proposed is an expansion in the number of states that can use Medicaid money, with a federal match, to help low-income women prevent unwanted pregnancies. Of the 26 states that already have Medicaid waivers for family planning, eight are led by Republican governors (AL, FL, MS, SC, CA, LA, MN and RI -- a ninth, MO, had a GOP governor until this past November). If this policy is truly a taxpayer gift to "the abortion industry," as John Boehner and House Republicans claim, where are the GOP governors promising to end the program in their states?
Additionally, the process of obtaining a waiver for Medicaid family-planning coverage is extremely cumbersome. A letter written by Wisconsin health regulators in 2007 noted that some states have had to wait for as long as two years before their request was approved. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that eliminating the waiver requirement would save states $400 million over 10 years.
Does all this sound scandalous? I didn't think so.
Late Update: So it is possible for this non-issue to get more ridiculous. Thanks to the reader who sent this in.
Josh
Matt
Eric
This allegation along with the bi-partisan report the GOP keep referencing they state claims much of this money wouldn't be spent for at least two years and wouldn't have any immediate impact is what the Senators and talk radio have been hammering for over a week now.
Too bad Obama didn't squash these two talking points the GOP are basing their opposition on. Maybe Obama believes by not addressing them specifically, he gives them no credit. And by giving them no credit, people just won't be listening.
January 26, 2009 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. Obama needs to address this now, and do it with a hammer.
Otherwise, the rethug propaganda machine can and most assuredly will go into overdrive. Their many talking heads on CNN, MSNBC and FAUX news will repeat this lie ad nauseum until it will -- by default -- become the established consensus.
We need Democratic Senators and Reps to get off their butts and start fighting the Rethug talkingheads/echo chamber.
Use Facts / Use Bluster / Hell, use ballbats.
History has told us : If you let the Rethugs out yell you in the sad Media we have, they will win the arguement.
January 26, 2009 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
We're with you. Obama needs to respond loud and clear, else it will be 8 years of more of the same.
We the blogosphere need to respond, too. Blog, comment, Twitter, call-ins....
January 26, 2009 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
This sounds like the same talk that occurred during the general election. Obama can't shut down every negative or false comments made by the GOP. I don't want to see him engaging in a tit for tat as though he is campaigning, I want him to focus on getting things done.
January 26, 2009 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Republicans can't help it. Those "childish things" just hold too much interest for them. Like the idea of dropping bombs ("Kaboom! Yowee!") on anyone that scares them and fascination with what other people are doing with their genitalia.
January 26, 2009 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
small point: texas has a medicaid family planning waiver and a republican governor, with plenty of protections against the abortionists....
January 26, 2009 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
By today's GOP standards, Nixon would be a flaming liberal.
USSC Justice John Paul Stevens? A Nixon appointee.
The Environmental Protection Agency? Founded during the Nixon administration.
January 26, 2009 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nixon put Stevens on the appellate court, Ford put in on the Supreme Court.
January 26, 2009 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is pretty much just playing to the Christianist base, no?
January 26, 2009 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, it doesn't sound scandalous at all.
What sounds like political malpractice, however, is the Democrats continued inability to plan for how Republicans will take one piece of a hugely complex issue, simplify it so that everyone will have an opinion about it, and then blare that message continually until that simplified piece of non-factual drivel is now driving the discussion.
Did Democrats think the media was going to change with this election?
Addressing this isn't Obama's responsibility. He's already said enough with respect to who's in charge. It's time for the Democrats to answer this, forcefully, and make the Republicans look like the petty turds that they are.
And going into a lengthy discussion about how these policies were instituted under Republicans isn't the way to do it.
January 26, 2009 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's the way to do it. Take this:
and say: we're going to save $400 million dollars. Why are Republicans trying to prevent the government from saving money?
January 26, 2009 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
One last thing. I'm more than willing to slam Politico for its coverage, but I've checked the site twice and as far as I can see, this story isn't immediately obvious.
On Drudge, yes. It's blaring. Politico? No.
January 26, 2009 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
If I recall correctly McCain was all for having Viagra covered under Medicare during the election but no money for contraception? Like more mouths to feed for poor families to feed and Medicaid to cover is a good thing in hard economic times?
January 26, 2009 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a lame attack. and Obama is treating it the way it deserves. Attacks aimed squarely at the base -- as this one is -- are attacks that Obama can and should just brush off his shoulder. Until the Repubs find something that resonates with independents -- and this doesn't -- they are whining in the wilderness and it merely amplifies their real and perceived impotence.
January 26, 2009 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Precisely what I thought. Do these fools really think that Americans are anti-contraception? If they want that as their issue, it sounds pretty good to me.
January 26, 2009 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course they will argue about contraceptives; it will help rally thier base.
IMO, it is a two'fer. It helps the healthcare field (and by extension, states), and it helps the un/under insured woman.
January 26, 2009 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is that.
Perhaps they'd shut up if we started pointing out that this is intended to prevent abortions?
January 26, 2009 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
True...to both(the two'fer part)...it doesn't, however, belong in the "stimulus" bill.
January 26, 2009 2:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course it does. This money will be spent right away, for certain (as opposed to those worshipping at the altar of Reagan and demanding more tax cuts for the wealthy and big businesses).
I don't understand how this issue has any traction with anyone except for a few conservative Catholics.
January 26, 2009 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
of course it does:
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that eliminating the waiver requirement would save states $400 million over 10 years.
the more stuff in the stimulus bill that saves states $$ the better.
January 26, 2009 7:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Beyond the estemated $400 million savings in paper pushing, this program would almost certainly save tens of millions in medical costs from low income mothers who won't become pregnant because they will be able to afford contraception. Duh, is this really so difficult to understand?
Republicans are pushing this meme because it feeds into the anti-abortion Christain base...even though we are not talking about funding abortions, it does relate to *shudder* sex, so it must be bad, right?
January 26, 2009 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is red meat for the Republican base and nothing more. In their minds, contraceptives are the tools of the devil and, essentially, implements of murder. They seem to be hell-bent on pushing America to that 400 million mark in population and worse, quashing any attempts to limit population anywhere in the world. I think that those who are opposed to a woman's right to choose should vote more consistently in favor of programs aimed at improving the lives of the youth of America. I'm sure Rush and the boys will see this as proof of the ever expanding influence of "abortion lobbyists".
January 26, 2009 2:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, that's the idea, abortion lobbyists. They're going to snare a bunch of one-issue Catholics with this stuff, we need to accept, not just the Talibangelical base.
Such Catholics, of course, just determine (often as instructed by the Church, most regrettably), which candidate is more anti-abortion, then vote for that candidate. Maddening but true.
January 27, 2009 9:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
I remember when I was a young musician I had a set of Blues Harps. I remember hearing that 'You never pull a Boehner with your Hoehner. Or something like that. Where do people get 'Baner' out of that?
January 26, 2009 2:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, Nixon was really before the whole "culture of life" thing really took off. By today's standards, he's be a liberal
But anyway, Jesus. How can these people be so far outside the zeitgeist. I mean Abortion is one thing but contraception!? How many Americans are opposed to that?
January 26, 2009 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
As the fundies realize that they're increasingly outnumbered, their true agendas are coming to the fore. Until now, the anti-choice groups have done a pretty good job of hiding the fact that many of them are also anti-contraception.
Let us not forget how they attacked Surgeon General Koop - personally, a strong evangelical and anti-abortionist - for stating the truth: That short of abstinence, the best weapon against AIDS is a condom.
Nearly 20 years ago, I heard a leader of one of the top right-to-life groups (sorry, can't remember the exact one) state on Nightline that she believed contraception should only be available to married individuals. My jaw dropped and I've never forgotten this.
What Obama is bringing to the fore - that contraception is vital to avoiding unwanted pregnancies - terrifies the fundies. Much as they're loath to admit it, they know that this sucks all the air out of their argument.
January 26, 2009 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Contraception saves businesses the cost of paying maternity leave.
Just a thought ...
January 26, 2009 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
When all else fails, fire up the culture war. It's all the GOP has.
January 26, 2009 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, the report now is that Obama has rolled on this and asked the House Dems to remove the provision. So clearly, he still doesn't get how bad it's going to be for him that he's shown the Thugs he can easily be rolled. I now expect the stimulus package to continue to go downhill and to end up being mostly Thug tax cuts. That's Thug "bipartisanship"- "Give us everything we want!"
How long will it take Obama to learn this and how bad will the damage be in the meantime? Stay tuned.
January 27, 2009 6:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
This subject is playing into connecting CHURCH AND STATE . . . a definite no-no so stated by our founding fathers.
Preventing unwanted pregnancies aids in eliminating an increase in the number of poor who in the end will require many forms of help from state and federal agencies costing many times more than what increasing this program will cost. Remember .... Repubs want you to deliver your babies but don't want to help in any way in insuring they get a descent chance in life.
January 27, 2009 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
How is this a Church and state issue??
Its NOT... this is the republicans wanting What they WANT!!
If the republicans want this gone then lets use it for Infrastructure and get rid of it! Or even better lets just get rid of the stuff that the republicans wanted and spend it for Real stimulus by Passing it Now and forget this Bi-partisan bull pucky Because We only need 2 republicans to pass it in the senate and NONE in the House. They lossed and just DONT GET IT!!!
January 27, 2009 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink