Pills and Pennies

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

http://news.yahoo.com/u-health-body-recommends-birth-control-coverage-181409769.html

A U.S. medical advisory group recommended providing women free birth control and other preventive health services under the nation's healthcare overhaul.

The Institute of Medicine report, commissioned by the Obama administration, recommended that all U.S.-approved birth control methods -- including the "morning after pill," taken shortly after intercourse to forestall pregnancy -- be added to the federal government's list of preventive health services.

"The evidence supporting contraception is quite straightforward. It works," said Dr. Alfred Berg, a member of IOM's Committee on Preventive Services for Women.


Well, if it didn't work then there wouldn't be much point in selling it, would there? *ahem* Okay, smartass asides aside I fully agree with the this idea. People who aren't really interested in being parents tend to not make the best parents. Yes, I'm making a generalization. Live with it.

However, as expected, there is opposition to this.

Without sufficient legal protection for rights of conscience, such a mandate would force all men, women and children to carry health coverage that violates the deeply-held moral and religious convictions of many," said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the bishops' conference.

Ya know, somehow I doubt little Johnny gives a fuck where the sales tax on his Slurpee will be spent by Uncle Sam. But I think this position is absurd. The US is a representative democracy. That means, for good or ill, the people we vote for get to decide how the $ gets spent. Complaining like this is like saying that a pacifist shouldn't have their tax dollars spent on jet fighters.

Top Gun hatin' hippies aside, it's just unworkable that we should all get to decide just where our tax dollars get spent. It would be a paperwork nightmare that makes dealing with a FAFSA seems like a walk in the park. Then there's collection and making sure every penny went where it was intended. Madness! Madness, I tell you.

Living according to your values is your job. Spending your taxes in whys that will benefit the US as a whole is the government's job.

Comments

[midsummerskies.livejournal.com]

A lot of pro life people are very anti the morning after pill because there is a tiny chance that fertilisation has taken place

[midsummerskies.livejournal.com]

what isn't?

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DkqU-uWojc

I think there's a lot of that going on.

[midsummerskies.livejournal.com]

oh I know, I was just explaining why they would not support the suggested plan

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Of course! I'm not Catholic. :)

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Why do we still pretend the opinions of a representative of a morally corrupt organization like the RCC matter?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Complaining like this is like saying that a pacifist shouldn't have their tax dollars spent on jet fighters.

Well, such complaints was the basis of Thoreau's civil disobedience against slavery...

It seems it would be impossible Cardinal Daniel Di Nardo's demands. Surely providing any level of financial welfare could be sent on contraception. Or roads, dammit. People use public roads to drive to the chemist to buy condoms. Sinners!

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

"I don't believe in no religion where 'da head guy is inflammable!"

[telemann.livejournal.com]

haha.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Because Catholics vote.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. And it falls upon the rest of us to ensure that representative democracy is just that.

I get tired of social conservatives pretending that only their moral objections matter.

[mintogrubb.livejournal.com]

Not in the USA myself, but I agree that -

"Living according to your values is your job. Spending your taxes in whys that will benefit our nation as a whole is the government's job."

I don't agree with my guvvermint's subsidy on the nuclear power industry, but I pay my taxes.

You may be interested to note that the Uk has had such provisions for contraception and its availability for decades. nice to see the US shaping up to join the est of the world on this.

[stewstewstewdio.livejournal.com]

but you're willing to throw that all away into a tissue.

As long as we're being graphic, I prefer to have it swallowed, but that's just me.

I was raised Catholic, although I've given it up since then. The Church actually opposes masturbation as well, so the video clip from "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life" is more accurate than one would think.

The biggest problem seems to be that religion seems to have more restrictions than practical answers. For all the ranting against birth control and abortion, pro-lifers don't seem to have a practical solution for unwanted pregnancies other than restricting physical intimacy.

When the question is brought up "Are you willing to pay for the unwanted child/pregnancy?" no really good solutions arise. This seems to address the problem of unwanted pregnancies.

[malasadas.livejournal.com]

Well, such complaints was the basis of Thoreau's civil disobedience against slavery...


And, interestingly enough, a neat critique of all of these ideas about conscious clauses in people's civic participation. Thoreau took his lumps for his beliefs.

Figuring out a way for someone to be exempt from their tax dollars going to anything they object is a lazy protest. If the Cardinal is concerned about this, why doesn't he promote that his followers become tax protestors and take some actual RISK to highlight the importance of their cause? If it is life itself they are concerned for, wouldn't it be worth it?

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

Ah the Catholic Church, promoting prostate cancer since 408!

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

The evidence supporting contraception is quite straightforward. It works

I think he's saying that it's effective in tackling population wide medical issues, not that it stops you from getting up the duff.


Also, will tax free churches stop complaining about how tax is spent please?

[jlc20thmaine.livejournal.com]

Yeah. The RCC was so strong it stopped the court from deciding RvW.

[jlc20thmaine.livejournal.com]

How does obama's medical group plan to pay for the free birth control?

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

I think they're tired of hearing their moral objections are the only one that doesn't matter.

[jlc20thmaine.livejournal.com]

Also, will tax free churches stop complaining about how tax is spent please?

Are you saying the people may only talk about issues that they pay for? In that case, people that pay no taxes should not have the right to talk about anything.

[a-new-machine.livejournal.com]

The RCC is the single largest religious group in the United States. They didn't stop RvW, but then the Dixiecrats didn't stop Brown v. Board of Ed. This doesn't mean they're some powerless sideshow.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Thoreau. Is that the guy who went to jail until someone else paid his debts?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Ummm. Not quite. He refused to pay his poll taxes because of his opposition to the Mexican War and slavery and was sent to jail for that. However, much to his objection, an aunt footed the bill and he was out.

See more here: http://thoreau.eserver.org/theory.html

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

You do get that this is a suggestion from an advisory group, right?

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Gov't still got their money.