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| "McSorley's Bar" - John French Sloan, 1912. from Wikimedia commons |
Yesterday, Darrell Issa, the California congressman who is the Chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, held a hearing intended to determine whether the Obama administration's rule that oral contraceptives be included in prescription benefits under employee's health insurance is an infringement of the employer's religious freedom.
The ten-person panel was comprised entirely of witnesses opposed to the Obama administration's rule. Further, only one of the witnesses was a women - one a senior administration executive for a Christan college. Shortly before the hearing, a second woman witness was added - the medical director for a Christian college, also opposed to the administration's rule.
Not one witness was allowed to speak in favor of the Obama adminsitration's rule, and not one witness was brought to represent the 10 million American women who use oral contraception - both for family planning and for medical reasons. Attempts by Democratic committee members to allow a single female witness speaking in favor of women's reproductive health were unsuccessful.
The chair of a powerful congressional committee has deliberately chosen to cut women out of the conversation about their reproductive health. He was only interested in hearing from those who feel their religious freedom depends on allowing them control over women's lives.
How have we allowed this to happen?
Darrell Issa represents California's 49th district, which includes much of northern San Diego County and parts of Riverside County.
Sisters, if Congressman Issa is your representative, please let him know what you think. Here's his website.
Why did I illustrate this post with a picture of McSorley's Bar? Read HERE.
9 comments:
What a disgusting man.
I'm glad you are speaking out.
Issa was a car thief who made a fortune off his incredibly annoying Viper car alarm biz.
P.S. I've been to McSorley's. It wasn't one of my hangouts in my NYC days, though. My friends and I preferred even divier bars further east in Alphabet City, like Sophies.
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I was reading an article on HuffPo about this earlier today and immediately thought of you and your posts. Have we moved backwards an entire century?
And then there's the Santorum backer who said: "Back in my days, they used Bayer Aspirin for contraception. The gals put it between their knees and it wasn't that costly." Good grief man.
How does the expression go? Evil is possible when good people don't do anything? I don't know why so many a$$w!pes are running this country and why religious conservatives are allowed ANY voice in anything. The rest of the world moves on, the USA still fighting the culture wars of 50 years ago. How did this happen, how did we get so backward?
Sisters, even if Issa isn't your congressman, let him know what you think. This man should be drowned in phone calls, emails, letters, and visits from irate women demanding his resignation! Just do it...you know you want to!!
It is infuriating, especially to those of us who fought a similar fight over FORTY YEARS AGO!!!! I want to know where are the women on this issue? Why aren't they given a voice? The Catholic Bishops (who have never been women, husbands or parents) are fooling themselves if they think Catholic women do not use contraceptives. I am really sick of the patronizing SOB's in Washington (on both sides of the isle) talking down to all of us about everything. Weren't they sent there to serve US not themselves. I sound so disjointed, I know, but it is the frustration and anger. I feel as though I'm living, once again, in the 1950's where the condescending men tell the women folk "Not to worry your pretty little head about such important things. "
Finally, I promise, what about vasectomy? Isn't this surgical procedure already covered by insurance? What, I ask, is the difference, except the obvious one?
ALBUG
I actually drive by Issa's office on the way to work (though he doesn't represent me)and I might have to stop by and state my opinion.
I called the office today, but they just have the comment line open-you can't talk to a person.
Amen! This issue has been driving me totally crazy. The hypocricy of these committees and hearings is just unbelievable. Oh, and I feel the need to point out that Viagra is covered by most insurance plans. Nice. What jerks.
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