In 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in her book It’s Up to the Women, “The attitudes of women will shape who we become as a society.”
Roosevelt’s book plays a huge part of what is happening in the 2012 election. The issues on birth control and abortion are huge debate topics in the Republican primary right now. Because of this unusual focus on women’s issues, women may make the difference in the presidential election.
It seems that the clock has turned us back in time, revisiting women’s issues. The issue of birth control has instantly become an obsession of the 2012 presidential campaign.
Collegiettes use birth control to have sex without making a baby is a settled social behavior. Birth control is a regular prescription that virtually all collegiettes present at the drugstore counter at one time or another. For many, it seems the common-sense way to avoid getting pregnant, which has been the really divisive issue of sexual politics.
Planned Parenthood’s president, Cecile Richards, said during a rally in Austin, “Somehow in this country, in 2012, this election might turn on whether women should have access to birth control.”
The main reason that this problem has arisen is because of President Obama’s insists that all employers, including religious institutions, who provide health insurance must include birth control at no cost. Birth control has emerged as into a religious freedom argument that can be a new attack against Obama’s signature domestic accomplishment, which is being challenged in the courts.
According to the New York Times, over all, 63 percent of Americans said they supported the new federal requirement that private health insurance plans cover the cost of birth control.
Although this all sounds great, it still comes at a price, because birth control would be handed out left and right, which makes it less valuable. For example, under Obamacare, a single woman would have to pay for dental and vision care for children on the mandated government plan. A woman with a hysterectomy would still have to pay for birth control.
Why should the government be mandating what is in the insurance plan? Private insurance plans do have coverage that many people pay for but do not use. The difference is that under a private plan, the insured are allowed more freedom in what they do and do not want to pay for.
Even though this may not be affecting us at this moment since we are still in college, we need to realize that whoever is elected will be in office during our prime years.
Some employers who may not believe in birth control would drop insurance for its employees rather than offer a plan with birth control. They would then pay a fine for not offering insurance and many of the employees would end up going to the government exchanges.
On the other hand, it is argued that without Obamacare, it would allow employers and insurance providers to opt out of healthcare services. Any employers could refuse to cover: mammograms, pre-natal screenings, cervical cancer screenings, contraceptives, vaccines, and diabetes testing during pregnancy. They believe that it takes the decision away from the woman and it makes the employers conscience matter more than the woman’s. Any employer can reject any healthcare service for any reason.
Leading the Republican primary, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have different views on birth control and health care in general.
Mitt Romney believes in a conscience exemption in health care for religious institutions and people of faith. Romney would eliminate the Obama rule on regarding insurance coverage of contraceptives and repeal the health care law. Although he would eliminate Obamacare, he would be doing great things for the country for health care. It may not be free birth control, but in the scheme of things he would be saving us more money on more essential health needs.
Rick Santorum is the most conservative of the Republican primary. He has taken the most extreme positions on women’s issues. Sen. Santorum opposes President Obama’s policy ensuring that women can get contraceptive coverage without a co-pay. He mocked insurance coverage of birth control, saying, “Let’s mandate that every insurance policy covers toothpaste. Deodorant. That might be a good idea, right? Have everyone cover deodorant, right? Soap. I mean, where do you stop?”
He does make a valid point, though it may be more extreme than we would like to hear. So, no matter if you are a Republican, Democrat, or and Independent, make sure that you know what you are voting for, not just who. No matter how anything free sounds, just remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch.