Yesterday, the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine recommended that nearly all health insurance plans offer women free birth control coverage, as well as other preventive services without co-pays or deductibles. The Department of Health and Human Services doesnt have to follow the NAS recommendations, but HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius indicated she may be leaning that way, praising the NAS work as historic.
And of course, right-wingers promptly came out in strong opposition to what most sensible people in the 21st century see as common sense measures, especially considering that most health plans already cover contraception. The far-right Family Research Council, which has pushed various state laws restricting access to abortion, said the NAS recommendations could lead to a federal "mandate" for abortion coverage. Of course it could, FRC; now, please go over to your corner and play with your Ron & Nancy paper dolls while the rest of us deal with the modern world. The AP says a fight over social mores could follow adoption of the NAS recommendations, citing Catholic bishops and social conservatives opposition to contraception.
Sorry, but WTF?! Opposed to contraception? Where are we now in 19th century Boston? Considering that contraceptive use is nearly universal in America among sexually active straight women, even among my fellow Catholics, why in the world would anyone in a representative government give these anti-contraception reactionaries the time of day? For that matter, why dont the no-pills-or-rubbers-for-you folks just say what they really mean: Women are made to have babies thats their role, and anything that prevents them from having as many babies as possible is sinful, goes against nature and Gods will, and, um, will make fire, frogs and locusts fall from the sky on our evil heads. The problem with people espousing those views is that they don't realize they are the plagues. If youd like to read a reasoned, informed look at how the right is waging a war on contraception, go here.