By Jen Nedeau
Fully understanding the importance of health care for all Americans, the author, who manages the WMC Not Under the Bus campaign, describes a sense of betrayal shared by many—and how to move forward.
“So this isn’t radical reform. But it is major reform. This legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system. But it moves us decisively in the right direction. This is what change looks like.”—President Obama
So this is what change looks like? Throwing women’s rights under the bus in exchange for health care?
Something about this doesn’t feel like change. Something about this feels all too familiar. Once again, women’s rights are being used as a bargaining chip for political gain. Once again, the right to choose is not left in the hands of women, but left in the hands of male politicians who will never be faced with an unwanted pregnancy.
Yes, it is true that Speaker Nancy Pelosi worked incredibly hard to get the votes to pass the bill that now makes it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against women with higher premiums than men or deny coverage to women who have had Caesarean sections or survived domestic violence.
Yes, it is true that bill will make health care more accessible for women and families across America by controlling costs and offering a public marketplace where those without insurance can buy their own affordable coverage.
However, these very important advancements cannot disguise two major attacks on women’s choice.
The first attack was passing a bill that contained Ben Nelson’s Manager’s Amendment.
The second attack is the Executive Order from the White House reaffirming the Hyde Amendment ban on federal funding of abortion and effectively extending it beyond its current application. In the Daily Beast, Dana Goldstein discusses how the “executive order enshrined the Hyde Amendment and expanded its reach into the new private insurance exchanges created by the health-care bill.”
At the end of the day, more than 30 million uninsured Americans can now have access to health reform, but it is abundantly clear women’s health is not considered a priority.
If you are a pro-choice advocate, this is not the change we hoped to see, particularly from a Democratic President and Democratic Majority Congress.
The bill that was passed contains language that has the potential to create a nation completely divided by access to abortion. With the Nelson language intact, it is possible for abortion rights to be completely stripped from the hands of low-income women, who are disproportionately non-white, by the predominantly male-led state legislatures.
According to the Guttmacher Institute , “nearly half of all pregnancies to American women are unintended and four in 10 of these end in abortion.” Guttmacher also reports that unintended pregnancies have increased by 29 percent among poor women while decreasing 20 percent among higher-income women.
As the bill stands at this point, if a state opts out of abortion coverage in the exchange, women who cannot afford a private insurance plan would have few viable options for seeking access to abortion. That means reproductive choice is no longer left with women individually, but given to the state. After last night’s historic vote, it may feel like the health care reform battle is over. But for millions of women across America, it has really just begun.
Today CREDO launched an action taking a firm stand against anti-choice Democrats who betrayed women across America saying, “It’s time for pro-choice donors and members of Congress to stop funneling money to the anti-choice candidates via the DCCC.”
You can sign CREDO’s petition and take the momentum of ”Yes We Can” pass health care to “Yes We Can” repeal the Hyde Amendment.
It is time to finally give women across America—not just those who can afford private health care, but every woman—a real choice when it comes to their body, their destiny and their future.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author alone and do not represent WMC. WMC is a 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse candidates.
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8 Comments
Let’s change this discussion to dramatically reducing the number of abortions by making birth control pills available at an affordable rate and over the counter. Please, the majority of women use it, the health data is out there, let’s put our energy into this mission, change the discussion. Every male politician who does not have 3, 4, 5, 6 + children has a wife who is using birth control. What will the argument be? Most likely access to birth control by underage teenagers. Fine, 18 and over and proof of age to purchase.
I am tired of this discussion and I do support pro-choice.
I have never understood why Obama is misperceived by the Right as so extremely pro-abortion, or why so many women and women’s groups like NARAL believed for one second that he would be an ally for women’s health, rights to bodily self-determination, or anything else that underwrites women’s being human beings instead of the property of men or the state. If they wanted progress for women, they should have stood up en masse for Hillary, not been seduced by her opponent who gave her the finger.
The only “right” on which he has spoken out firmly is Muslim women’s “right” to wear hijab. In Cairo he told us that women’s rights are something to be debated, and condescended that daughters could contribute just as much as sons. Women’s rights are debatable? His choosing Rick Warren (physical abuse and battery is no excuse/grounds for women to seek/get a divorce) for his inauguration should have opened the eyes of these delusional women. Choosing the anti-abortion, anti-contraception Alexia Kelley to oversee HHS faith-based grant-making should not have caught the pro-choice movement by surprise. I wasn’t surprised, why were they? Because I see him clearly, and they do not.
Over and over again, Obama’s behavior has sent a clear message: he is deeply, emotionally aligned with fundamentalist Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims who deny women the basic rights of bodily integrity and self-determination.
Obama has been consistent in only one respect: repeatedly throwing women under the bus. In obamaworld, patriarchal religion and patriarchal culture always trump women’s rights, needs, and dignity. Bro’s before ho’s. Got it?
Vikki,
You are missing the entire point.
If you or I or any woman gets pregnant in the United States from here on forward, your choice is either to have the baby or allow your employer, the state and the government KNOWLEDGE that you are trying to end a pregnancy. Let alone pay thousands of dollars to end it.
Also, Birth Control? With the Hyde Amendment, it makes it harder for women to access birth control, because it legalizes pharmacies, hospitals, clinics & doctors to deny it to women if it goes against their “morality.”
A woman’s right to privacy, let alone her repro rights, now belong to the US Government. And women vote for Democrats because???
Women have been held hostage by the Democratic Party over this very issue for too long. Now I can’t differentiate between a Republican and a Democrat.
Susan B. Anthony was right: “No self respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her” -Susan B Anthony, 1872.
Women, WAKE UP!!!!
What is wrong with females having to pay more for some insurance than males, as males sometimes pay more than females for insurance?
Males cannot have an unwanted pregnancy?
It seems like your complaint is that congress did not have women as priority Number One. Although it is hard to imagine given the preferential treatment women enjoy in today’s society, no gender should be priority Number One.
Hey such an interesting and healthy post to look into. Great posting and have a great readership…
Reproductive rights should be women’s choices, regarding contraception, abortion, etc. Period. And they are LEGAL rights that affect women’s health greatly.
I’m with you. Let’s not give to the DCCC anymore until they oust the anti-choice Dems. I’m sick of the minority dictating to the majority. I’m disgusted with male legislators who legislate against women’s needs. Enough!
What a bizarre point of view. I am pro choice, but I would NEVER expect the tax payers ( that is where federal funds come from by the way ) to pay for mine or anyone else’s abortion. That is a personal decision and goes against the belief’s of many tax payers. Get a clue, pregnancy is preventable. It is not a condition that just happens. Sperm plus egg = baby…. a conscious decision on 2 people’s parts. You are sick of the minority dictating to the majority? The majority of tax payers polled do not believe that abortions should be federally funded. The majority of persons polled do not want the health insurance legislation at all and yet it passed. What do make of that? Where do you get your facts.
This has become the most hackneyed , knee jerk woman’s issue. It’s embarrassing. Women have the right to decide what to do with their bodies, they do not have the right to have someone who is morally opposed to abortion help fund that resolution. Shame on you for supporting only people with your point of view and not all women. There are so many more important issues to spend your energy on.
I can’t support your point of view. More government is never a good answer no matter what the question.