Jezebel 
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New York, 4:42 AM
Sat Nov 28
29 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/09/09
Catholic and Baptist hospitals offer little to no reproductive care, and yet they receive federal dollars. They turn away women and men seeking reproductive care. They turn away women needing terminations in dire dire circumstances, never mind the simple elective ones.
Women are still a long way from being first class citizens.
Make every candidate know that you are a women's issues voter. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
I've said it once, I'll say it again. Time for the straight women of the US to go all Lysistrata until everyone can acknowledge that women are people, which means issues specific to our gender ought to be covered by universal health care. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
I feel like Kanye West today. Barack Obama doesn't care about female people #rachelmaddow
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11/08/09
The part that bothers me is that an abortion is a LEGAL MEDICAL PROCEDURE in the United States. I repeat, a LEGAL MEDICAL PROCEDURE. I find it counterintuitive that we ban it from being covered. Federal employees already are have abortion procedures excluded from their policies thanks to the Hyde Amendment. With Stupak, individuals who purchase into the Public Option - WITH THEIR OWN MONEY, no subsidies, will be barred from policies which cover abortions. Not only will economically disadvantaged women suffer, but truly all women as clinics drop providing abortion services because they are not reimbursed for them.
As happy as I am with the passage of healthcare reform, I am disappointed with Stupak. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
This is absolutely not just about government money. #rachelmaddow
11/09/09
The public option will be just that an OPTION, a purchasing pool of plans that individuals can choose from, very similar to the federal employee benefits plan. Many people don't realize that it is virtually impossible to find an affordable individual healthcare plan. Unless you are very poor and eligible for state insurance, disabled (and on SSDI for at least 2yrs) and eligible for Medicare, or over 65 and eligible for Medicare - there isn't really anything out there.
This plan allows for an empowered option that individuals can feel confident that they are buying a quality plan, overseen by the federal gov't but administered by private insurers - that won't bar them if they have preexisiting conditions or kick them out if they get sick. #rachelmaddow
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And yes, Rachel Maddow, we should revolt. Women should revolt, poor people should revolt, men who give a shit about women should revolt, everyone who isn't poor but believes in de facto reproductive freedom or collective responsibility to care for the less fortunate should fucking revolt. #rachelmaddow
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Now, I don't think that "mental distress" qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant problems to the mother carrying that child to term. Otherwise, as long as there is such a medical exception in place, I think we can prohibit late-term abortions.
This for me is problematic whether it's about third trimester or first. I can't beleve that as a former constitutional law professor, he wasn't clear on the meaning of all this, either.
Obama's done a lot of waffling and fence sitting on women's rights in his career. I think he'll sign any health bill if it *only* sells women down the river, because he wants to get that victory. I can only hope that he proves me wrong this time. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
However, I just meant that my understanding from what I have seen him say was that he felt this way specifically about late term abortions and that his view was that the government should stay out of the decision earlier in the pregnancy. I could be wrong about this though.
Regardless of any of this, I also have a sneaking suspicion that the entire Democratic Party (Obama included) will view any health care reform as a victory - even if they had to sell out a woman's right to choose to get it. I also hope I am wrong. #rachelmaddow
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I am curious to understand how the rape/incest/medical reasons clause will be implemented, and most importantly whether all those responsible for passing this amendment realise what this will do to rape statistics, and the effects on the credibility of survivors. #rachelmaddow
11/10/09
either way, that amendment has to go. as. soon. as. possible. #rachelmaddow
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I am so sick of being tossed under the damned bus.
11/08/09
However, I don't think it's always wrong for the government to spend taxpayer money on things that not everyone agrees with. That's why we elect people. For example, I never agreed with the Iraq war or NCLB. It's just how our country's government works. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
[www.guttmacher.org] #rachelmaddow
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Just because Republicans don't believe that women should be allowed to choose when they carry a pregnancy to term doesn't mean that they shouldn't have to pay for something that the Constitution deems a rightful act.
Just because I don't agree with the Iraq war doesn't mean that I get to stop paying for it--the elected officials in this country support it, so I must be forced to as well. #rachelmaddow
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11/08/09
1. Do they think abortion is murder but it's okay to murder for a greater good? and that they get to decide what a greater good is...
2. Do they think abortion is not murder but some people should be "punished". Like if you got pregnant not by rape you "deserve" to go through the pregnancy?
I'm curious...can anyone explain to me? #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
I pointed out that makes him pro-choice, whether he thinks it or not. If you believe that abortion needs to continue to be a legal medical option, then you're pro-choice. He said, "Wow, I never thought about it like that before." Agh, logic! I refrained from pointing out that the reason he probably never thought about it was because he never needed to. He's a man! And if he never got a woman pregnant, why would he give any thought to why he believes what he does? He just believes it because "abortion is murder" without considering that no, it's not always what you think. #rachelmaddow
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Explaining this to people is like shouting at a wall, though, most of the time. #rachelmaddow
11/09/09
11/08/09
Contact your representatives. Make your choice.
11/08/09
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11/08/09
Please see if there is anything that you can do to get the Stupak amendment out of the health care bill. That amendment is a denial of health care to women, especially low-income women, who will need publicly assisted healthcare the most. Abortion is a legal medical procedure that all women should have safe, affordable access to if they want. I don't get to choose where my tax dollars are spent and they are most definitely used on programs and issues I do not want funded (wars, abstinence only sex-ed). A small but vocal group should not be allowed to run away with women's health. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
Oh wait, nevermind. I forgot our society only hates women and not men. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
11/08/09
Half the people we know are men, and sometimes we get fairly along with them. That's why we're reasonable when it comes to their health and freedoms.
I'm beginning to think all these politicians voting against women issues must have huge mommy-issues and have no sisters or female relatives or were born and raised in a test tube like some weird Brave New World experiment (which would explain the female politicians). Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the second theory was right... they always do seem a bit spacey and disconnected to the world. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
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Oh also because the CIA uses viagra to entice old men in Afghanistan to help them find Taliban fighters and shit. Seriously. I like how the CIA says that Viagra puts the old dude "back in the authoritative position," presumably over his four young wives. Let's all just think about how this guy somehow got "authority" back when he was able to get erections. Gee, I wonder if he had no authority before because he couldn't rape or threaten to rape his wives...until the CIA gave him Viagra! Now he can put them in their (subordinate) place whenever he wants, by raping them!
Just in case there was any doubt over whether the American government hates women. Afghani women. American women. White women. Black women (especially). Single women. Married women. Mothers. Widows. Fuck women. Is apparently the US's motto. #rachelmaddow
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Meanwhile low-income and minority women, who already bear the brunt of our horrible health care system have one more restriction placed upon them.
These same right-wing nutters want to cut unemployment benefits, food stamps and all manner of benefits that might actually help low-income mothers.
The message is clear, to satisfy their religious quiverings they will demand that women bring pregnancies to term and then make all due efforts to make rearing that child more difficult.
I'm a white guy, and I gotta say these fuckers are SURPLUS. #rachelmaddow
11/08/09
Fighting for women's rights doesn't make you popular or electable, which are the only two things that matter. Ergo, they aren't going to do jack shit. See also: Why I can never be elected to political office #rachelmaddow
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For other people I know who are pro-choice, it's an issue they're willing to compromise on. If their dream candidate has that one flaw, they'll still vote for him/her. I understand this because often the other side is going to be fielding an anti-choice candidate as well. Even if that's not the case, most people think positions on taxation and national security are more important and will vote on those issues instead. #rachelmaddow
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