Obama Begs Waxman to Yank Birth Control from Stimulus

[question everything]

Source: The Washington Independent

President Barack Obama has signaled he will not go to bat for birth control in the economic stimulus bill — a move likely to set off a firestorm among powerful forces in the Democratic Party.

Obama has asked House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) to strip a plan to extend birth control coverage under Medicaid from the stimulus package, the Associated Press reports. The plea comes as Obama courts Republican support for the $825 billion package, for which he wants to see strong bi-partisan backing.

Republicans are up-in-arms over the family planning provision, calling it a wasteful giveaway that will not stimulate the economy. They claim it is an attempt by Democrats to push through their expansion of health care agenda — via an unrelated bill. Looking for an overwhelming victory out of the gates, Obama has tried to placate such GOPers by stripping provisions he would otherwise support — like bankruptcy reform, or in this case expanded health care coverage — to produce a bill Republicans will vote for en-masse.

(snip)

If Democrats concede to Republicans on the issue, which appears likely according to the AP, many Democratic powerhouses, like Planned Parenthood — which endorsed Obama — will feel betrayed. Women’s advocates and health groups lobbied aggressively to convince the White House and Congress to include money for expanded birth control coverage in the stimulus bill. The groups had early success last week when the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a version of the stimulus bill that included such language. The final decision on the fate of the birth control provision is expected Wednesday. Though health-care advocates might be angry with Obama over his decision, the issue is not over for good.




Read more: http://washingtonindependent.com/27419/obama-begs-waxman-to-yank-birth-control-from-stimulus

---

I have no idea where the Washington Independent stands, or how reliable it is.

[geek tragedy]

1. My thoughts:

:puke: :wtf: :puke: :wtf:

[cali]

2. tough shit if PP feels betrayed. It was a suckass idea to stick it in the

stimulus package and the attempt to sell it by Pelosi was straight out pathetic. As for the use of the word "beg", that's hardly accurate.

It belongs in another bill, not this one.

[EFerrari]

7. Unless it was bait. . . .

[backscatter712]

19. That's my bet.

There are some provisions in bills that are thrown in there specifically to be bones to throw at the opposition - Obama can cut this provision as a bargaining chip, and keep other things that are more important.

I would have to agree that this should be reintroduced in a health care bill.

[s-cubed]

21. There's an old story about a church or synagogue that was

being built, and the architect put a really ugly feature on the outside. Everyone protested it, and finally it was removed. But by then, everybody was used to the building, and they didn't complain about anything else.

Now, personally, I think the PP funding is an excellent idea: people who are out of work, or hurting for money, could use some help in how to not add a new member to the family. But it was definitely bait, for one reason or another, intentional or not.

[question everything]

13. Apparently it does belong there

The reason that contraception is even in the package in the first place is because of Bush administration rules that made states specifically request federal government permission to fund contraception services. And contraception spending saves money in the long run — some $200 million over five years, according to a Congressional Budget Office evaluation of a nearly identical plan from 2007. This will surprise none of us, but contraception is a lot cheaper than the medical expenses related to pregnancy and childbirth.

From http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/01/27/obama-getting-it-wrong-on-birth-control/

As was posted here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=217x6737

[xultar]

16. It belongs in a bill, but not this bill.

[sybylla]

26. not to mention the fact that the last things struggling families will pay for is contraception

And struggling families don't need unplanned pregnancies.

[xultar]

15. agree. I couldn't believe she did that.. Her motivations in my eyes rank from

trying to sink Obama to trying to regather her Liberal moniker.

In any event it her adding it to it AFTER Obama said no pork (aka crazy shit) makes me wonder why she didn't do that shit when BOOSH was president?

[Andy823]

20. I agree.

Everyone needs to contact congress and tell them "NO PORK"!

[Kittycat]

3. Why can't the provision stand on it's own/part of a health care bill?

I don't necessarily see why we need to attach things to an economic recovery plan that don't REALLY need to be there.

Now granted, I fully understand how family planning plays in to the need for BC, preventing pregnancy, etc... However - let's look at making sure we have enough jobs stuffed in to this bill first. Last I looked, only 7% was going to roads and rebuilding - not nearly enough, IMO.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. So put the BC bill, bankruptcy reform, etc. through by themselves or

attach them to other, less-critical legislation. There is enough liberal support to put that stuff through under its own steam.

[truedelphi]

5. The greater unspoken notion is that the stimulus bill is not worth

The paper it is written on.

Whom or what does it stim? Certainly not those who have been laid off. Are school teachers, social workers, nurses, police, firefighters, EMT's etc. able to benefit from this bill?

Can all those people be trained to operate jack hammers? Of course, I guess many people in that group can learn to flip hamburgers down the block from some big construction project.

I get so annoyed when the government tries to re-invent the wheel, and then after spending countless hours and billions doing it, the damn thing ends up being SQUARE!

[Shiver]

17. Have you read the bill?

Everyone you mention is able to benefit from this bill.

State and Local Law Enforcement: $4 billion to support state and local law enforcement including $3 billion for the Byrne Justice Assistance formula grants to support local law enforcement efforts with equipment and operating costs, and $1 billion for the COPS hiring grant program, to hire about 13,000 new police officers for three years. The grantee is responsible for at least 25% in matching funds and must commit to use their own funds to keep the officer on board in the fourth year.

· $79 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cutbacks to key services, including $39 billion to local school districts and public colleges and universities distributed through existing state and federal formulas, $15 billion to states as bonus grants as a reward for meeting key performance measures, and $25 billion to states for other high priority needs such as public safety and other critical services, which may include education.

· Education Technology: $1 billion for 21st century classrooms, including computer and science labs and teacher technology training.

· $15.6 billion to increase the Pell grant by $500.

· $43 billion for increased unemployment benefits and job training.

Job Corps Facilities: $300 million to upgrade job training facilities serving at-risk youth while improving energy efficiency.


And these are only snippets. Seriously... read the bill.

[truedelphi]

22. Thank you Shiver. I love being wrong

When my wrongness offers hope!

It is great to hear about this. (And a good lesson to me to read the Bills before commenting.)

[Shiver]

29. Not a problem

I'm not trying to say or show that the stimulus bill is perfect - personally, I'd like to see at the very least another $200 billion in across-the-board infrastructure spending - but it's not nearly as bad as people are making it out to be.

The bill is 647 pages and very complex, so I can understand why people might might not have the time or simply be reluctant to read it - I'm just weird in that I read legislation for fun.

If you want to know more, you can read the Appropriations Committee in-house summary here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8093752

[TacticalPeek]

6. Let the excuses, rationalizations and copouts commence.

It won't be the last opportunity, sad to say.

[kstewart33]

8. "Begs"? I sincerely doubt that.

Obama is pragmatic. Very pragmatic. He wants the package passed and passed quickly with as much bipartisan support as he can get.

It's a matter of priorities, and right now, so far, IMHO, his priorities are right-on.

[Robbien]

9. GOPers already have so much in this bill, why not just give in to this demand also

GOPers still aren't going to vote for it and the Dems will be passing a mainly GOP stimulus bill by themselves.

[Shiver]

18. Have you read this bill?

Has anyone but me and like, six people on this board actually sat down and read this bill?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

24. Of course not.

Most wouldn't be able to make heads or tails of it anyway, and that includes Members of Congress.

[babylonsister]

10. Begs? I don't think so, and if this is what it takes to get the

stimulus passed, so be it. The Dems can try to push this bill on its own. As necessary as I think this is, it really isn't a 'stimulus'.

[Coexist]

37. 'begs' caught my eye, too.

[supernova]

11. I think we'll see the bc funds come up again

in a different bill.

[TacticalPeek]

12. Not pretty enough for LBN I spose?

All the Latest Breaking News that "fits".

[question everything]

14. This is what I was going to ask

a woman having multiple babies, a death of an author, a British royal - all fit. But not a talk about pending legislation.

[LisaM]

23. I think birth control coverage IS important to an economic bill

It's pure politics to insist on leaving it out. I think Obama has done great so far - but he's wrong on this. I'm tired of this relentless chipping at women's rights. Planned Parenthood IS good economics.

[Regret My New Name]

27. I think it would be far better to put it in a more applicable bill.

Obviously it makes sense to have funding for it, but putting it in there seems like a good way to sabotage both the stimulus plan and also funding for birth control. It's like putting it in a funding for the bridges and roads...

[CTyankee]

31. I'm tired of even THINKING that it's a good idea to offer contraception as "bait" to

be stripped out of the stimulus bill to make Rethugs happier. Why are these fights always over women's bodies and health?

[LisaM]

33. I know. It's the easy fight. n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

25. I thought I had heard that Viagra was covered under Medicaid. Is it?

[question everything]

30. Yes, and all private insurance do, but not BC pills

after all, women are supposed to be pregnant, barefoot and in the kitchen. Heck, even the moderators do not think that this story belongs on LBN - where it was originally posted.

:puke:

[He loved Big Brother]

39. I noticed that.

Any reason this isn't worthy of the LBN forum? It sure is one of the top stories on this day.

[Jack_DeLeon]

28. Birth Control is important, unsustainable growth is what got us in this mess...

[LaydeeBug]

32. Stand tall, Waxman, stand tall and firm. nt

[Hekate]

34. First, I seriously doubt that Obama is "begging" anyone to do anything. Second, he's a chess player

My question would be: what is his next move? This article is long on supposition and short on real analysis.

Barack Obama has always been a friend of Planned Parenthood and I don't think that is going to change now.

Hekate

[rcrush]

35. Didnt belong in the stimulus bill anyway.

Shouldnt there be a health care bill that this goes into?

[He loved Big Brother]

36. Misogyny

Is still alive and well.

[BalancedGoat]

38. My take.

It's important that American's perceive this bill as an attempt to fix the economy and nothing more. If it starts to seem like Democrats are simply using the bill as a means to enact agendas unrelated to the economy then public opinion will begin to swing away from us. The American people should be generally supportive of much of our agenda considering that they did elect Obama, but that could change if they perceive us as being dishonest about how we go about enacting it.