The War on Women

There is much talk of the Republican War on Women. When was this war declared? How did it come about? What kind of idiot politician declares war on half of his potential voters?

As part of the evolving healthcare law, the Obama administration announced that religious institutions would be required to offer birth control in the health insurance plans they offered. This, of course, is in direct opposition to the beliefs of these institutions. The government was saying that they must sin against their religion or be in violation of the law. This is clearly stepping on the First Amendment 'free exercise' provision. Unsurprisingly, the religious institutions complained. Republicans came out in defense of religious freedom.

Now the spin. Democrats cry out that Republicans have declared a war on women's reproductive rights. Republicans want to deny women contraception. Sandra Fluke testifies that her friends at a Catholic college are going broke trying to pay contraceptive bills. To make the story fly better, the administration provides for an 'accommodation' in which the insurance companies are required to provide contraception coverage at no cost.

It is a clever move. Suddenly, religious liberty is forgotten and now all the reports are about Republicans against contraception. It isn't true but it plays well in the press. The Obama administration started the conflict and then spun it after the fact to make it seem that it is on defense from a Republican attack. A cooperative media makes that possible.

The status of women and contraception would not change one bit with the Republican policy. They are standing for no change. It is Obama that wants change and his change is to deny religious freedom. The accommodation is a trick. Insurance companies can't supply anything for free so they will raise rates on all policies to pay for this 'freebie.' So, the religious institutions are still paying, it just doesn't show up on the bill.