brianna-g

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By brianna-g • 14 years ago

Will the Stupak issue break the healthcare bill?

This is SO FRUSTRATING.

Never mind that the original and current bill do not allow coverage for "elective" abortions in federal, tax-funded plans (well, except for Congress).

Never mind that the Stupak Ammendment would actually only change the ability of women with PRIVATE plans to have coverage that they paid for.

No, apparently it is so important to specifically include wording that bans either funding for abortions or subsidies for plans that happen to also include abortions that it’s worth giving up on the whole thing.

I personally wish the Democrats would write a new, different version that basically said "Federal funds may not be used to pay for an abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother" but that omitted the part about plans that are subsidized. Maybe they could get some people back that way, and that wouldn’t change anything.

As much as I want to someday have abortions covered by federal plans, I’m willing to sacrifice that to get expanded coverage for everyone– since a woman who is not deep in debt from her car accident might be able to pay for an abortion out of pocket anyway. What I don’t want to sacrifice is the ability to purchase plans that cover abortion, even if they are slightly subsidized by the state.

Any ideas?

By brianna-g • 14 years ago

Misogyny and Relationship Inequality

I’m taking a class on Women in Antiquity, and the other day we had a very interesting discussion on why ancient men were so misogynistic– so much so that one author wrote, “Women are children who never grow up.” Some in the class offered the simplistic “men are pigs” response, or the less simplistic but still simplistic “they were raised that way” repsonse. But that wasn’t really enough, others argued; it had to come from somewhere, some societal root. At the same time, mothers– even young mothers– were not considered so close to children. Mothers were considered quite wise in certain matters, strong symbols of religious piety and strength. Why the difference?

My professor then offered a fascinating explanation, heavily ...

By brianna-g • 14 years ago

A New Doctor Promises to Step In in Tiller’s Place

Today the AP reported that an Omaha, Nebraska doctor, Dr. LeRoy Carhart, has decided he will move to Kansas and perform late-term abortions there as soon as he can properly train his staff. This brave man didn’t want to say too much until everything was in place but he is definitely putting things in motion to fill the healthcare void left by Tiller’s tragic death.

Dr. Carhart said in the report that he did not previously perform such late-term abortions because Nebraska law was too restrictive (no abortions on fetuses past viability, regardless of fetal damage or maternal health) and his staff was not properly trained; he instead directed his patients to Dr. Tiller’s clinic. With Tiller gone, he ...

By brianna-g • 15 years ago

Freedom To and Freedom From: Do We Always Make the Right Call?

In Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale , she argued there were two kinds of freedoms. Freedom to and freedom from. Freedom to is what we have now, well, mostly. It’s the freedom to make our own decisions and the freedom to do what we will until we begin interfering with other’s freedoms. Freedom of speech is a freedom to.

Freedom from is protection from other people’s freedom tos. We have freedom from murder and violence.

Atwood argued that freedom to is far more important than freedom from. This is not to say freedom from is not important. Obviously we need to prevent murder, violence, and rape. But sometimes, the two freedoms come into comflict. I don’t mean my freedom ...

In Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale , she argued there were two kinds of freedoms. Freedom to and freedom from. Freedom to is what we have now, well, mostly. It’s the freedom to make our ...

By brianna-g • 15 years ago

New Hampshire Makes History This Election, Too

Just thought everyone would be happy to know that New Hampshire, my state, became the first state in the country to have a majority of women in the legislature. I don’t know if it’s sad that we’re the first, and only now, or just a great thing that women are so well represented in this state– women from both parties (though we do still have a Democratic majority).

I know on my ballot I had 5 democrat women, one democrat man, and one republican woman as choices for my state-level representatives. Women are finally stepping up and running for public office here. Hopefully other states will soon follow our example.

Just thought everyone would be happy to know that New Hampshire, my state, became the first state in the country to have a majority of women in the legislature. I don’t know if it’s sad that ...

By brianna-g • 15 years ago

At least if I own a gun I can shoot myself

My family and I did not talk much before the election, because we’ve had some strife lately. But the day of, I went home and was talking to my parents about who we voted for. My mom voted McCain, but that was primarily because she works in health insurance and is petrified of losing her job if they socialize it (never mind that it won’t work that way…). They are both employed, in their 50’s, and reasonably well off, so on most economic issues they agreed a little more with McCain than Obama. That’s fine, I don’t agree with it, but it’s fine, people have a right to vote in their own best interest, and our state went to Obama ...

My family and I did not talk much before the election, because we’ve had some strife lately. But the day of, I went home and was talking to my parents about who we voted for. My mom ...