The Agenda for the New Republic of Gilead
by digby
Now why would an anti-abortion group which agitates against the practice on the basis of "life" suddenly be concerned about this:
On the fiftieth anniversary of the birth control pill, Human Life International America (HLI America) released a poll which shows that most American women are unaware of the health risks associated with the use of hormonal contraceptives.
“The Pill” has been one of the most commonly used means of birth control since the 1960s but, as HLI America’s report demonstrates, it has also been a source of contention as it has been linked to an increase in the risk of breast cancer.
Jenn Giroux, the executive director of HLI America, said her group commissioned the poll in order to gauge how many women and girls knew of the pill’s risks.
They're starting to shift their goal posts to the next big battle --- the one they've been waiting for. I'm assuming this is because they feel it's only a matter of time before the right abortion case hits their packed Supreme Court and they can celebrate the end of Roe vs Wade. Certainly, they are feeling very optimistic about their agenda in the new congress:
If you thought the abortion battle during the health care debate was fierce, just wait until Republicans take over the House in January. Strengthened by congressional victories in the midterm elections, Republican abortion foes plan to push hard in the new year. Their top goals: enshrine tough restrictions on abortion funding into federal law and defund Planned Parenthood. And they'll have Democratic help to do it.
The tip of the spear when it comes to GOP efforts advance anti-abortion legislatin is the the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (HR 5939), which was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and already has 185 cosponsors. The bill's goals were highlighted in the GOP's "Pledge to America," and future Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) has repeatedly emphasized his continued commitment to anti-abortion legislation. After Republicans won control of the House, LifeNews, an anti-abortion rights website, trumpeted Boehner's promise that he "won't compromise" on key issues like abortion legislation. The site made special mention of Smith's bill. (Smith's office didn't return multiple phone calls requesting comment.)
The current rule preventing most federal funding of abortions, the Hyde Amendment, has to be reauthorized every year. While the amendment has been re-upped each year since 1976, the annual reauthorization fight often forces opponents of abortion rights, who generally have a majority in the House, to negotiate with supporters of those rights, who often hold a majority in the Senate.
There's lots to negotiate: while most people think of the Hyde Amendment as one bill, in practice it is a series of negotiated provisions in a series of different spending bills. It works a little bit differently in each of them. But if the GOP gets what it wants, pro-lifers won't have to worry about that ever again. "The beauty of the new bill is...that it will make these policies banning abortion funding in various situations permanent federal law instead of annual battles that pro-life advocates sometimes lose depending on who controls Congress and the White House," writes LifeNews' Steve Ertelt.
They leaned hard on the "pro-life" Democrats in the last election on the basis of the huge lie that they had voted to expand abortion rights when they had actually voted to restrict it. (This proves once and for all that the right to life groups are simple whores for the Republican party.)
And now they are turning to long term planning and the big enchilada is to outlaw birth control. Turns girls into sluts dontcha know. And then they can't marry their daddies until the right boy comes along to buy them.
"I pledge to remain sexually pure...until the day I give myself as a wedding gift to my husband. ... I know that God requires this of me.. that he loves me. and that he will reward me for my faithfulness."
"I, (daughter’s name)’s father, choose before God to cover my daughter as her authority and protection in the area of purity. I will be pure in my own life as a man, husband and father. I will be a man of integrity and accountability as I lead, guide and pray over my daughter and as the high priest in my home. This covering will be used by God to influence generations to come."
I think I'm done for the night. I'm going to grab a glass of wine and curl up with a good book.
.
