MyDD :: 2008 and Access to Birth Control

2008 and Access to Birth Control

by Melissa Ryan, Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 12:23:03 PM EST

NARAL's website has a section devoted to the 2008 Presidential candidates and their views on a woman's right to choose. This will come as no surprise, but only one Republican candidate, Rep. Tancredo, responded to NARAL's request for a statement.

But candidate statements and voting records on choice in the general sense don't interest me as much as where they stand on access to contraption. Birth control as an issue is less cut and dry, and party affiliation doesn't necessarily clue voters in to what a candidate's position is. As I wrote in my last post about birth control, the right wing attacks on access to contraception have been brutal, especially when it comes to spreading misinformation. The voting public is well versed on issues surrounding abortion, but my sense is that many if not most don't realize that access to contraception is also a big part of the debate about reproductive freedom.

Birth Control is a good issue for Democrats. It's a women's issue, a health care issue, an economic issue. Virtually every American makes choices about family planning over the course of their lifetime. Public policy decisions about contraception will affect a majority of Americans. Democratic candidates, starting with those running for President, need to be talking about access, and activists can help them along by asking the right questions.

I propose developing a standard list of questions to ask about access to birth control. It could first be sent out to Presidential candidates, and then used by those wishing to question candidates running for Congress and their State Assemblies in 2008.

I came up with these questions, but I'd love to get feedback from others on the wording, and any topics I might have forgotten. Over the next couple of weeks I can take that feedback and create a final set of questions to send out.

Do you support the right to use contraception?
Would you support legislations that requires pharmacies to both stock and fill prescriptions for birth control pills including Plan B emergency contraception?
As President (Senator/Congresswoman) would you support continued funding of Title X, which provides contraception and related reproductive health care services to low-income women?
Would you support legislation that require hospitals to offer information and prescriptions of emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault?
Would you support legislation requiring schools to include information about contraception as part of any sex ed curriculum?
Would you support legislation requiring health insurance providers to cover oral contraceptives in their prescription plans?

Tags: Birth Control, emergency contraception, reproductive rights, 2008, President 2008 (all tags)

Permalink :: 11 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (none / 0)

I think you're right- this is an excellent issue, and a great way to reframe the abortion debate. I really don't know where the Republican candidates stand on these issues, but I would guess they pander to the party base, which is way out of sync with most Americans on access to birth control.

by loolool on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 01:02:02 PM EST

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (3.00 / 1)

It is really important to find out where the GOP candidates stand on this issue.

For years the anti-abortion movement has tried to use wedge issues like late-term abortion to force the pro-choice movement to defend the most difficult aspects of choice, hoping to peel off supporters.

A much better wedge is contraception. Making this the issue really splits off the anti-sex, anti-woman contingent of the Right from the vast majority who support reproductive rights. It exposes them for who they are.

So get the GOP candidates on the record, now, when they are appelaing to the GOP base to get the nomination. Use it against them in the general.

by Mimikatz on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 04:22:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (none / 0)

Didn't NARAL support Rape gurney Joe? Didn't they refuse to mobilize against the nominations of Roberts and Alito?

John McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion

by Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 01:10:55 PM EST

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (3.00 / 1)

Nationally they did. The CT branch of NARAL joined with other women's organizations to endorse Lamont.

Lieberman's short ride to another hospital remakr still makes me angry. It's the primary reason I became a die hard Lamont supporter.

by Melissa Ryan on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 01:19:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (none / 0)

That's the problem. I am sure you are aware of Jane Hamsher's disdain for Nancy Keenan. That's a huge part of the problem. If the national NARAL won't get involved then what good are they? Doesn't their effectiveness diminish if the state chapters are not getting along with the national chapter?

John McCain: Bush right to veto kids health insurance expansion

by Calvin Jones and the 13th Apostle on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 03:39:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (none / 0)

That's part of why I'm advocating asking the question ourselves.

by Melissa Ryan on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 03:46:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Family Planning... (none / 0)

...as a reframe for Contraception? After all even if you're trying to keep from having kids you're still part of a family, whether in a couple or just extended. A new child affects everyone in a family to some degree.

by MNPundit on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 02:30:09 PM EST

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (3.00 / 2)

Melissa, this is brilliant. To a large extent, the right wing's war on contraception is going on below most people's radar. It's time to elevate this issue by forcing the candidates, especially the GOP candidates, to take stands on it.

On #5, given the right's war on science, I'd turn "include information about contraception" into "include scientifically and statistically accurate information about contraception."

A question about supporting a major role for providing condoms, and accurate information about their effectiveness, in combating the spread of AIDS in the Third World might also be a good idea.

by RT on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 02:36:36 PM EST

Forced Childbirth (3.00 / 1)

I'd like to recommend you take a look at a diary I wrote last year, "Forced Childbirth--What The Data Says", which is based on an analysis of data from the General Social Survey. As I say in my summary:

While individuals can certainly have all sorts of different views, statistical surveys can tell us a great deal about what mass movements and their constituencies are really all about. And in this case, the evidence is overwhelming: those who profess anti-abortion attitudes are not consistent in their beliefs. They are consistent, however, if they are regarded as being for forced childbirth.

It might suggest some further ideas for you.

by Paul Rosenberg on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 02:48:19 PM EST

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (3.00 / 1)

Great stuff. I agree 100% that contraceptive rights and reproductive freedoms are fertile battlegrounds for identifying real distinctions.

Here in WV-02 we have an allegedly "pro-choice" Republican who uses that position to peel off moderate voters (esp. female ones) yet she's supported Bush administration policies in this area that are far from moderate.

In terms of questions to ask...

a) How about something on abstinence only education? That's an abomination that has no place for government funding. Maybe something along the lines of: do you support making science-based decisions about government-funded teen pregnancy prevention curriculum based to include on programs that are shown to be effective?

b) I'm not sure if there is an international equivalent to Title X... another bad policy has been giving money to the UN / foreign aid with strings attached. Again, I'm not sure the wording, but something about about unrestricted funding to UN programs for family planning.

c) I like that your #2 puts out a stronger position than the current battle lines, but I think it avoids one of the current issues. Right now an individual pharmacist is able to arbitrarily refuse to fill a prescription. To me, that is a violation of the professional and ethical standards they agree to when they become a pharmacist. I'm not sure if your wording in #2 gets to the issue of an individual pharmacist. What you have may be a better framing, though, putting it on the pharmacy, not on the pharmacist.

by WVaBlue on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 03:39:50 PM EST

Re: 2008 and Access to Birth Control (none / 0)

The Dems must phrase the debate as a family issue, and the government has no business there. The GOP likes to tell us how the government needs to stay out of people's lives. Well, it sounds hypocitical for the same government to legislate what is clearly a family affair

by manking on Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 03:47:39 PM EST

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