House OKs birth control funding ban

[dogday]

Low-income women would be affected

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri House voted Wednesday to ban state funding of contraceptives for low-income women and to prohibit state-funded programs from referring those women to other programs.

Critics jumped on the proposal, saying it would lead to more abortions and more unwanted children on welfare.

But the proposal’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Susan Phillips of Kansas City, said contraceptive services were an inappropriate use of tax dollars. “If doctors want to give contraception privately or personally, they can,” Phillips said. “But we don’t need to pay for contraception with taxpayer funds.”

The change was the most controversial amendment adopted during the second day of debate on next year’s state budget. The Republican majority also turned back several efforts to boost funding for health-care programs by trimming farm and agribusiness subsidies.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14109047.htm

[Lars39]

1. Here's contact info for Rep. Susan Phillips:

She needs to be run out on a rail.
http://www.house.mo.gov/bills061/member/mem032.htm

573-751-2071
Capitol Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [e-mail]

[queenbdem87]

11. So here's the message i left:

Representative Phillips, I was just wondering if you could tell me about the great private doctors and medical programs that poor women in your state currently possess. Also, it would be interesting to know your stance on abortion is, because I have a feeling that it is just as hypocritical for you to support, as a woman, as is this anti-contraceptive measure. Thank you...goodbye

[Lars39]

19. Excellent!

Welcome to DU, queenbdem87! :toast:

[China_cat]

2. Penny wise and dollar stupid.

[Coexist]

3. access to free birth control lowers abortion rates:

http://www.americanvoice2004.org/health/...

<snip>
“The Netherlands has no restrictions on abortion yet has an abortion rate almost 70 percent lower than that in the United States. This is because in that country contraceptive devices are widely available and free.<59> Sixty-seven percent of sexually active Dutch teen females use oral contraceptives compared to 20.5 percent in the U.S.<60> U.S. women who use contraception are 85 percent less likely to have an abortion than women who do not.<61>”

[queenbdem87]

4. So i guess

poor women statistically are very likely to have medical care and private doctors that they can go to to get these conraceptives.
Why the FUCK are these people so stupid!
...and next youre going to see them try to ban abortion...

[Ian David]

5. Then why should we have to pay for RELIGION with taxpayer funds? n/t

[mondo joe]

6. They are chomping at the bit and can't even wait to outlaw abortion

first, followed by birth control.

Overreaching!

[Untermonkey]

7. Aren't contraceptives cheaper than paying welfare for another child?

If the conservatives are against abortion you'd think they'd be all sorts of excited over preventing the birth of unwanted children. I guess what they're really excited about is exercising still more control over the private lives and choices of Americans.

[Occulus]

9. But gaaawwwwd sez sex means a kid!

We cain't- just cain't- thwaht thuh will uv gaaaawwwwwwd, ya know!

NO SARCASM AT ALL.

[Kierkegaard]

10. There it is.

The religious freak-o's lay awake at night, fraught with the idea that 'other' people are not living up to their pre-conceived notions about how a life should be lived.

[debbierlus]

8. Birth Control should be FREE for everyone.

Easily accessible. And, completely free.

Birth control is DIRT cheap when compared to the costs of a child that will need public assistance.

I hate Republicans.

I truly, honestly, do. From the very bottom of my heart.

[Untermonkey]

13. No such thing as free.

The condoms, pills, etc. don't just appear out of thin air. However, you are correct that it would be a much wiser use of taxpayer money to prevent the unwanted child in the first place than it is to support it through public assistance for 18 or more years.

[Kierkegaard]

15. Well, the feeling is mutual.

They hate you too, and they show it more every day they stay in power.

I really hope there is a way we can wrest control away from these bastards before it's too late.

[AllegroRondo]

12. And just last year MO cut Medicaid to poor children.

[LiviaOlivia]

14. ..."the GOP's real agenda..laid bare for all to see."

http://www.firedupmissouri.com/gop_bans_birth_control

Yesterday, during debate on HB1010, the budget for the Departments of Health and Mental Health, House Republicans voted to ban county health clinics from providing family planning services.

So the GOP has finally come clean that they are opposed to contraception. They used to argue that they opposed family planning because Planned Parenthood played a role. But now the GOP has targeted family planning provided by the county health clinics. Their action is a direct attack on women's access to traditional family planning services.

The amendment, offered by Rep. Susan Phillips (R-Kansas City) removed "voluntary choice of contraception, including natural family planning" as one of the permissible services that county health clinics could provide with state funding.

A few weeks ago when I wrote about Governor Matt Blunt and Senator Jason Crowell's opposition to birth control, some Fired Up! readers thought I was surely exaggerating. But now the GOP's real agenda of making family planning more difficult has been laid bare for all to see.

[LynnTheDem]

16. You gotta be fucking kidding!!!

You just gotta be fucking kidding...

:wow:

America; third world nation.

[Epiphany4z]

17. This is just

sooo efing warped. We hate abortion! we hate paying taxes to support welfare children !.....lets not pay for birthcontrol!!!....what they hate is sex..or the thought that someone might be having it and actually enjoying it. What is wrong with these people...they just make me want to bang my head on my desk! Jeezus it would be funny if it was not so sad.

[gollygee]

18. Why the hell should taxpayers be able to decide what prescriptions

that's it. I won't pay for viagra.

AARRGH this stuff makes my head explode

[Lars39]

20. This is the same strong-arm tactic that the US fundamentalists have used

at the global level concerning abortion:
"...to prohibit state-funded programs from referring those women to other programs."

[MountainLaurel]

21. Can I throw out an "I told you so"

To all those who said "no one in the pro-life movement is interesting in restricting access to birth control"?

[immoderate]

22. I got this e-mail from Rep. Phillips

Thank you for your inquiry. I want to respond to you as quickly as possible.

Low income women with unwanted pregnancies are a concern to me also. The removal of the contraception line item in HB1010 does not affect our low income women on Medicaid, nor does it affect women under the 1115 waiver. It also does not reduce dollars going to public health. A majority of representatives voted yes on this amendment because they do not believe tax dollars should be used for contraception on women other than those eligible for Medicaid or the waiver.

There are other resources women can access for free contraception (such as Planned Parenthood) that do not require the use of tax dollars. This seems very reasonable and on a positive note, we have added tests for breast and cervical cancer, HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, prenatal care, alternatives to abortion and referrals for all of these issues affecting women’s health. Remember, this change does not affect low income women on Medicaid.

Thank you for participating in good government.

Rep. Phillips

Does she have a point here? I don't know the law. Could be they dump it all into "alternatives to abortion" (other than contraception.)

--IMM