Mitt In 2012 - Women's Rights And Choices Based On Religious Conscience
In the thick of the race to seek the Republican presidential race nomination, the GOP stands accused of engaging in a "war on women," something the GOP loudly protests at every turn.
But as Shaw Kenawe (Progressive Erupts) points out, the GOP's "determination to make a legal medical procedure more and more difficult for women, and for the presumptive nominee, Willard [Mitt] Romney, to say that one of the first things he would do as president is withdraw all government funding from Planned Parenthood, an organization that serves the health needs of poor women who are under insured or who have no insurance at all."
Jennifer Epstein (Politico.com) reminds us of Romney's public position on women's rights. "Democrats have seized on potential GOP weaknesses with female voters, including Romney's statement that he would 'get rid' of Planned Parenthood and his support for a congressional measure to give any employer the chance to opt out of covering any health expense for "moral reasons."
Marie Diamond (ThinkProgress.org) also shared insights about Romney's ambiguity on choice issues, "Although he claimed, 'I would like to see the Supreme Court return this right to the states,' he has recently pledged to push for federal abortion restrictions … Romney said he would expand a Bush-era rule that allows doctors to deny women access to contraceptives."
Romney Promises To Restore And Strengthen Conscience Protection Laws
Igor Volsky (ThinkProgress.org) wrote an article (2011) about Romney's intentions if he became president. "In the final days of the Bush administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopted a "conscience rule" permitting federally funded health care providers to opt out of health care services they found objectionable." President Obama reversed the rule that, "could allow practitioners to deny women access to commonly used methods of birth control like 'oral contraceptives, emergency contraception, and the IUD.'"
Mitt Romney has pledged to restore and strengthen the conscience protection. "We have to allow people to practice their faith and when they have a matter of conscience that they can't participate in some form of activity which violates their faith, then they should be able to abide by their faith, particularly when there are plenty of opportunities for people to have a service provided."
Sources:
- Amanda Winkler, Christian Post Reporter, Washington Post. Mitt Romney's Evolving Attitude Toward Women. November 22, 2011.
- Jennifer Epstein, Politico.com. Obama touts record on women's issues. April 16, 2012.
- Shaw Kenawe, progressiveerupts.blogspot.com. The GOP and its Anti-Women Legislation. April 27, 2012.
- Steve Kornacki, Salon.com. Mitt Romney may have a woman problem: The White House hopeful doesn't exactly shine when he's up against a female opponent. July 18, 2010.
- Marie Diamond, ThinkProgress.org. Romney: I Support Birth Control Because It 'Prevents Conception'. October 20, 2011.
- Igor Volsky, ThinkProgress.org. Romney Pledges To Expand Bush-Era Rule Permitting Doctors To Deny Women Access To Contraceptives. September 6, 2011.
