Time to End the Culture War. Time to Elect Women.

Great response and counter-argument to the Republican assault on health care, women's bodies and reproductive freedoms. 1 very quick minute--Watch it!!!

More links on these issues in these blog posts:
-Abortion

• Contraception, ACA, Religion and the ACORNification of Planned Parenthood 
• Push Back: GOP overreaches on Family Planning, Workers' Rights 
• See also: The Culture Wars

And here are some good images after the flip:

Politicizing Women's Health

 Contraception, ACA, Religion and the ACORNification of Planned Parenthood

...modern women being told by Republicans that they’re not qualified to talk about their own sexual health, are dressed like “whores” and probably need birth control because they’re so slutty. And this is just in one day.     --How The GOP Went Back To The 1950s In Just One Day | TPM2012 (2/17/2012) 

Last week, Freshman Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) filed legislation to allow any employer, religiously affiliated or not, to refuse to cover any essential or preventive health service, not just contraceptives, based on the "religious belief or moral conviction" of the employer. ... Our own Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) has signed on as a co-sponsor of the Blunt legislation. Brown spokesperson John Donnelly has confirmed to the Washington Postthat the Senator supports the Blunt legislation. So this is not an academic matter for Massachusetts voters. The Blunt proposal goes well beyond contraception and freedom of religiously affiliated institutions. "[M]oral conviction"...is in no way defined in the legislative language. So any employer could stop offering any medical service otherwise required by law to be provided to workers by invoking "moral conviction."

-  Republican Over-Reach on Contraception - Health Stew - Boston.com (2/14/2012) -
(see also: Re: "Conscience clause": USAprogressive: No, Scott Brown The Blunt Amendment IS Not Like Kennedy's Bill (2/17/2012) http://bit.ly/xW6a58)

Just for the record, on the day that the Senate voted 51-48 to defeat the heinous Blunt Amendment (yay!) SUPPORTED BY SCOTT BROWN--Poll: Most Americans Support Contraception Rule - Kaiser Health News (3/1/2012)

Spotlight on the Senatorfold

Looks like Scott Brown is becoming more and more like Mitt Romney--his positions change whenever it is convenient.  Thought he was a moderate?  Maybe he was.  Well he's not any more.

The senator, who probably hasn't looked at the bill he supports, simply didn't believe it. Brown kept arguing that the Blunt Amendment is only about religious freedom. He's wrong. 

The Republican proposal aims to allow all private-sector employers to deny any health services that businesses might find morally objectionable. Do you work for a grocery store owner who opposes contraception? You're out of luck. How about an accounting firm that doesn't like HIV tests? Too bad. Are you an employee at a factory that finds cervical cancer screenings offensive? Good luck to you.

--The Maddow Blog - Scott Brown stumbles on policy basics  

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We know he loves attention!

Excellent analysis of the political and media game that Scott Brown has been playing--one in which he says the "moderate" thing, even tho it belies his conservative votes, and in so doing gathers credit from the media and thus successfully paints himself as a palateable "independent", electable/voteable by the MA voter.  This time, it's about Planned Parenthood and Title X funding, but there's a pattern with his votes on unemployment, wall street regulation and on and on.  Worth a full read but here's an excerpt:

Push Back: GOP overreaches on Family Planning, Workers' Rights

A phone call, A rally, A pizza, A donation.


Hi all, I'm away from home & internet access so I wil be very brief--I have been so transfixed by all of the events in Egypt, Libya, Bahrain. Things have been moving so fast lately. And the Wisconsin protest is extremely encouraging--it seems that the middle-class is finally finding its voice to push back against the big $$ interests that have been squeezing them/us for decades!

Here are some quick actions (Timing is KEY--some of these things are NOW):

The LONGEVITY of the Wisconsin protests is key: LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE HELPING FEED THE PROTESTERS:
donate a pizza, some bagels or fresh produce at one of the businesses below! (many protesters are taking time off and incurring personal expenses--let's support them!)

• Ian's Pizza 608 257-9248;
• Michelangelo's coffee/pastries 608 251-5299;
• Gotham Bagels 608 467-7642
• Willy Street Co-op (608) 251-6776 http://bit.ly/goISmV
• "Straight to Your Door" Delivery Service: $3 off with coupon "KILLTHEBILL":

(And spread the word!! A little bit from everyone can go far!)

Boston Rally to support rights to Collective Bargaining and Wisconsin Workers

For a quick overview --From CNN money no less--on why unions are important to the middle class. (And here's a response to those who say "teachers already make too much")

RALLY on Tuesday: PLEASE ask your friends/family to attend!

If you want to do carpool--I can send out word of cars available etc

• STATE HOUSE/Boston
• 4-6PM Tuesday (TOMORROW)
• Bring the kids, bring friends, bring signs (not required!)!

Support the WI Dems who are standing up to GOP overreach

• -Donate to the 14 Democrats who are pushing back against Governor Walker! (may I suggest $14 for 14 senators!)--let's send the message to Democrats that when they stand up for us, we stand up for them! (and let's face it, $$$ is the only message the media and politicians seem to understand clearly)

Defunding Planned Parenthood (defunding Title X)

• GOP is waging culture war against women again. Last week the GOP House passed a bill to strip organizations like Planned Parenthood of their funding--NONE of which goes to abortion anyway, by the way (always prohibited by the Hyde Amendment.). It now goes to the Senate. That means calls to Scott Brown ARE VERY IMPORTANT. And a call to Lynch thanking him for voting against the bill would be nice too.
• -Urge Brown to vote no: do not defund Title X

Phones: Boston -- (617) 565-3170

Washington, DC -- (202) 224-4543

FAX: (202) 228-2646 (you can use services like FaxZero.com to send free faxes from the internet!)

• -Thank Lynch for voting no: 202-225-8273

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PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THESE ACTIONS: your 1 phone call, $5 donation can turn into $15 and 3 calls if you just get 2 friends to do the same!