On the heels of the loss of Dana Reeve to lung cancer, comes the news that Ann Richards has cancer of the esophagus. God bless her, Ann Richards is an amazing woman, and was the (democratic) governor of Texas before George Bush. Some blame her for losing that race, thus giving GW the chance to run for President. Others blame Clinton for letting his pants down (literally), thus creating the Republican backlash that was heard throughout many states, and, they say, caused Richards to lose to Bush. Without going into the miserable 'what ifs', all I can say is that I have the utmost respect for Richards, and I hope that she will survive her battle with this extremely deadly form of cancer. One thing I learned about her today is that her daughter, Cecile Richards, is the president of Planned Parenthood. Wow. Powerful women run in that family.Speaking of Planned Parenthood, I found this on Salon.com:
"Today the United States Senate is considering a bill that would have a serious and damaging impact on health coverage for women across the United States. The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (HIMMAA), introduced by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), would allow insurance companies to ignore nearly all state laws that require insurance coverage for certain treatments or conditions, such as laws that require them to include contraceptives in their prescription plans.
"This federal legislation would raze hundreds of state laws that ensure patients can get the medical care they need and would:
"-- not allow women to designate their ob/gyns as primary care providers
"-- not allow women to seek care directly from their ob/gyns, but would force them to be screened by their primary care doctors first
"-- dismantle coverage for contraception
"-- dismantle coverage for annual cervical cancer exams
"-- not allow women to stay with the same doctor throughout a pregnancy, if that doctor was dropped from the insurance provider."
In short: "Under HIMMAA women will lose contraceptive-equity protections currently guaranteed by state law."
Anyone ever read "The Handmaid's Tale"? It's disturbing to me how often this book/film comes to mind these days.Now I'm with you, Cherry. I'm depressed.
7 comments:
ok. You need to cut this crap out. Scaring me
Sorry. Cherry told me she depends on me for her news. Otherwise she just finds out about cheerleader injuries.
I was sick about Dana Reeve yesterday - still am -that poor child, Will. I am so sorry to hear about Ann Richards - I think I read the Handmaids Tale a million years ago - I really like Margaret Atwood - that was an unsettling read, though...
Oh lordy, there is something deeply, deeply misogynistic about that bill, and it needs to GO DOWN IN BURNING, FIERY FLAMES.
But with the people that hold office right now, it probably won't.
Oh my god. I remember reading the Handmaids' Tale in college and thinking, naively, that it was very dated, because of COURSE that couldn't happen here.
Another aspect of Ann Richards losing the election to G.W. is that a rumor was started by his minions that she was a lesbian, much like the later rumor started in North Carolina that John McCain had fatherd a black child. Produced and paid for by the same people who later brought us Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
The Handmaids Tale was one of the most frightening books I've ever read, just because it could so easily happen here. The rapidity with which women are losing their hard fought gains is ghastly.
this ON TOP OF the recent "men's roe vs wade" filed by the national center for men. what next??
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