Letters to the Editor, March 14

Published 12:04 am Thursday, April 14, 2011

Eliminating Women’s Health

It is disappointing that the Republican Party andspecifically the right-wing conservatives are actually working against healthcare for women and children. In February, the House of Representatives, nowcontrolled by the Republicans and the Tea Party caucus voted to eliminate thefinancing for Title 10 known as the family-planning program. 

Title 10 providesaffordable, life saving cancer screening, birth control and general health carefor women. The House Majority even voted to eliminate sex education funding forteens. Attempting to put the most charitable interpretation on thisshort-sighted action, I’ll assume that the right-wing conservatives are merelyusing women’s and children’s health issues to strengthen their base. They can’treally believe that health care for women and children has no value.

Planned Parenthood isone of their targets. Ninety-six percent of the activity of Planned Parenthooddeals with women’s health and reproductive care. Four percent deals withabortions. Planned Parenthood clinics, especially in many rural areas, are theonly affordable health care option for women financially challenged and withoutinsurance. The conservatives detest the concept of the single payer health careoption, yet they seem to receive an emotional high at the possibility ofeliminating health care for women who can’t access our for-profit insurancesystem.

It’s hard to believe that Republican women can actually jointhis male dominated partisan effort to deny health care for many young andmature women. I thought we were in a panic to develop jobs, but Republicans areconcentrating on social issues as they struggle to find an emotional, partisanissue and an elect able leader that is party-platform pure. The Tea Partyvictory last November created a giddy attitude amongst the Republicans and re-energizedtheir dream of eliminating all social programs.

Republicans havecamouflaged all of these issues under the umbrella of debt reduction, eventhough these issues have very little to do with the debt. The abortion issuehas been used for years because it stimulates fiery sermons and generatesfinancial donations. Even those who are not religious know that the abortionissue energizes the conservative faithful. Why do they concentrate on abortionswhen they devote little or no effort to the care of children once born?Out-of-the-womb issues have minimal political appeal and zero fund raisingpower.

I’m not condoningabortions. I am challenging the Republicans and especially the religious rightto re-adjust their emotional preoccupation with abortions and review theirtheology. The last time I checked Google, Jesus said nothing about the fetus ordenying women preventive health care. Jesus did say, “Let the children come tome and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” I think theconcern of Jesus was for those children already born.

Werner Janssen

Leavenworth