I guess when the government gives you gold-plated health insurance, you don't have to worry about other women getting affordable health care. So goes the thinking of Congresswoman Kristi Noem. While we taxpayers cover all of the cancer screenings, birth control, and other women's health services that the Congresswoman and her two teenage daughters may need, Noem voted Friday to deny that courtesy to millions of fellow women who might need to seek such services at Planned Parenthood and other Title X clinics.
My friend Carmen Toft explains what Noem would take away:
Every year, Planned Parenthood doctors and nurses across the country carry out nearly one million lifesaving screenings for cervical cancer and 830,000 breast exams.
They also provide contraception to nearly 2.5 million patients and nearly four million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
Sixty percent of the women who are cared for by Planned Parenthood and similar health centers report that these centers are their only source of health care.
As for fiscal discipline and deficit reduction, family planning programs save money. For every public dollar invested in family planning, taxpayers save nearly $4. The House leadership is clearly out of touch with the needs and wishes of the American people, especially those of women [Carmen Toft, "GOP Attempts to Defund Family Planning," The Independent Local, 2011.02.21].
That's Kristi Noem: taxpayer-subsidized goodies for me, but not for thee... not even the ones that save money and save lives.
Bonus Congressional Fast Fact: In her final term in Congress, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin voted with her party 91% of the time. Six weeks in, Rep. Kristi Noem has voted with her party 91% of the time. So much for that great freshman-class independence we were told we were voting for.
Noem sold her independance for leadership. She wants to be a STAR more than a person of character and conviction.
The difference is the new class is setting the agenda so it should be expected she'd vote with them.
The problem with SHS is she ran away from Pelosi so she "campaigned" against the agenda but voted for it in Congress.
I so long for when liberals made relevent and intelligent arguments.
We will see if Kristi mans up and makes some real cuts. I hope so but I don't see her being willing to part with any SD money. So far I would say Daugaard is making a lot more cuts than Noem and he probably campaigned as less of a reformer.
As far as I could tell from the campaign Noem was the one running around with the budget axe but it seems Daugaard took it from her at somepoint and gave her a butter knife instead. She lost her teeth but hey 2012 is almost here...
I'm waiting to hear anyone enunciate how John Boehner has South Dakota's interests at heart any better than Nancy Pelosi. The Republicans as a whole certainly aren't interested in women's health.
I think that most taxpayers would approve of funding most of the services you mentioned. They don't want to fund abortion. If PP cares so much about women's health, why do they refuse to compromise on this "service?" But they won't. And their agenda is to provide abortions at each and every one of their clinics by 2012 (this includes non-surgical, pill methods.) Women clearly don't want the government involved in their "reproductive rights," so why should they demand the government's money? So are we talking about women's health care, or about abortion? If it truly is about health care, let's discuss funding actual clinics that provide more than just mammograms and STD tests. Like if you had pneumonia. Or asthma. Or diabetes. Or heart disease, the number one killer of women. Even still, if PP must go on, surely there are enough supporters to raise the $360 million needed? Komen for the Cure? United Way? Girl Scouts? Girl's Club? All these and more give generously to PP.
Krist understands that it is not the job of the government to provide taxpayer money to a service that should be funded privately. Planned Parenthood , and all govt. funded healthcare should be de-funded immediately. Don't worry, liberal left. If these programs are truly as popular and vital to people as you claim ;...I'm sure there will be plenty of money flowing in from private sources to fund them . I'm sure all the liberals will donate their own cash;....won't they?
Stuart, you are saying Kristi is against, Medicare, Medicaid, the VA and TriCare?
Could you please get her to say that, too?
Any sentence beginning with "Kristi understands..." warrants immediate skepticism. Stuart, your comment ignores the fact that Noem happily accepts government health care for herself and her family but would deny coverage to others. That's selfishness, not principle. You can put lipstick on a pig, but you can't make it a true thoughtful conservative.
Kristi understands pancake batter and girl stuff.
Varilek does not.
Grud, I bet you love you some John Kasich...
"You know, Jane Portman, Karen Kasich, and Janna Ryan, they operate an awful lot of the time in the shadows," he said, speaking of his wife and those of Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and GOP vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).
"It’s not easy to be a spouse of an elected official," he said. "You know, they’re at home, doing the laundry and doing so many things while we’re up here on the stage getting a little bit of applause, right? They don’t often share in it. And it is hard for the spouse to hear the criticism and to put up with the travel schedule and to have to be at home taking care of the kids. And where is the politician? Out on the road."
http://www.alternet.org/hot-news-views/john-kasich-romney-event-our-wives-arent-here-because-theyre-home-doing-laundry
I like that, Jana, it displays two ignorant stereotypes: First, that politicians work hard, and second, that their spouses have to be maidservants.
I wonder if Mr. Noem has any good recipes for oatmeal raisin cookies?