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A House Republican lawmaker likened the implementation of a new mandate that insurers offer coverage for contraceptive services to Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks against the United States.
Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelly (R), an ardent opponent of abortion rights, said that today's date would live in infamy alongside those two other historic occasions. Wednesday marked the day on which a controversial new requirement by the Department of Health and Human Services, which requires health insurance companies to cover contraceptive services for women, goes into effect.
"I know in your mind you can think of times when America was attacked. One is December 7th, that's Pearl Harbor day. The other is September 11th, and that's the day of the terrorist attack," Kelly said at a press conference on Capitol Hill. "I want you to remember August the 1st, 2012, the attack on our religious freedom. That is a day that will live in infamy, along with those other dates."
Republicans cried foul when the Obama administration first announced the new rule, reasoning that it would force employers with a religious affiliation to act in a way that contradicts their beliefs. The outcry included criticism from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and President Obama subsequently announced a compromise in which employers wouldn't be forced to offer insurance plans that cover contraception, but insurance companies would be required to offer coverage to women who wish to purchase it.
Republicans rejected the compromise, and subsequently attempted several times to advance legislation to reverse the mandate. The imbroglio contributed to Democratic charges of a GOP-led "war on women."
"This is a right that every American should be outraged, outraged about what this administration and Secretary Sibelius has set forth here on August the 1st," New York Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R) said at the same press conference as Kelly. "And as Mike said, August the 1st is a day that we as American will look at as the largest assault on our First Amendment rights."
*UPDATE* Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, a veteran of World War II, condemned Kelly's comments in a statement.
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Its great to see bipartisanship here on the comments for this article. Democrats and Republicans coming together to agree that Mike Kelly is an idiot.
Aren't religion-based employers exempt from the requirement?
It is my understanding that a church can deny it to their employees, but if the church is running a for-profit business, they cannot.
The Presbyterian Church on the corner can deny it if they choose, but the Presbyterian hospital across town, a for-profit enterprise, cannot.
yay allen, thank you for speaking up for the men that actually understand that this is a family matter, not a political one.
Republican jack*ss males.. think they have the knowledge and moral imperative to tell women what they should be doing with their bodies.
"I want you to remember August the 1st, 2012, the attack on our religious freedom. That is a day that will live in infamy, along with those other dates."
I am sorry, but I am a little confused. How do you compare these events??
Also, if business owner doesn't believe in birth control, or any of the other offered benefits that are being "forced" upon their employees, who's to say the employee doesn't believe in it also? And that is what should matter. And if it is against their own religion, than simply don't use the benefits offered. It is each individuals choice, not the business owner. I am wondering why religion and business are being tied together anyways?
I am proud of Obama for doing this, because it helps many women in this country. And Layton-3733410, you have a good point as well. " Contraceptives not only prevent unwanted pregnancy, they are used in treatment for many gynecological issues women face as well."
"employers wouldn't be forced to offer insurance plans that cover contraception, but insurance companies would be required to offer coverage to women who wish to purchase it."
Some people are just silly, and try to turn everything around. You just end up making yourself look stupid in the end.
The old "Don't infringe on my religious views but it is alright for me to force my views on others" argument.
The GOP showed their true colors when they rejected the compromise. It's not about religious freedom, it's all about being Anti-anything that President Obama putsforward, even their own Healthcare Plan AND Mandate.
Republicans created this debt crisis. The ENTIRE GOP leadership, and MANY current GOP congresscritters voted for ALL of the bush deficits and debt! Some of these Republicans voted for all of daddy bush's deficits too. And it was deliberate. You see, the GOP had this plan to bring this country to the verge of bankruptcy so they could try to convince us that SS and Medicare had to be privatized as the ONLY solution! Raygun/bush/bush didnt sign all those deficit riddled budget by accident did they??
I can think of nothing that is closer to Pearl Harbor that this GOP plan that endangers our nationbal security. They are attacking the American people from within. And when people deliberately PLAN to endanger our national security, that is called treason.!!!
Screw the contraception!! We're talking the deliberate undermining of this country, from which we may not recover, and the GOP continues to do so by sabotaging the economic recovery!! It's is beyond doubt that they dont CARE about the economic recovery!!
At a time of crisis, with the country’s entire financial system near collapse, with the economy collapsing, with the stock market collapsing, with unemployment skyrocketing, with people losing their jobs and retirement money, the GOP announced that their NUMBER 1 PRIORITY was to assure that Pres. Obama was a 1 term president---- even BEFORE he was sworn in!!!
They abandoned their duty to the American people for the sake of sabotaging a new president taking office in the midst of the greatest crisis since 1929.--- for the sake of political gain! I don’t know if that fit’s the legal definition of treason, but it sure smells like it and is at the very least, un-American and unpatriotic. Never before have I seen a political party abandon it’s country in time of crisis! NEVER!
They're trying to distract us from what can only be called "their crimes"! They ahve done everything they can for the moneyed and corporate wlite, while giving Joe America the finger! Do NOT be distracted. Vote these traitors OUT! They are a clea and present danger to the United States of American as we know it!
I was gonna post a scathing rebuttle for this rightwing moron,living in the dark ages. I think that most of the post's have covered what I would say. Keep it up IDIOT, Obama needs all the help he can get! Vote mitten's for dog catcher, shamus would !
I vote Republican, but am embarrassed by these idiots. How the hell do you equate this healthcare law requirement to 9/11? Maybe these morons don't realize that lack of contraception results in more Democrats! :-)
Kelly is completely hysterical. He needs to take a vacation.
and some say that ther IS a seperation of church and state in this country... NOT!!!
~ from some forgotten movie: "Easy to look good when you're on the fairway. Knock one into the rough and then we'll see what kind of golfer you are..."
That's the Repub. whining to me - boastful and vengeful when they are in front (Newt) and bitter/petty brats when they are not. Nothing constructive; if we can't have it all, let it burn down.
Dig the demographics, Repub. dinosaurs. Change or die. We need a loyal opposition, not poor sports. Too much is at stake.
Only problem I see is with Democrats using birth control and Republicans practicing "abstinence," we'll eventually have more Republicans than Democrats.
OMG....never thought of that! That is scary.
Yet another fear-mongering republican nutcase. Unfortunately there are many lemmings in the republican party who eat this stuff up and vote people like this guy into office. When will they ever start using their brains?
Libtards are so funny. There is another story on MSNBC about a Califonia Democrat rep who was condemned by the ethics committee. When someone mentioned that this administration was corrupt they went ballistic that someone would blame Obama for what some rep did. Now a Republican rep says something silly and they right away blame the entire party. Seems that if you want to know what libtards stand for you must look at what they condemn. As Shakespeare said "Methinks you protest too much." Liberals ARE what they condemn!!
watermoon, I'm glad you see this nutcase as uttering a "silly" remark. Unfortunately, many of the right wingers in your party have fallen into the same mode, thus earning your party the reputation it has. Don't blame me, blame all the conservative loose cannons out their who can't keep their mouths shut.
Nobody or law prevents people from getting pregnant, and so those people shall not prevent other women from doing what they want. They are attacking women right.
Republicans liken everything they don't like to 9/11 because they have nothing else. Republicans bringing up 9/11 isn't such a good idea since it was caused by their incompetence along with bankrupting the country.
Republicans = Failure. History proves it.
Democrats = failure. Present day every day proves it!
And with Democrats it is always "He got Bin Laden" when backed into a corner.
Obama=Failure. History will record it.
9/11 happened on George Bush's watch.
re-elect- because Clinton ignored the obvious with the USS Cole
WTF decade is it? Neocons hillbillies are nuts
This is all one needs to see in order to make an informed decision. Compare Obama and Hillary Clinton in the firs one. Then ask yourself if Bill and Hillary Clinton would have done what you see in the second. This is not about a particular political philosophy! This is about what it means to be an American!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1Hai7ZcF6U&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJgWMI0hch8&feature=related
I wonder how this 18 th dentury dolt feels about taxpayers being forced to pay for viagra and other woodie assistance for old guys?
A woody isn't the only thing it treats. Read up.
My uterus is getting so crowded.
Maybe you should not open your legs for every Tom's Harry Dick that passes by.
Must be the seventh fleet is in port.
There is no shortage of tools in this nation's gov't, and no I'm not speaking about the progressives
The culprits to this INSANITY is the constituents that elect these extremists. I hold them solely responsible for destroying America's democracy.
Extremists can't be reasoned with and they have absolutely no sense of reality.
Because in reality, BC reduces the number of unwanted pregnancies.
There has not been this much divide in Washington since the Civil War. Do the Tea Baggers really want another Civil War?
What do they liken free Viagra to? Probably nothing because it affects them!
OMG.............can these teabaggers shut up already!