Heard on the Hill: Eleven Crazy Quotes from the Contraception Debate Heard on the Hill: Eleven Crazy Quotes from the Contraception Debate
For the past several weeks, Republicans in Congress have been consumed with a planned Health and Human Services mandate, which beginning August 1 will require employers to offer a health insurance plan that covers birth control for women, without a copayment—unless the employer is a church or house of worship, in which case it is exempt. If there is an institution run by a religious outfit but not a church—say, Georgetown University—the insurer must cover the cost of contraception coverage, not the employer. This seemingly arcane policy change—a vast majority of the country uses birth control, and religious outfits can pretty much escape the mandate anyway—has nevertheless been the subject of two hearings in the House of Representatives and one floor debate and vote in the Senate. During these debates, Republicans rigorously denied they have any problem with contraception or female sexuality, Rush Limbaugh’s comments notwithstanding. Instead they’ve used florid language about religious freedom, the founding fathers, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr.—heck, even Josef Stalin—and a wide variety of other crazy, nonsensical arguments. Here are the eleven nuttiest: “This debate strikes to the heart of the freedoms we as Americans enjoy. Why do we have these freedoms? We have them because in 1776 the people decided they were sick and tired of the King telling them they had to do this and they had to do that and had totally wiped out a number of freedoms they had.” —Idaho Senator James Risch, March 1 “[This] is about who we are as Americans and renewing our commitment to the principles upon which this nation was founded. This debate comes down to the legacy left behind by our founding fathers and over 200 years of American history.” —New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, March 1 “Now, I would like to know what legal authority he relies upon that the president could ever order anyone to offer a service or an item for free. He has no such authority. This is not the Soviet Union; this is the United States of America.” —Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns, March 1 “I don’t normally call from Joseph Stalin, but today he said something appropriate, about liberty. He said America is a like a healthy body, and it’s resistance is three-fold, it’s patriotism, it’s morality, it’s spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within. I would encourage our church, I would encourage Congress, I would encourage our administration to fight back strongly against what Stalin understood.” —Michigan Representative Tim Walberg, February 16 “We heard from religious leaders whose positions might not be popular, like MLK’s was [sic] not so long ago.” —California Representative Darrell Issa, February 16 “If the government mandated everything to have positive health benefits, it could possibly mandate that everyone drink red wine for heart health even though it violates the religious beliefs of Muslims and Mormons. And it could mandate that everyone eat shellfish even though that violates the religious beliefs of Jews. And it could mandate gym memberships because it is widely accepted that exercise is beneficial.” —Asma Uddin, an attorney for the Becket Fund, testifying before the House Judiciary Committee, February 28 “I am asking you why should I care what they think in California? In fact, what—why should I care about the conclusions that have been brought forward by the Supreme Court?” —Iowa Representative Steve King, February 28 “Do you see a slippery slope when the government comes in and says we are making this decision in the name of public health, that pork is better for you than beef and therefore, we, the government, mandate pork upon the community instead of beef?” —Texas Representative Louie Gohmert, February 28 “I find it instructive in what is supposed to be a legal hearing on the free exercise of religion, the Democrats offer a health care professional as their witness.” —South Carolina Representative Trey Gowdy, February 28 “Gandhi said in matters of conscience the law of the majority has no place. Rabbi, in this case, where you have no faith-specific objections to what is in HHS—isn’t that essentially why you’re here? That all of us as minorities must stand together to say there but for us, go someone else the next time?” —California Representative Darrell Issa, February 28 “These guys [the assembled religious leaders] are ready to go to jail because they won’t violate their religious beliefs, and the hospitals and the schools are going to close, which means government is going to get bigger because they are going to have to fill the void that is left when you guys quit doing it. And maybe that’s what they wanted all along.” —South Carolina Representative Trey Gowdy, incorrectly asserting HHS would jail people for failing to offer contraceptive coverage, and then wondering if it’s all a big conspiracy, February 16
Mar 2, 2012 / Blog / George Zornick
Rush Limbaugh Owes Democracy an Apology Rush Limbaugh Owes Democracy an Apology
Of course, the radio personality was wrong to attack Georgetown student Sandra Fluke. But this goes beyond what has been said about a woman who dared to speak up. Limbaugh is attac...
Mar 2, 2012 / Blog / John Nichols
Romney’s Contraception Flip-Flop Reminds Everyone Why They Hate Him Romney’s Contraception Flip-Flop Reminds Everyone Why They Hate Him
Within one day Mitt managed to offend everybody by saying he was against the Blunt amendment, and then that he was for it.
No Contraceptives for You, Little Lady No Contraceptives for You, Little Lady
If women ever need permission slips from their employers for birth control, here’s what it could look like.
Mar 1, 2012 / Blog / Leslie Savan
Denied a Seat at Issa’s Hearing, Georgetown Student Has Her Day on the Hill Denied a Seat at Issa’s Hearing, Georgetown Student Has Her Day on the Hill
Democrats held a hearing on Capitol Hill today to hear about women that have been denied contraceptive access by a religious institution.
Feb 23, 2012 / Blog / George Zornick
Katrina vanden Heuvel: The GOP’s ‘Retro-Culture Wars’ Katrina vanden Heuvel: The GOP’s ‘Retro-Culture Wars’
Why is the Republican party resorting to hypocritical attempts to dictate American values?
Feb 23, 2012 / Nation in the News / Press Room
The Conservative War on Women’s Sexuality The Conservative War on Women’s Sexuality
Recent commentary demonstrates why Rick Santorum’s backward sexual politics are so appealing to Republicans.
Employees Need Birth Control Coverage Mandate Employees Need Birth Control Coverage Mandate
Catholic hospitals net billions in government aid. They should not be able to deny their employees contraceptive coverage.
Feb 17, 2012 / Lois Uttley
2012: Year of the Woman? 2012: Year of the Woman?
Challenging the Republican men who are waging the War on Women.
Feb 15, 2012 / Blog / Katrina vanden Heuvel
Liberals Are Winning the Culture War Liberals Are Winning the Culture War
It’s time that we realize the culture war is good for progressives.
Feb 13, 2012 / Blog / Chris Hayes