Why Women Must Take A Stand At the Polls In November

Last edited Thu Mar 15, 2012, 08:30 AM - Edit history (3)

Women MUST register to vote, verify their CURRENT voter registration status, and vote in the 2012 General Election. In ADDITION to electing a President, it’s about electing YOUR state Congressional House Representatives, YOUR state Congressional Senators, YOUR state governors, YOUR state legislators, and YOUR state attorney generals where applicable. Why - because it’s, LITERALLY, a matter of life or death related to women’s COMPREHENSIVE health care services?

REPUBLICAN elected officials at the Congressional AND state levels are passing RADICAL ANTI-WOMEN HEALTH CARE legislation that attacks women’s health care-related freedom and privacy INCLUDING AND GOING BEYOND abortion and contraception. Here’s the deal.

1. REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES, recently, passed the Protect Live Act - H.R. 358. According to rhrealitycheck.org, the bill would a) “FORCE health plans to drop COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE in state health insurance exchanges, cutting off MILLIONS of women from the benefits they receive today, b) “prevent women from paying for health insurance with abortion coverage WITH THEIR OWN MONEY, c) “ allow health plans to REFUSE to cover women’s PREVENTIVE SERVICES without any regard for patient rights or protections”, d) “override protections for pregnant women under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act which was enacted to ensure public access to emergency services regardless of ability to pay, including women in active labor.”

2. People For the American Way reported that “RIGHT WING POLITICIANS have increasingly pushed through STATE LAWS meant to chip away at the right to choose and undermine the protections of ROE V. WADE.”

3. Thinkprogress.org reported that states across the country enacted 80 abortion restrictions this year – “more than double the previous record of 34 abortion restrictions enacted in 2005 – and more than TRIPLE the 23 enacted in 2010.” (The year REPUBLICANS CAME INTO POWER at the congressional AND state levels as a result of the midterm elections.)

4. An article on pfaw.org outlines the specifics of RADICAL REPUBLICAN STATE LEGISLATORS threatening the ability of women to gain access to reproductive health services. Specifically, “legislation that would require doctors to perform ultrasounds on ALL women seeking abortions, even when NOT medically necessary.” Further stating that “such requirements ALSO risk actively HARMING the fetus.” In addition, “state laws increasingly attempt to INTERFERE with the relationship between a woman and her doctor by FORCING health professionals to provide ERRONEOUS AND DECEPTIVE information about abortion.”

5. Womenarewatching.org has an ONLINE PETITION highlighting 6 states with GOP-sponsored bills designed to UNDERMINE women’s health AND restrict women’s access to ESSENTIAL care…

6. In Pennsylvania the REPUBLICAN MAJORITY STATE LEGISLATURE “has launched a full-scale attack on women’s health with numerous bills aimed at restricting access to vital REPRODUCTIVE services.”

7. In Florida, the REPUBLICAN MAJORITY STATE LEGISLATIRE AND REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT “mounted a full-scale, nonstop attack on women’s health” filing 18 anti-choice bills limiting a women’s access to the FULL RANGE of reproductive health services”.

8. In New Hampshire the new REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY “took aim at lifesaving cancer screenings, birth control and STI testing and treatment provided by Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.”

9. In Ohio GOP ANTI-WOMEN majorities in the House of the STATE legislature introduced “thirteen anti-choice bills”. “Instead of focusing on the economy, the state legislature has decided to spend their time further restricting Ohio women’s access to health care – all while UNEMPLOYMENT hovers around 8 percent”.

10. In Texas GOVERNOR RICK PERRY and his GOP friends in the STATE Legislature “drastically cut access to reproductive health services that will leave Texas women without access to VITAL health care.”

11. In Wisconsin GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER and his REPUBLICAN legislature majority “wasted no time turning the clock back on sex education, birth control and women’s access to PREVENTIVE CARE at Planned Parenthood.”

12. In Virginia, GOP LEGISLATORS “are working to pass legislation that would slash health care for women, while attempting to give FULL LEGAL RIGHTS to fertilized eggs.”

REGISTER, VERIFY YOUR CURRENT REGISTRATION STATUS, VOTE and join the Women Are Watching ON LINE PETITION at www.womenarewatching.org/state-spotlight