Mermaid Musings

So much for compromising with Republicans to ensure that the economic stimulus bill passes. I hope that Obama learns a deep lesson from this experience: compromising women’s rights and women’s health to appease the radical right accomplishes nothing. They aren’t won over and women lose out.

Today the Senate approved the economic stimulus package which passed the house yesterday without a single Republican vote. All this after Obama asked Congress to take out funding for family planning in order to ensure that the stimulus will pass. So much for that, eh? Looks like the bill could’ve gone through with the money for family planning after all.

I hope Obama and the Democrats can do better than this in the future. While I am still hopeful that Obama’s election can be the start of some truly significant changes for this country, I am deeply skeptical. In just the first month in office he’s already sold out women’s reproductive health to appease radical extremists who believe that a woman’s place is barefoot and pregnant. While I don’t argue with anyone’s right to believe whatever they want, when they try to inject their opinions and morality into public policy, it gets a little sticky. And I have no tolerance for anyone who believes they have more right than I do to decide what I do with my life and my body.

It is not good politics or even good compromise to sell out women’s reproductive health and freedom in the name of compromise or getting things done. The Republicans have proven this week that they are more interested in their ideology than what’s best for the country (nevermind what would be good for women and their families). I sincerely hope that the Democrats and the Obama Administration will be less willing to forgo women’s rights in the name of ‘moving forward.’ I would hate to have to give up this hard-earned hope so soon.