BlogHer - Earn Our Votes '08: Let's research and report what candidates really say about reproductive health - Comments

What about a Constitutional perspective?

mnamolina — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:31:29 -0600

Which is probably not a very popular perspective, I admit. I do not believe our Constitution gives a President or our Congress the authority to dictate to a private insurance company what their policies should or should not be. As for medicaid and other government welfare programs, I find it unconstitutional to force people to subsidize with their taxes something they might find morally wrong. I personally don't have a problem with birth control but I know several people who object based on religious reasons. Yet, they are forced to subsidize that behavior.

So, I ask, where does our Constitution, the very document that these candidates will give an oath to uphold should they be elected, give them the power to act?

One candidate I didn't see listed that could shed some light on this matter Constitutionally would be Ron Paul. Would love to see his analysis.

A non-answer reflects the worst on a candidate

Lisa Stone — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:52:13 -0600

...I hear you. There is nothing I disdain more than a patronizing non-answer from a political candidate.

If any members of the Huckabee, McCain or Romney campaigns reads this message and wants to provide a direct answer, please add your comment below!

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Thanks, Lisa

rocksinmydryer — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:00:18 -0600

I hate to sound like a cynic (election years will do that to a girl!) but it's hard to be optimistic we're going to find specific information broken down that clearly from a politician! Even if a BlogHer editor were able to ask the candidate directly, we all know how politicians dodge direct questions and answer in generalities. (Listen to me, I'm sick of it and it's still ten months until the election!)

Shannon @ Rocks In My Dryer
BlogHer Contributing Editor, Mommy and Family
rocksinmydryer.typepad.com
bloggygiveaways.com

Amie, thank you

Lisa Stone — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:31:15 -0600

Andrea did a great job. To Shannon's point above, where do you think we should go to get our answers to this question? Other than to the campaigns, to which we already are reaching out...

Best,
Lisa

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Thanks Kylie!

Lisa Stone — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:29:54 -0600

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Great point Shannon! No, not treating abortion as birth control

Lisa Stone — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:29:00 -0600

Shannon, excellent point which I'm happy to address. As Maria Niles points out below, we made the very specific decision to separate the abortion issue from whether or not health insurance would cover birth control. In my opinion, candidates get away with answering the easier "hot-button" Roe v. Wade question but are never asked to delve into the larger issue of birth control and its costs, which is why I like this question so much. And thank you Maria -- your recall is perfect!

Here's the challenge, however, as a community of voters trying to get answers: While researching this question, I found that only Candidates Clinton and Obama answered the question. So I tried to provide as much information as I could glean from the other candidates' sites and statements about health care coverage, what would be included, and the issue of controlling birth. Unfortunately, other than embryonic stem-cell research and abortion, I was unsuccessful in identifying their direct answers. For the reason you point out -- one can be pro-life and pro-birth control -- am loathe to assume that their disagreement with legal abortion and their emphasis on private insurance means they would *not* support covering birth control. But if they won't answer BlogHer's questions and I'm left to my own devices, this is where I landed. Bottomline: Our trouble identifying a direct response to THIS question is a perfect example of why we need serious candidates to sit down with our editors and answer these questions!

Can anyone find better answers to this Voter Manifesto question than I have? Who will volunteer to go directly to the candidates and ask them?

And Shannon, my apologies that I didn't better distinguish above why I included these particular quotes. Thanks for the opportunity to clarify. Does this help?
Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Birth control does not equal abortion

Maria Niles — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:58:00 -0600

Hi Shannon,

I was the scribe for the health care break out group at the BlogHer session where these questions were developed. This question refers to the widespread issue of health insurance plans not covering contraception:

A study on private insurance found that:

* 49% of large group health insurance plans do not routinely provide contraceptive coverage.
* Though 97% of large group plans cover prescription drugs, a mere 33% cover oral contraceptives—the most popular method of reversible birth control among American women.
* Only 15% of large group plans cover all five of the most common methods of reversible contraception: oral contraceptives, diaphragms, Depo Provera, IUDs, and Norplant.

Because of the omnipartisan nature of BlogHer and the diversity of views of the members, abortion is not an issue or question on the voter manifesto.

Lisa, Morra - I welcome your input if I am somehow remembering incorrectly.

And, just my opinion here, it is a massive misconception of abortion opponents that those of us who believe in abortion rights view abortion as a form of birth control (and, I might add, just as much a misconception is that women use abortion as a form of birth control.) Like you, most of us would rather women not be faced with having to choose abortion and that common goal can be better reached through greater access to affordable, covered contraception.

PopConsumer
Beyond Help

Thank you, Lisa!

AmieN — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:58:49 -0600

RH Reality Check staff writer Andrea Lynch worked so hard chasing down the candidates to get answers to some of our pressing questions about reproductive health issues. It looks like you all are on the same track and it thrills me that they're getting inquiries from different media outlets focused on womens' issues! This is great, thanks!

--Amie Newman
Managing Editor, RH Reality Check

RH Reality Check is a progressive, online community committed to covering reproductive health news and information. Visit us at www.rhrealitycheck.org for our podcast, voices from the community, daily video, election coverage and more!

Hillary on GLBT Issues

Kylie — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:34:21 -0600

This Video shows Hillary responding to a good question about GLBT issues and reproductive rights. The page is gated, but it's worth watching.

Kylie,
WomenCo. Producer

And...

rocksinmydryer — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:18:48 -0600

....yes, I realize I should've probably raised this question when the Manifesto was being developed, instead of now!

Shannon @ Rocks In My Dryer
BlogHer Contributing Editor, Mommy and Family
rocksinmydryer.typepad.com
bloggygiveaways.com

Thanks for the info, Lisa--

rocksinmydryer — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:17:06 -0600

Just making sure I'm clear what the wording of the question means. Are you including abortion as birth control? If so, it seems like a bit of a loaded phrase, since many people don't want to put abortion and birth control under the same umbrella.

For example, I support the idea of requiring birth control pills, vasectomies, etc. to be covered under the plans you mentioned. As a pro-life woman, I DON'T support requiring those plans to cover abortion.

I'd love to see the issues of birth control and abortion broken out separately, to cast a wider net in reflecting the concerns of women (those for and against abortion).

Thanks, Lisa. It's clear you did a lot of research on this.

Shannon @ Rocks In My Dryer
BlogHer Contributing Editor, Mommy and Family
rocksinmydryer.typepad.com
bloggygiveaways.com

Earn Our Votes '08: Let's research and report what candidates really say about reproductive health

Lisa Stone — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:25:35 -0600

BlogHer Voter Manifesto

Topic: Health Care
Question: What is your position on requiring all major private, Medicaid, or federal health insurance plans cover birth control?

Read all 12 questions

Some questions won't wait.

As I've reported recently, BlogHer continues to invite presidential candidates to respond to a request by women in this community to answer 12 policy questions we developed in a voter manifesto. Thus far, no candidate has accepted. We'll keep trying.

While our invitation to the candidates remains open, our questions are too important to wait. BlogHer's political team thinks it's time to get answers to our questions whether or not the candidates will accept our invitation. Think of it as a watchdog project, where the majority of voters (women) from all political persuasions (you know you are) work together at a nonpartisan site (BlogHer) to report back how -- and whether -- the candidates are earning our votes by addressing the issues. Together, we can figure out what they're saying on the campaign trail every day.

Let's do this right: Quote the candidates -- from every media source you can find -- in answer to the question above. Key to this process are:

1. Facts: This is about what the candidates have said or owned as their opinion. If you want to add your opinion, please label it separately (see #4 below)

2. Sources: Where did you find your facts? Please provide a link and/or a citation if you read or heard it and cannot find it online. Let's do this for every fact you identify

3. Context: If you think it matters, e.g., if you post a random quote from a videolink that was uttered by a candidate outside an abortion rally, that matters. If you don't know the context, that matters too!

4. Opinion: If you want to voice an opinion, what do you think of the candidate's answers?

5. Disclosure: Who are you? If you work on a campaign, are a candidate yourself or are a voter, say so! It'll only add to your credibility.

6. Factchecking: Let's try to check each others' facts.

Let's dig in -- I'll take the first question. Here's what I've found for these presidential candidates, in alphabetical order, first by party and second by last name:

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Democrat
Senator, New York state
Site: www.hillaryclinton.com

BlogHer Voter Manifesto question: What is your position on requiring all major private, Medicaid, or federal health insurance plans cover birth control?

Answers by Candidate Clinton:

Private health insurance coverage:

"Ensuring that private health plans offer the same level of coverage for contraception as they do for other prescription drugs and services. Massive shifts have occurred in the number of women with access to contraception through their health insurance over the past 15 years. In 1993, according to testimony by the Executive Director of the Women’s Research and Education Institute, women typically spent 68% more in out-of-pocket health care costs than men, a difference that was largely accounted for through reproductive health services. Today, nearly nine in ten employer-provided health insurance plans cover the full range of prescription contraceptives [AGI, 2004]. Still only half of all women of live in states that require contraceptive coverage of employers, and millions of women who don’t receive health insurance through their employers aren’t reached by these state laws [AGI, 2004]. As president, Hillary would work to enact the Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act, which would require health insurance plans to cover contraception to the same degree that they cover other forms of prescription drugs." Source

Public and assistance program coverage:

"Increasing access to family planning services. Hillary will expand the national family planning program (Title X) and extend Medicaid coverage for family planning services to women who are eligible for pregnancy-related care. Each year, Title X provides 4.8 million people, mostly poor and uninsured, with family planning services that help them plan their pregnancies and improve their health. Clinics that use Title X funds are present in close to three-quarters of counties in the U.S. Over the last two decades, Title X services are estimated to have prevented 20 million unintended pregnancies and nine million abortions, and helped to prevent 5.5 million adolescent pregnancies [Planned Parenthood]. President Bush has proposed no increases in Title X since taking office. As a result, health care providers that rely on Title X funds have significantly lost purchasing power and are struggling to afford the latest technology in diagnostic and contraceptive services. According to the Guttmacher Institute, the $286 million allotted to Title X for FY 2005 was worth 59 percent less than the $162 million appropriated in FY 1980. Hillary will restore the funding for Title X that has been lost under the Bush Administration. She will also ensure that states make family planning services as widely available as pregnancy-related services in Medicaid." Source

Additional answers on this page include Candidate Clinton's responses to:
- Ensuring that women who survive sexual assault have access to emergency contraception (EC) upon request.
- Implementing public education initiatives about EC.
- Restoring the discount for birth control on college campuses and community health centers.
- Supporting sex education programs that provide honest, accurate, complete information about abstinence, contraception, and disease prevention.
- Funding teen pregnancy prevention programs.
- Conducting research into preventing unintended pregnancy.
- Overturning the Global Gag Rule and Reinstating the United Nations Population Fund.
- Reproductive Health Services for Women Stationed at Military Bases Overseas. Nearly 3,000 military women reported being victims of sexual assault last year.

Barack Obama
Democrat
Senator, Illinois state
Site: www.barackobama.com

BlogHer Voter Manifesto question: What is your position on requiring all major private, Medicaid, or federal health insurance plans cover birth control?

Answers by Candidate Obama:

Note by Lisa: I had a little trouble identifying explicit answers to this question on Sen. Obama's site. First I looked in health care and the PDF attachments at the bottom of the page but didn't find a mention of reproductive health or birth control. Second I googled "Barack Obama" and "reproductive health" together and was sent to this page: Factcheck: Obama's Strong Pro-Choice Record. I can see who supports him from this list of endorsements, which gives a strong belief that he's comprehensively pro-choice, but I still don't have specific answers to BlogHer's Voter Manifesto question. So I returned to my Google cache and found the article below.

RH Reality Check: Sen. Barack Obama's Reproductive Health Care Questionnaire, which was answered by members of the candidate's staff.

Private and public health care coverage of birth control:

"Question (which differs slightly from BlogHer's, above): How does Sen. Obama's healthcare plan specifically address sexual and reproductive health, family planning, pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other STDs?

"Senator Obama believes that reproductive health care is basic health care. His health care plan will create a new public plan, which will provide coverage of all essential medical services. Reproductive health care is an essential service - just like mental health care and disease management and other preventive services under his plan. And private insurers that want to participate will have to treat reproductive care in the same way."

"Question: Does Sen. Obama believe that contraception should be covered by private insurance plans and under insurance plans for federal employees? Why or why not?

"Yes."

Additional answers on this page include Candidate Obama's answers to:
- Does Sen. Obama support comprehensive sexuality education? Does he believe that the federal government should continue to fund abstinence-only-until marriage programs, despite evidence that they are ineffective at preventing unintended pregnancy and STDs?
- Does Sen. Obama support adolescents' access to confidential family planning and reproductive health services, without having to seek permission from their parents? Why or why not?
- Does Sen. Obama agree with the FDA's decision to make emergency contraception over the counter for people 18 and over? Does he think adolescents should be able to access emergency contraception over the counter as well? Why or why not?
- Does Sen. Obama support any restrictions on abortion, or does he believe it should be entirely up to women?
- Does Sen. Obama support the Hyde amendment? Under what circumstances does he believe that Medicaid should cover abortions (all pregnancies, life- or health-threatening pregnancies, pregnancies that are a result of rape or incest, extreme fetal malformation)?
- Does Sen. Obama believe adolescents should have the right to choose abortion, or should they be required to seek their parents' consent? Why or why not? Are there any circumstances that might make a compelling case for waiving the parental consent requirement?
- Does Sen. Obama support continuing federal funding for crisis pregnancy centers? Why or why not?
- If elected president, what specific measures would Sen. Obama support for women who choose to become mothers (prenatal care, maternity leave, childcare, healthcare for children)?
- Does Sen. Obama believe that gay and lesbian couples should be able to adopt children?
- If elected president, would Sen. Obama overturn the Global Gag Rule or reinstate funding for UNFPA?

Mike Huckabee
Republican
Former governor, Arkansas state
Site: www.mikehuckabee.com

BlogHer Voter Manifesto question: What is your position on requiring all major private, Medicaid, or federal health insurance plans cover birth control?

Answers by Candidate Huckabee:

Note by Lisa: I had a little trouble identifying explicit answers to this question on Candidate Huckabee's site or on other sites, so I've provided the following questions and links below.

MikeHuckabee.com: "Sanctity of Life"

"I support and have always supported passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life. As President, I will fight for passage of this amendment. My convictions regarding the sanctity of life have always been clear and consistent, without equivocation or wavering. I believe that Roe v. Wade should be over-turned.

"I applaud the Supreme Court's recent decision in Gonzales v. Carhart forbidding the gruesome practice of partial birth abortion. While I am optimistic that we
are turning the tide in favor of life, we still have many battles ahead of us to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and so it is vital that we elect a pro-life President."

MikeHuckabee.com: "Health care

"I advocate policies that will encourage the private sector to seek innovative ways to bring down costs and improve the free market for health care services. We have to change a system that happily pays $30,000 for a diabetic to have his foot amputated, but won't pay for the shoes that would save his foot.

"We can make health care more affordable by reforming medical liability; adopting electronic record keeping; making health insurance more portable from one job to another; expanding health savings accounts to everyone, not just those with high deductibles; and making health insurance tax deductible for individuals and families as it now is for businesses. Low income families would get tax credits instead of deductions. We don't need all the government controls that would inevitably come with universal health care. When I'm President, Americans will have more control of their health care options, not less."

More from RH Reality Check: Unlike with Senators Clinton and Obama, this site does not offer Sen. Huckabee's answers to a Reproductive Health Care Questionnaire. However, the site does have a timeline of the candidate's positions on reproductive health care over time, including the following positions about embryonic stem-cell research:

"Huckabee lists among his legislative "accomplishments" as Governor of Arkansas: banning partial birth abortion, requiring parental notification and informed consent before having an abortion, and requiring that a woman be told her baby will experience pain during an abortion. Governor Huckabee is also opposed to federal funding for embryonic stem cell research saying it is "wrong to create a life in order to save a life." In addition, Huckabee reconciles his anti-choice/pro-death penalty position by saying that the death penalty is the result of a judicial process whereby the person in question is deemed guilty beyond a reasonable doubt; whereas a woman who decides to have an abortion is ending the life of an innocent and defenseless child."

John McCain
Republican
Senator, Arizona state
Site: www.johnmccain.com

BlogHer Voter Manifesto question: What is your position on requiring all major private, Medicaid, or federal health insurance plans cover birth control?

Answers by Candidate McCain:

Note by Lisa: I had a little trouble identifying explicit answers to this question on Sen. McCain's site or on other sites, so I've provided the following questions and links below.

JohnMcCain.com: On the Issues: Health Care

"Straight Talk on Health System Reform:

- "Bringing costs under control is the only way to stop the erosion of affordable health insurance, save Medicare and Medicaid, protect private health benefits for retirees, and allow our companies to effectively compete around the world.
- "Families should be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over their care. We can improve health and spend less, while promoting competition on the cost and quality of care, taking better care of our citizens with chronic illness, and promoting prevention that will keep millions of others from ever developing deadly and debilitating disease.
- "While we reform the system and maintain quality, we can and must provide access to health care for all our citizens - whether temporarily or chronically uninsured, whether living in rural areas with limited services, or whether residing in inner cities where access to physicians is often limited."
More Note by Lisa: Reproductive health is not mentioned

JohnMcCain.com On the Issues: Human Dignity and the Sanctity of Life

"Overturning Roe v. Wade:

"John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench. Constitutional balance would be restored by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, returning the abortion question to the individual states. The difficult issue of abortion should not be decided by judicial fiat.

"However, the reversal of Roe v. Wade represents only one step in the long path toward ending abortion. Once the question is returned to the states, the fight for life will be one of courage and compassion - the courage of a pregnant mother to bring her child into the world and the compassion of civil society to meet her needs and those of her newborn baby. The pro-life movement has done tremendous work in building and reinforcing the infrastructure of civil society by strengthening faith-based, community, and neighborhood organizations that provide critical services to pregnant mothers in need. This work must continue and government must find new ways to empower and strengthen these armies of compassion. These important groups can help build the consensus necessary to end abortion at the state level. As John McCain has publicly noted, "At its core, abortion is a human tragedy. To effect meaningful change, we must engage the debate at a human level."
More

More from RH Reality Check: Unlike with Senators Clinton and Obama, this site does not offer Sen. McCain's answers to a Reproductive Health Care Questionnaire. However, the site does have a timeline of the candidate's positions on reproductive health care over time, including the following positions about embryonic stem-cell research:

"McCain does support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research having advocated for the passage of stem cell research bills before Congress over the years. In a press release on his government web site McCain is quoted as saying "We must create a framework for federal support of stem cell research now, since research involving embryonic stem cells is also proceeding outside the United States."

"According to answers to a survey on Project Vote Smart, John McCain believes abortion should be legal in cases of rape, incest, or if the woman's health or life is in danger. Public funding for abortion or for organizations that advocate for abortion, however, should be prohibited. "

Mitt Romney
Republican
Former governor, Massachusetts
Site: www.mittromney.com

BlogHer Voter Manifesto question: What is your position on requiring all major private, Medicaid, or federal health insurance plans cover birth control?

Answers by Candidate Romney:

Note by Lisa: I had a little trouble identifying explicit answers to this question on Cadidate Romney's site or on other sites, so I've provided the following questions and links below.

Reproductive health:

MittRomney.com: American Culture & Life: Candidate Romney's positions on reproductive health are described under a section called "Promoting a culture of life," including this quote:

"GOVERNOR ROMNEY: "I am pro-life. I believe that abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by judicial mandate." (Governor Mitt Romney, Boston Globe, Op-Ed, 7/26/05)"

Health care:

MittRomney.com: Reducing healthcare costs, Candidate Romney's position on health care coverage for Americans are described under a section called, "Use A Free Market, Federalist Approach To Make Quality, Affordable Health Insurance Available To Every American," including this quote:

GOVERNOR ROMNEY: "Conservative principles have the answers for health care. I think I'm going to be able to demonstrate to you today the conservative principles of personal responsibility and free market dynamics and choice and personal care – these kinds of elements allow us to reform health care in such a way that we can solve the problems that America faces in health care without having a government takeover, without having socialized medicine with all its drawbacks and all its weaknesses." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The Florida Medical Association, 8/24/07)

More from RH Reality Check: Unlike with Senators Clinton and Obama, this site does not offer Sen. Romney's answers to a Reproductive Health Care Questionnaire. However, the site does have a timeline of the candidate's positions on reproductive health care, including the following positions about emergency contraception:

"As a governor, Romney has no voting record, but he has taken mixed positions on reproductive health issues. In 2002 he endorsed legalization of RU-486, but in 2005 he vetoed legislation that would have ensured emergency contraception for rape victims. Romney drew criticism from anti-choice groups by signing legislation in 2005 to expand family planning services, including emergency contraception. He supported the Supreme Court decision to uphold the federal abortion ban."

So where does that leave us? It looks to me as though we have a straight party-line split where the two sides could not be farther apart. Both Candidates Clinton and Obama appear as though they would answer the question "yes," while Republican Candidates Huckabee, McCain and Romney would answer a resounding "no."

I was very impressed with how easy it was to extract this position from both the Clinton and Huckabee sites. I was disappointed that I could not even find the words "reproductive health" on the Obama site. And while I realize that the RH site leans left, I think they do a good job of illustrating how Candidates Romney and McCain have changed their position on the issue, something that I think matters to women who don't and do support legal abortion and birth control. And I love their video clips of the candidates.

Me? I'm still undecided, a progressive libertarian type who expects to vote for the Democratic candidate.

Okay, what have I missed? Who or what would you add? Thanks.