Control. It’s about influence. It’s about money. And it’s about power.
Power over the decisions that we make.
The left is in panic mode over the midterm elections. The electorate has finally come to the realization that President Obama is a failure on both domestic and foreign policy issues. His failures are also being pinned on incumbent Democratic Senators who have to run from their votes on his agenda. This makes it likely that the Republicans will take control of the Senate.
This is causing the left and those whose wallets are lined by big government to panic.
In Colorado, Planned Parenthood has wheeled out the tired “War On Women” trope in an attempt to get incumbent Democrat Senator Mark Udall reelected.
Republican challenger Cory Gardner proposed birth control pills be made available over the counter. He points out that this will be more convenient for women as they would need fewer doctor appointments and would not have to travel to the doctor to renew prescriptions. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists previously recommend allowing oral contraception be available without a prescription.
Planned Parenthood claims to be fighting for women. So why would they be against wider availability to the pill? One reason: Money. Planned Parenthood doesn’t want to lose the control they have over women’s wallets. Using a woman’s uterus as a political wedge is very profitable for Planned Parenthood. They aren’t protecting women’s rights. They are protecting their balance sheet.
If the pill is available without a prescription, women can get their birth control at Walmart, CVS, etc. without an appointment, completely bypassing Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood would miss out on the doctor appointment and the sale of the drug. The pill is deemed to be 99% effective in preventing pregnancies. Were it readily available, perhaps there would be a decrease in unplanned pregnancies. This means fewer abortions performed by Planned Parenthood. Abortion is big business and it brings in a tremendous amount of revenue for PP. If fewer abortions are needed, Planned Parenthood won’t meet its bottom line. Here is the ad they are running in Colorado against Cory Gardner:
Planned Parenthood’s argument in its attack ad that Obamacare requires insurance providers cover oral contraception. If the pill becomes available without a prescription, this “benefit” would be unnecessary. As Gardner pointed out, when drugs become available without a prescription, the price drops significantly. In addition, legislation could be enacted to allow for OTC medication to be covered.:
The inevitable cost savings from a switch to OTC status should not be underestimated. Almost all therapies that move to OTC drop in price dramatically. Many insurers and state Medicaid programs have covered common OTC therapies for this economic reason. For those without coverage, these OTC costs are usually cheaper than a co-pay for a prescription drug.
Since January 2011, an obscure provision of Obamacare has blocked insurers from covering OTC medicine without a prescription. If Democrats are serious about making oral contraception affordable and accessible, we can reverse that technical provision.
Planned Parenthood cites that birth control would cost upwards of $600 a year if it were not covered by insurance. Since Obamacare was enacted, health insurance premiums have risen faster than the previous eight years combined. That $600 in savings is negated by substantially increased premiums.
What about the women who can’t afford the inflated health insurance premiums?Those women without coverage would likely prefer easy access to birth control.
Planned Parenthood wants to stand in their way.
The tired War on Women mantra isn’t about empowering women. It’s about empowering the interests who benefit financially by defining women as helpless creatures who do nothing but think from their waist down.
While Democrats scream that Republicans want to limit access to reproductive rights, it’s a Republican who wants the pill to be readily available to women. And organizations such as Planned Parenthood are throwing up roadblocks because they need to protect their bottom line and because they want to protect women from their own choices.
If they were truly in favor of giving women more access to birth control, they would be in favor of Gardner’s plan. But, there are higher stakes here. They have money to make. And the control of the Senate hangs in the balance.
After all, it’s all about control.