Given Senator John McCain’s age which is 72, I do not know if he needs Viagra, nor do I want to know: But he must consider himself very lucky since Viagra is covered by most health insurance plans. What about the poor schleps who do not have medical insurance? My guess is that they are on their own. The point being is that men should consider themselves lucky that a drug that allows them to have a good time is at least covered by most insurance plans whereas contraceptives are not.
Before I get to women’s health issues, I want to have a talk with you men out there. According to drugstore.com the price of Viagra for ten tablets is, $133.99. Depending upon your sex-drive the cost of 100 tablets is, $1,293.23. What happens if you do not have health insurance? Please remember this does not include the cost of going to your doctor to write the actual prescription. Man are you on your own. I have heard of some women say, “Not tonight, honey I have a headache” One has to wonder what some men with erectile dysfunction who have no health insurance must have to say to their partners. I will leave it at that.
In this editorial, you will read, “John McCain voted against requiring health plans to cover basic birth control methods, an expensive investment for women to pay out of pocket every month. However, Viagra and other men’s sexual health prescriptions are covered.” My guess is that the woman must solely rely on the rhythm method which does not work or gamble with the reality that she may get pregnant is what John McCain is saying to her. If she is responsible, it is she who must bear the financial burden. My guess is that having a good time by men who need Viagra is more important than preventing an unwanted pregnancy. I find that selfish, don’t you?
I found McCain’s answer concerning the health of the woman in relation to abortion dismissive of women across this nation. If you are a pro-choice woman, how can you even think of voting for this candidate come Election Day? Stand in solidarity with your fellow sisters who believe that preventing unwanted pregnancies is the best course to bring down the numbers of abortions that do take place in this country. You are simply on your own if he appoints more judges to the Supreme Court where that judicial body may overturn Roe V. Wade. When I campaigned for Al Gore during the 2000 presidential election, I wore a button that said, “It’s the Supreme Court, stupid” and it’s just as important today as it was then.
As we all know, teens will be teens when it comes to sex, yet this candidate refuses to fund sex education when it comes to preventing pregnancies. We have all heard of teens secretly giving birth to babies and leaving them for dead. By not supporting such sex-education programs, he is guilty for their deaths. Talk about leaving children behind, by not funding sex-education he has literally left babies behind and in some cases, plastic bags.
I invite all of you to read this heart breaking article, where a dead baby was discovered in Yaphank, Long Island, given the name Angela where she was interred at Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury, Long Island. These babies are called ‘Baby Does’ and are given proper names at their burials. In this case as in others, “The Children of Hope Foundation, a nonprofit group based at Nassau police headquarters in Garden City, gained legal custody and paid for the burial, said the director, Tim Jaccard, a Nassau police medic.” Could this have been prevented by sex-education or at least caring for the women across this nation? Oh you betcha!
In past pieces I have written on the subject of abortion which is a procedure I do not like, I have embedded within links to show what this procedure is truly all about. Not to overturn Roe V. Wade, but to confront pro-lifers and others who believe government plays no role in a woman’s health that they must step up to the plate when it concerns this issue and to show their hypocrisy. I have suggested that they who believe in pro-life demand of this government to fully fund adoption centers. Then again, we have no money thanks to John McCain’s beliefs of deregulation which led to this Wall Street crisis. Sure, money for Wall Street, but none to help women across this country.
At times the government must step in to protect a woman’s health along with the baby she carries to ensure they do have full medical care and that too can lower the rate of abortions. Some of these pro-lifers will just protest and will not lift one finger to find at least some common ground. What some are saying in this movement to women is if she finds herself pregnant and alone, she is on her own. If I hear one more time the term compassionate conservatism, I will scream.
While Sarah and Todd Palin are supportive of their daughter, Palin’s pregnancy where she engaged in premarital sex, at times other parents across this nation are not. In fact one Colorado lawmaker, Republican Rep. Larry Liston had this to say, “There's no sense of shame today. Society condones it ... I think it's wrong. They're sluts. And I don't mean just the women. I mean the men, too." Would Liston call Sarah Palin’s daughter a slut?
Getting back to the issue on abortion, I came across this article as it pertains to Senator Barack Obama, titled, U.S. Catholic Democrats and the "party of death" charge, where it clearly states, “With the charge about the “party of death” still ringing in its ears, a group called Catholic Democrats has issued a Q&A on abortion setting out its case that faithful Roman Catholics can vote for Barack Obama despite his consistent pro-choice record. Catholic Democrats makes the same argument as the Matthew 25 network, i.e. that Democratic policies would actually reduce the abortion rate, which spiked under Republicans in the 1980s, fell during the Clinton administration and have leveled off — and may have begun rising again — in the Bush administration.”
Which leads me to ask: Which party and which candidate is more pro-active when it comes to women’s health and the reducing the numbers of abortions? If you are a pro-choice woman there is no denying who is on your side. Barack Obama is and not John McCain. Just remember those air quotes and his rolling of his eyes he gave at the third and final presidential debate dismissing the health of a woman. Do I need to say more?
Author’s email address is, xmjmac@optonline.net
