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Title: Democratic Women Boycott House Contraception Hearing After Republicans Prevent Women From Testifying
Source:
http://thinkprogress.org
URL Source: http://thinkprogress.org/health/201 ... venting-women-from-testifying/
Published: Feb 16, 2012
Author: Igor Volsky
Post Date: 2012-02-16 15:42:35 by Ferret Mike
Keywords: None
Views: 38162
Comments: 90
This morning, Democrats tore into House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) for preventing women from testifying before a hearing examining the Obama administration’s new regulation requiring employers and insurers to provide contraception coverage to their employees. Republicans oppose the administration’s rule and have sponsored legislation that would allow employers to limit the availability of birth control to women. Ranking committee member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) had asked Issa to include a female witness at the hearing, but the Chairman refused, arguing that “As the hearing is not about reproductive rights and contraception but instead about the Administration’s actions as they relate to freedom of religion and conscience, he believes that Ms. Fluke is not an appropriate witness.” And so Cummings, along with the Democratic women on the panel, took their request to the hearing room, demanding that Issa consider the testimony of a female college student. But the California congressman insisted that the hearing should focus on the rules’ alleged infringement on “religious liberty,” not contraception coverage, and denied the request. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) walked out of the hearing in protest of his decision, citing frustration over the fact that the first panel of witnesses consisted only of male religious leaders against the rule. Holmes Norton said she will not return, calling Issa’s chairmanship an “autocratic regime.” Watch a compilation of the heated exchange: ky on Feb 16, 2012 at 10:52 am This morning, Democrats tore into House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) for preventing women from testifying before a hearing examining the Obama administration’s new regulation requiring employers and insurers to provide contraception coverage to their employees. Republicans oppose the administration’s rule and have sponsored legislation that would allow employers to limit the availability of birth control to women. Ranking committee member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) had asked Issa to include a female witness at the hearing, but the Chairman refused, arguing that “As the hearing is not about reproductive rights and contraception but instead about the Administration’s actions as they relate to freedom of religion and conscience, he believes that Ms. Fluke is not an appropriate witness.” And so Cummings, along with the Democratic women on the panel, took their request to the hearing room, demanding that Issa consider the testimony of a female college student. But the California congressman insisted that the hearing should focus on the rules’ alleged infringement on “religious liberty,” not contraception coverage, and denied the request. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) walked out of the hearing in protest of his decision, citing frustration over the fact that the first panel of witnesses consisted only of male religious leaders against the rule. Holmes Norton said she will not return, calling Issa’s chairmanship an “autocratic regime.” Watch a compilation of the heated exchange: A picture of the witness table: Issa also dismissed the Democrats’ woman witness as a “college student’ who does not “have the appropriate credentials” to testify before his committee.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 51.
#44. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
I am so sick and tired of these political grandstanding assholes. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. What do you suppose "no law" means??? It means NO FUCKING LAW, whatsoever, PERIOD! End of discussion. Thomas Jefferson said that freedom requires eternal vigilance. Why do you suppose that he said that? He said it because he knew that the tyrants would never stop trying to control us. He was right.
End of discussion. Does "NO FUCKING LAW" mean likewise the Catholic church may not use government to impose its moral code on the American people as a whole?
It must mean that it shouldn't allow anymore of those 'Caesar' moments. So instead we need to tax it as the corporate entity that it really is. It should not be allowed to have it both ways.
Taxing the church would save it from hypocrisy at least in that.
#53. To: lucysmom (#51)
I agree. Many religious entities can't bring themselves to stay out of the political arena, which is fine; as long as they pay taxes and thus pay their way in a society they want to have a political say in. I agree with you whole heartedly.
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#46. To: jwpegler (#44)
It means NO FUCKING LAW, whatsoever, PERIOD!
#48. To: lucysmom (#46)
Does "NO FUCKING LAW" mean likewise the Catholic church may not use government to impose its moral code on the American people as a whole?
#51. To: mininggold (#48)
So instead we need to tax it as the corporate entity that it really is. It should not be allowed to have it both ways.
Replies to Comment # 51. "Taxing the church would save it from hypocrisy at least in that."
End Trace Mode for Comment # 51.
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