Snark Attack!: Tell Obama: Don't Give In to Catholic Bishops

Snark: to annoy or irritate

"Snark" has been in English language dictionaries since at least 1906, and Lewis Carroll used the word to describe a mythological animal in his poem, The Hunting of the Snark (1874). Most recently, the word has come to characterize snappish, sarcastic, or mean-spirited comments or actions directed at those who annoy or irritate us.

At first, this blog was just going be a place to gripe, but because it's more satisfying to take action than it is to merely complain, now most of the posts/reposts suggest ways to get involved in solving problems.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Tell Obama: Don't Give In to Catholic Bishops

A message from Feminist Majority:

President Barack Obama has still not issued a decision on expanding a religious exemption that would deny birth control coverage with no copays for millions of women. Act now to make sure President Obama and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius do not give in to demands from the Conference of Catholic Bishops to deny birth control coverage.

And while you're at it, tell President Obama and Secretary Sebelius to reconsider the HHS decision to block FDA approval of Plan B over the counter without an age restriction. Women and girls' lives are in the balance. Take action now!

One of the most popular benefits of health care reform, the Affordable Care Act, is preventive care for women – requiring health insurers to cover birth control, mammograms, and PAP tests without any co-pays. Voters resoundingly support this benefit, including 77% of Catholic women.

Yet this benefit could be lost for millions of Americans and their families, and the decision will be made by the Obama administration in the next few days. Please take action now by sending a message to President Obama and to pro-choice members of Congress, asking them to weigh in with the administration.

The Catholic bishops have spoken out against Plan B over the counter and want to exempt the health insurance of every religiously-connected institution from this requirement, and millions of Americans would lose this benefit – students, teachers and staff at religiously-connected schools and universities; social workers, nurses, and other staff (and their families) at religiously-affiliated hospitals that employ thousands of people, federally-funded social service organizations like Catholic Charities, and many more – regardless of the religious beliefs of those employees and students.

This coverage was recommended by the non-partisan Institute of Medicine, and there is no reason to take this benefit away from millions of Americans. Your action right now will make a difference.