Effect Measure

Annals of McCain – Palin, XXXIX: steady and consistent

Posted by revere on October 29, 2008
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The Obama campaign has made much of the McCain campaign’s “erratic” performance but there are some things he has been steady and consistent about. Like reproductive rights. He’s against them. Steadily. Consistently. You surely know McCain wants to make abortion illegal again in the US. But he’s not content to stop there:

McCain opposed spending $100 million to prevent unintended and teen pregnancies.

In 2005, McCain voted NO to allocate $100 million to expand access to preventive health care services that reduce the numbers of unintended and teen pregnancies and reduce the number of abortions.

McCain opposed legislation requiring that abstinence-only programs be medically accurate and scientifically based.

McCain voted NO on legislation that would help reduce the number of teen pregnancies by providing funding for programs to teach comprehensive, medically accurate sexuality education and other programs to prevent unintended teen pregnancies.

McCain opposed Title X, the nation’s family planning program.

In 1990, McCain voted NO on legislation to extend the Title X federal family planning program, which provides low-income and uninsured women and families with health care services ranging from breast and cervical cancer screening to birth control.

McCain opposed requiring insurance coverage of prescription birth control.

In 2003, McCain voted NO on legislation to improve the availability of contraceptives for women and to require insurance coverage of prescription birth control.

McCain opposes comprehensive sex education.

In an interview aboard the “Straight Talk Express,” McCain struggled to answer questions about comprehensive sex education and HIV prevention. He also stated that he thought he supported “the president’s policy” on sex education. (Planned Parenhood)

Not just for American women. For every woman:

McCain supports the “global gag rule.”

In 2005, McCain voted NO on legislation to overturn the “global gag rule,” which bars non-U.S. nongovernmental organizations from receiving U.S. family planning assistance if the organization (using its own, non-U.S. funds) provides abortion services or information or advocates for pro-choice laws and policies in its own country.

Steady. Consistent. Anti-woman.

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Comments

  1. #1 Claudia
    October 29, 2008

    Actually, he’s even kinda ummed and awwed about that one too. But only slightly…

    McCain Softens Abortion Stand

    Tuesday, August 24, 1999;

    Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) appeared to soften his position on making abortion illegal in separate interviews in recent days, drawing criticism from social conservatives and some of his opponents for the Republican presidential nomination.

    Aides to McCain said perhaps he could have been clearer in comments he made to the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN, but that he had not wavered from his long-term opposition to abortion or his belief that Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, should be repealed.

    “I’d love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary,” McCain told the Chronicle in an article published Friday. “But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations.”

    On Sunday, on CNN’s “Late Edition,” McCain reiterated that he would not have an abortion “litmus” test for a running mate or Supreme Court nominees. He added that while he ultimately favors repeal of Roe, “we all know, and it’s obvious, that if we repeal Roe v. Wade tomorrow, thousands of young American women would be performing illegal and dangerous operations.”

  2. #2 bobh
    October 29, 2008

    “On Sunday, on CNN’s “Late Edition,” McCain reiterated that he would not have an abortion “litmus” test for a running mate or Supreme Court nominees.”

    I heard McCain say that too, although I think it was another program. He also said that he would select Supreme Court Nominee’s based on their judicial philosophy. When asked he said that he couldn’t imagine that anyone who supported Roe vs Wade would have the judicial philosophy that he would want in a nominee. Not having a “litmus test” is a fig leaf.

  3. #3 Trin Tragula
    October 29, 2008

    Transcript of the third McCain-Obama debate
    McCain: I would never and have never in all the years I’ve been there imposed a litmus test on any nominee to the court. That’s not appropriate to do.
    McCain: I would consider anyone in their qualifications. I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications. But I certainly would not impose any litmus test.

  4. #4 anon
    October 29, 2008

    ahh, XXXIX

  5. #5 daedalus2u
    October 29, 2008

    You might want to check out McCain’s comments on why he supports health insurance companies being required to supply Viagra but not birth control medications.

    http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-maeve28-2008oct28,0,7533361,full.story