Republicans like to describe themselves as conservatives with a penchant for “small” government in which medical care, social welfare, and protection of the environment are not major concerns. The less spent there, the lower the tax rate and, thus, the more contributions from moneyed constituents flow into campaign coffers. I guess it works pretty well—the campaign coffer part, that is—at least for many corporations and those individuals at the upper end of the income scale where the marginal tax rate tops out at 37%. (In 1945, it was 91%. Just sayin’.) It appears they’re getting a pretty good return on their campaign investments.
Apparently, however, the GOP (that’s a misnomer! there’s nothing “Grand” about it) has decided to pick and choose what constitutes the notion of “small” government. I realized this several years ago when Governor What’s-His-Name* of Virginia mandated that women in his state submit to vaginal ultrasounds before they could have what were then perfectly legal abortions.
What could be more big government than that?
I can’t be the first person to have realized that a woman doesn’t get pregnant all by herself. What shall we do about the other participant? Mandate a vasectomy? Why not? After all, let loose on a population so ill-prepared for life that they can’t make their own health care decisions, the miscreant could impregnate thousands!
However, just to keep the system fair, perhaps we should set up a nation-wide accounting department responsible for collecting monthly payments from the sperm contributor to ensure he does his part to support the resulting child for the coming 18 years. I know; he may be married to the woman who will bear the child, but you can’t be sure this is a forever relationship, can you? And clearly, we need some way to level the playing field when it comes to feeding, clothing, and housing a child for the 18 years that parents (notice the plural) are responsible for a child’s welfare.
Given all that, we’ll need to expand government even more, not only to track down and persecute those wild women, but to hold to account the other half of the equation, the guys.
Of course, this presupposes that those alleged “pro-lifers” care about the quality of life of that child and that mother, and I’m not sure that’s the case. Remember, some of these people now say they’d like to outlaw contraception. Contraception! What are they thinking?
Apparently, this is what they’re thinking… as Melinda Gates, philanthropist and author, has said, “Contraceptives are the greatest lifesaving, poverty-ending, women-empowering innovation ever created.” Uh-oh! Those dangerous women again!
The anti-abortionist stance is misogyny run amuck. I don’t know how the females in that camp explain themselves. There’s a “Readers Write” page for that. Please … if you’re so inclined, be my guest.
*Editor's Note: His name was Bob McDonnell
Apparently, however, the GOP (that’s a misnomer! there’s nothing “Grand” about it) has decided to pick and choose what constitutes the notion of “small” government. I realized this several years ago when Governor What’s-His-Name* of Virginia mandated that women in his state submit to vaginal ultrasounds before they could have what were then perfectly legal abortions.
What could be more big government than that?
I can’t be the first person to have realized that a woman doesn’t get pregnant all by herself. What shall we do about the other participant? Mandate a vasectomy? Why not? After all, let loose on a population so ill-prepared for life that they can’t make their own health care decisions, the miscreant could impregnate thousands!
However, just to keep the system fair, perhaps we should set up a nation-wide accounting department responsible for collecting monthly payments from the sperm contributor to ensure he does his part to support the resulting child for the coming 18 years. I know; he may be married to the woman who will bear the child, but you can’t be sure this is a forever relationship, can you? And clearly, we need some way to level the playing field when it comes to feeding, clothing, and housing a child for the 18 years that parents (notice the plural) are responsible for a child’s welfare.
Given all that, we’ll need to expand government even more, not only to track down and persecute those wild women, but to hold to account the other half of the equation, the guys.
Of course, this presupposes that those alleged “pro-lifers” care about the quality of life of that child and that mother, and I’m not sure that’s the case. Remember, some of these people now say they’d like to outlaw contraception. Contraception! What are they thinking?
Apparently, this is what they’re thinking… as Melinda Gates, philanthropist and author, has said, “Contraceptives are the greatest lifesaving, poverty-ending, women-empowering innovation ever created.” Uh-oh! Those dangerous women again!
The anti-abortionist stance is misogyny run amuck. I don’t know how the females in that camp explain themselves. There’s a “Readers Write” page for that. Please … if you’re so inclined, be my guest.
*Editor's Note: His name was Bob McDonnell
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