War On Women's Health (Stage 3)

The "war" on women's health seems to be the biggest topic of debate in the news lately. After reading a commentary in the Austin American Statesman, Women's Healthcare Offers New Wrinkle in Texas-Washington War by Jason Embry I asked myself, is it just a war on women?

A little background for the ongoing..."controversy centers on the Women's Health Program, which provides Pap smears, breast exams, birth control and other services to low-income, uninsured women between the ages of 18 and 44. A new state law says money for such programs cannot go to providers that are affiliated with abortion providers."  But, "That bars Planned Parenthood from participating in the program, even though its participating affiliates are legally separate from the Planned Parenthood entities that perform abortions, and even though the law already prohibits taxpayer-funded clinics from providing abortions."

This topic touches home for me in a very personal way. Two years ago I was "fired" after 3 years of dedication and acceptance into the Coorporate Management Program by a major coorporation the day before my lumpectomy in my right breast. I was terrified! How could my company do this? I would have 30 days of insurance coverage. I immediately called Planned Parenthood, not because I am a believer in abortions, but because they, along with the Women's Health Program, would be my best bet to take care of any surgeries, medications, or procedures I needed done if I in fact did have breast cancer according to the Susan G. Komen foundation. Fortunately, my labs came back pre-cancerous, but benign. Not all women are as blessed as I was and will need somewhere to turn. This debate should not be a "show" for Washington OR Texas politicians.

Jason Embry wrote a very informative commentary on the debate without coming off left or right-winged. Instead he just stated the facts and spoke his opinion on both political parties. Embry goes on to say that this is a concrete  decision and because of that politicians have everything to lose. It is not a decision like job creation or environmental issues that can be debated and fidgeted with, women's health is not something to "debate" about. At first, I did not like that it was a man writing about this topic, but his commentary soon made me realize this affects men as well as women. Fathers, brother, sons, husbands, and grandsons will be affected by this because their wives, mothers, daughters and sisters will be.

I wish everyone would read this commentary because he points out more than once that this is a war between Washington and Texas, primarily Texas Republicans. They are trying to make it seem like the federal government is overstepping their boundaries but if Texan's are smart, "they might decide that the state government, and not the federal government, is the one that's overreaching this time."

Embry did a great job of informing without over-stepping political boundaries.