The above political ad by Planned Parenthood brings up some very disturbing facts about Sarah Palin and John McCain, that makes one wonder what a Palin-McCain administration might embody.
Making the victim pay
In an editorial in Wednesday's Boston Globe, it was reported that a new policy was put in place, during Sarah Palin's tenure as mayor, that asked victims of rape to pay for their own rape exams.
As was written:
the town started charging rape victims or their insurers for hospital emergency-room rape kits and examinations.The article goes on to state the following:
The policy so outraged the Alaska Legislature that in 2000 it passed unanimously a bill forbidding such fees. But Palin has never explained why, under her leadership, the town stopped picking up the cost of the swabs, specimen containers, and tests.
After the Alaska Legislature banned the fees, Palin's handpicked police chief, Charlie Fannon, complained that the state's action would force the town to spend $5,000 to $14,000 a year to cover the costs. "I just don't want to see any more burden put on the taxpayer," Fannon said.
But the policy on rape kits may have had less to do with easing the burden on taxpayers and more to do with Palin's position on abortion. She has said she opposes it even in cases of rape or incest.
Peas in a pod
Additionally, Senator John McCain is on record for voting against a bill, part of which ended the practice that allowed some municipalities to make rape victims absorb some of the costs of these exams. His 'nay' vote is especially significant, when one considers that Senator Joe Biden was one of the Senators who pushed hard for passage of the bill.
The Daily Kos reports that McCain's position remains the same, with the 'maverick' voting similarly in 2007, one of just 19 Senators to do so.
The contrast between the 2 party's attitudes towards women could not be any starker.
The right-wing mouthpieces are screaming 'smear' once again. Too bad for them, the record is available to see.
The links to the votes and legislation are above. Do research and you will learn for yourself what Sarah Palin and John McCain really think about women.
The full Boston Globe editorial can be accessed here.
October 8 update:
There has been an overall dismissal of this story throughout the mainstream media and right-of-center blogosphere.
However, Eric Boehlert of Media Matters, has an excellent piece on their site, defending the truth of the charges, and inquiring why the media is so reticent about reporting on it.
You can access that fully-sourced story here.
1 comment:
Given evidence like this, it boggles the mind how Palin is able to get away with representing herself as a defender of women's rights. She specifically mentioned women's rights during her debate. This is what debates are for, to rebute the argument. Every time we let something like this go, it just perpetuates their memes. Why didn't Biden refute her statements, and why can't the democratic party claim the high ground on women's rights and portray the opposition as opposing women's rights?
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