Holy cow! Watch this.
John McCain advisor and former Hewlitt-Packard CEO, Carli Fiorino, said it was unfair that some insurance companies would cover Viagra but not birth control for women. McCain, who voted against a bill to require companies to offer both (which seems like a very common sense gender equality issue), was asked about this on his Straight Talk bus.
After looking at this tape, I think he needs to rename it the "Bumbling Stumbling Wheel that Goes Round and Round."
Watching this tape is painful, but it reminds me of my favorite stories about Julia Carson involving a very similar issue.
At a debate at the Press Club against Republican Gary Hofmeister, Mary-Beth Schneider asked Julia Carson about whether she thought it was acceptable for Medicare to cover Viagra if it didn't cover birth control. Congresswoman Carson's answer was as follows:
"I don't know anything about that Viagra. You'd have to ask Mr. Hofmeister that question."
Hofmeister was visibly flushed as the crowd roared.
At the same debate, I promise it sounded like each time the Congresswoman said Hofmeister's name it morphed closer and closer to "house master," which would have served as a not-so-subtle reminder of the racial dynamic in that campaign.
(The progression, which I recall like it was yesterday, was "Hofmeister," "Haufmeister," "Hausmeister," "Hausmister," "Hausmaster," "Housemaster").
7 comments:
I had never heard that story of Julia and the viagra but it sounds just like her. That is one reason that I still miss her.
I too was at that famous Press Club debate -- my memory is of another skilled Julia-jab.
The GOP had set up a Congressional vote that made it seem she supported needle-exchange programs for heroin addicts. Hoffmeister triumphantly brought it up of course. Gary himself had a troubled past with narcotics and particularly alcoholism so Julia turned it around. She kept asking Hoffmeister that of course he shared some empathy with the poor wretches caught up in the throes of addiction - how good Christians would try to alleviate the suffering of addicts, etc. She was smiling sweetly as she kept needling Hoffmeister about the grave social and familial problems caused by addicts. He and the entire room knew exactly who she was talking about! Poor guy...
The greater question is why should insurance companies be required to offer either? If people could shop plans and purchase ala carte policies maybe they would be so expensive. I know people in the health insurance world and people would be shocked at the type of things that must be paid for just because some legislator has a friend or family member who wanted some special coverage. I am no fan of health insurance companies by any means. I support birth control and viagra but why have every person be required to have this coverage if they do not need it.
On another vain, where is the media asking Obama about obscure provisions in bills he has voted for or against? Of course, he will just change his tune and say he misspoke the alst time or didn't was inartful in choosing his words. Like his interview where he said he supported the DC gun law and thought it was constitutional and then when the Supreme Court ruled otherwise and he is campaigning for the general election he now says he agrees with the decision and thought DC law was unconstitutional.
True conservative...yes, it is a good question why they cover either. But if you pick one gender, how can leave the only one out?
it wouldn't make sense for a person to wait until they need coverage for an ailment and then get the coverage. The whole concept of insurance is that everyone shares the premiums and then those that truly need a service or product gets it. If you waiting until you needed Viagra before you purchased coverage for it would be inane. That would be like waiting until your house was on fire and then calling and getting fire insurance. Then there is the entire issue of gender equity. Remember most insurance companies are run by older white men who probably need Viagra!!!
anonymous you miss the point and actually if there was gender equity the insurance would pay for condoms not viagra. Also, you buy the coverage you want is the point. If you follow your argument insurance companies would be required to insure your house even if you do not own one. This is not a birth control issue for me. It is government forcing people and companies to do things that make no sense.
Huh. Maybe, if they stopped covering Vitamin V, they wouldn't need to extend quite as much coverage for birth control.
And don't give me that. I know you were thinking it, too.
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