You Don’t Know Jack
18 July 2008 by Bob
Nice one from Crooks and Liars:
In discussion of McCain’s painful fumbling over why health insurance covers Viagra but not birth control, The Situation Room panel…debate the position between a rock and a hard place that McCain finds himself, eager to win over those feminist Clinton supporters but hesitant to speak out against that mainstay of the Republican platform: restricting women’s reproductive freedom. [...]CAFFERTY: Well, you know, the answer is Viagra is used to treat a medical condition, erectile dysfunction. Birth control is a lifestyle choice. And that’s why insurance companies don’t reimburse for it unless pregnancy represents a danger for the woman. And then there’s a gray area where you can do a negotiation.
Excuse me? I know that most men don’t have a huge well of knowledge on the workings of a woman’s body…but I think that in absence of knowledge, it might be smarter to avoid definite declarations like that. Oral contraceptives are absolutely used to treat medical conditions [...] And since when is the life of a woman to be considered a “gray area” for negotiation? But there’s no gray area about a man’s desire to get it up, nor any consideration to the consequences of what happens when he can? Jack, you disappoint me.
But the reply is simply: let’s just say why McCain’s comments are right in line with the ‘publicans: because sex for any reason besides procreation is BAD, and there’s no real reason for a woman to have an orgasm unless she’s also willing to “fully commit” to pregnancy and childbirth.
And we all know where such a line of bullshit comes from…
But, of course, that’s a “religious belief,” so we can’t criticize it…
18 July 2008, on 11:41 am
Well duh Bob. ED is a form of birth control, which is why Viagra is covered. Can’t be having none of that birth control, now can we?
18 July 2008, on 1:01 pm
Zoiks! AUM, you beat me to it!
18 July 2008, on 2:13 pm
Can anyone actually name a specific insurance plan that covers Viagra but not birth control pills? The only time I hear about them is from people trying to make an argument; every plan that I’ve had, or that any of my friends and family have had, have been just the opposite.
The reason for this would seem pretty obvious. A woman who takes birth control pills is less likely to develop pregnancy, which can be expensive for her insurer, whereas birth control pills are pretty cheap. By contrast, untreated ED is unlikely to lead to other more expensive medical conditions (except maybe depression?), and Viagra and isn’t yet available in generics and therefore is quite expensive.
But anyway, yes, McCain wants to avoid offending people who draw a different (or no) line between birth
control and abortion than the medical establishment. You almost have to feel for the guy — his surrogates
almost seem to be trying to sabotage him.
18 July 2008, on 6:36 pm
Viagra- and other boner pills, ought only be covered by insurance for a man when he supplies a note from his spouse, significant other, one night stand, toothless hooker, stating his absent boner is necessary- whether for pleasure, self-destruction, or commerce. Otherwise, it’s purely masturbatory and cosmetic.
At least until I need it, at which point it should be free.
18 July 2008, on 6:38 pm
Do you have a tiny penis, extreme paranoia, and a god complex? Would you like to spend more time ordering mass murder for fun and profit? Does the thought of being treated by women and minorities as an equal instead of being automatically given your rightful place as a superior make you wet your panties? Well then let me tell you, friend, the Republican party is the party for you!
The only party where there is no partying!
How anybody can take these pathetic, murderous, microdick schoolyard tyrants seriously is beyond me. And yet there are women who hate themselves enough to actually vote for these assholes. I can only assume it comes from the fear and ignorance that goes along with being in a class of people who have been violently suppressed for 10,000 years or so.
18 July 2008, on 8:26 pm
So is Viagra covered for Larry Craig?
And does the insurance company know if it is for Larry when he is with his wife, or when he is with some guy at the airport?
And is Mrs. Craig post-menopausal?
No wonder the Repugs don’t believe in privacy!
18 July 2008, on 11:53 pm
hogarm: “So is Viagra covered for Larry Craig?”
No…
Only people who’s “crapping-stance” is less than…if I’m not mistaken…2 feet?
For any “crapping-stances” over that amount, I believe, a special insurance “Rider” is necessary.
Like…perhaps…
A jockey?
Or maybe…
“Mini-me”? You know…the…
oh “fuckette-it”!
19 July 2008, on 1:42 am
The perpetually scrambly Rethuglicans seem extra scrambly attempting to explain this one away.
Birth control pills are a “lifestyle choice” and not a medical treatment? For real, Jack? Try telling that to my sister who was literally paralyzed with pain, to the point where she had to drop out of school because of menstrual cramps. She was essentially a non-functioning member of society for 7+ days out of the month, until she got on the pill. It truly turned her life around.
That’s not a medical treatment? Do your research, Jackie, THEN open your mouth. I know that’s a confusing concept for you, but give it a try. Like so many Repugnantcans these days, you’re doing things ass backwards. Eight years of that has gotten us into the miasma were in. Really, get a clue, ass-face.
19 July 2008, on 9:34 am
Try telling that to my sister who was literally paralyzed with pain, to the point where she had to drop out of school because of menstrual cramps.
fritzy, I had the same reason for taking birth control pills in my late teens and early 20s and my own daughter now has to take them or else she would never have normal cycle. However, her insurance will not cover the pills even though it is a documented medical reason. She still must pay for the pills on her own small income every month.
Jack knows jack shit about gynecological problems.
19 July 2008, on 9:45 am
I’ve been reading about this one all over and some apologists are trying to say the asshat meant it ’sarcastically’. That he was kidding. I don’t agree. I think he’s dumb enough to say it and believe it.
I recall my reaction when viagra first hit the market. “Pathetic”
Now a pharmacist can treat women like children and deny them their prescription for birth control because it might offend the idiot pill counter’s religious stupidity but hey mister would you like a free sample of viagra?? the high holy whatchamafuck apparently has no problem with male promiscuity.
So the message is “Men, get out there and fuck as much as you can, whenever and where ever and with whomever. Women, if you have sex and don’t make babies you’re a godless whore.”
No woman in her right mind would support any of these jackasses.
19 July 2008, on 1:40 pm
Wimminz can haz orgazmz?
L, I B.
19 July 2008, on 1:54 pm
I think the note should still count if the hooker has teeth.
19 July 2008, on 1:56 pm
maybe someday both of these substances will come to our homes free of charge via the municipal water supply
19 July 2008, on 11:46 pm
OJD, I think they recently analyzed some NYC tapwater and found birth control pill chemicals in it. I’m not sure about the Viagra.
20 July 2008, on 4:43 pm
Actually, it was anti-depressants in the water. That should make you happy.
20 July 2008, on 10:22 pm
Mmm, this vintage has the subtlest hint of prozac…