Birth Control: Should It Be Available For All Women?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/11/opinion/collins-the-battle-behind-the-fight.html

In Gail Collins' editorial, The Battle Behind the Fight, she talks about Obama's recent bill to make birth control available at hospitals around the nation to all women. "As you probably heard, President Obama changed the new rules on health care coverage to accommodate the howls of outrage from the Catholic bishops." Well, he "tweaked" it Collins says. He made it so that women can receive birth control if their health policy provides it but if not, their insurance will cover it. Catholic churches are still not on board with the idea but they've started to comply with Obama's bill proposal. Though this seems to have caused a huge uproar, the problem is not the bill but Obamacare itself Collins writes. republicans are not pleased whatsoever with this bill and feel that it reveals Obama's weaker points that will cause Obama to not be reelected in the upcoming year. Recently Rick Santorum made some remarks about what a traditional household should consist of. Even though he points the finger at Obama for trying to "impose his ways on others", Santorum is just as guilty. It's evident that he believes the woman should stay home and provide for her family while the husband works full time. Apparently, women are not aloud to use birth control either, Catholic or not.

Do I personally agree with Santorum? No. Not at all. As hinted in the name, birth control is a form of control and taking it away due to Santorum's own religious beliefs is a bad idea. Both religion and sex are both sensitive subjects because it depends on the individual. There are many Catholic women who use birth control even though the Catholic church does not condone it. There are also many Catholic women who don't. But for Santorum to say that every woman should not have access to birth control is not tangible. Agreeing with Obama, women should have the right to go to a hospital, be it Catholic or not, and be able to receive some form of birth control. It is easier for women to pay $3 a month to protect themselves rather than fearing the outcome of an unexpected pregnancy. Obama is doing the best he can to accommodate everyone's needs but unfortunately, this battle is not centered around the Catholic hospitals or churches anymore but around the Republicans who are against Obamacare.

The goal of the Republican Party is to have elect a new face to represent America, and not one that stands for something like Obamacare. Santorum, unfortunately could be that face. Obama has had a trying year and even though I don't expect him to be reelected, I don't expect Rick Santorum to take his place. Santorum is extremely conservative and his ideas of the American Family just don't fit in with society's values of what America stands for today: hard work and the right to choose.