Conservatives like Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina, attempting to do damage control, told millions that women don’t care about contraception. She appeared on The View and said not only were women not interested in contraception, they were interested in jobs and the economy and raising their families.
What planet did Haley and yes, Mitt Romney, fly in from? Romney is spouting the same nonsense. Contraception is a real basic to jobs, the economy and kids. Unless women can control their own reproduction, they have limited options when dealing with getting a good job, an education and raising kids. Unless Republicans back off and stop minimizing the importance of having safe, reliable contraception, they will lag at least 10 points behind with the women vote. No one likes being dismissed or told what they consider important.
Nikki Haley should know better. Most middle class women can take care of their own contraception. However, just about everyone can look back to a day when $50 bucks was a BFD. Young women are often short of cash and take unnecessary risks when short on money. They also know that women who aren’t middle class don’t have the luxury (and very often the transportation) to travel around looking for affordable contraception. They know unplanned pregnancy keeps women in poverty. Pissing off one demographic pretty much includes everyone.
Teen pregnancy costs this country 7 billion dollars annually. Women (and also men) had better be interested in contraception. It is a matter of national financial well-being. It breaks the cycle of poverty like nothing else.
Time for the stupid talk to stop and time for reality to set in. It might be too late for the Republicans however.
