It was an audience of about 15-20 men, including a Catholic priest, who's a regular on fox, a couple of other religious men wearing "that" collar and they were talking about female contraception. Not one single female!

Both said that they thought the initial rule was one of the worst mistakes Obama had made thus far.

I was not surprised to hear this from Mr. Brooks, but Mr. Shields take on this set me back on my heels.

I wondered if I were missing something until I watched a few more commentators on major shows and realized that women from both sides supported the rule, while men from both sides tended to oppose it.

I think you are absolutely right.

Where there are public prescription drug plans -- either under the provincial universal health insurance plan, in some provinces, or under separate public coverage for low-income people or opt-in sliding-scale coverage for others -- this question just would not ever arise. Contraception is medically necessary for women's health, where their choice is to avoid pregnancy. Pregnancy carries health risks, and women who choose to avoid pregnancy have a need for contraception. That anyone would question this ... well, it can't be questioned rationally.

Our health plans cover vasectomies and tubal ligations, too. If you want to have them reversed, you gotta pay.

Private supplemental insurance for prescription drugs (employer-based plans or individual membership in some other plan) provides the same coverage.

Any attempt by a public plan to exclude contraception would be contrary to our constitutional Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and in the case of a private plan would contravene federal or provincial human rights codes. We take equality seriously up here.

I would have to see an element of wedge politics in the US situation, of course. None of those people really gives a shit about women's contraception, possibly not even as part of the agenda of controlling women. They'll just use women as pawns to get at Obama.

We wouldn't stand for that up here either ...

You are absolutely correct, it is about power.
So do what the Republicans did, starting 30 some years ago.

Get elected to the local school boards
Run for dog catcher or any other low level local elected office
Run for city council
Work your way up to the State Legislature
From there to Congress.
To the Presidency

Any elected office looks good on the resume. Build on it. It will take time, quite possibly more than 30 years. Build the foundations as you go for those that follow.
Along the way maybe you can stop the wars. Institute Single Payer, Universal Health Care and all the rest of what this country is missing that other countries takes for granted.
There are no instant answers to the problems we all face in this country. Your children will need to finish the job you start. You may be surprised at the support you will have from husbands, brothers, sons, male friends and even strangers.

You want to level the playing field? This is how.

And what is dumber is, one of the few cards the GOP could play is to appeal to some women that were still angry about Hillary losing in 2008. After all, Jane Hamsher and Arrian Huffijngton have been trying to slam and hurl acid at Obama since day one. By befouling Komen, one of the few charities that serves women, and by attacking Planned Parenthood, yet again, even the most die hard PUMA will not be able to support the GOP in good faith, especially as even Romney towed the party line. The fact the Catholic Bishops stuck their nose in sure does not help, especially since Newt and Rick are both old-fashioned, pre Vatican 2 catholics. We are not talking about JFK here.

then aren't all medical interventions guilty of this sin even including ones that <gasp> affect men? After all, that little cancer you picked up must be all part of god's plan, right? Don't think of it as a tumor; think of it as little present from Jesus!

She thinks Obama's compromise was great and she can't understand why, at church today, they were told to send letters to DC. It's working against them and she's starting to see the GOP for what it is. Not to mention, she was recently laid off, after working 35 years. She's definitely changing her tune.

Bwahahahaha!