In a debate about health care, Republican Rep. Shimkus asked why men should pay for prenatal care. Does he think all children are virgin births?
At the start, Democratic Rep. Mike Doyle (Pa.) was talking with Republican Rep. John Shimkus (Ill.) about Shimkus’s objections to the Affordable Care Act’s requirements for health-insurance plans. As a reminder, former president Barack Obama’s signature 2010 health-care law ordered that all health plans cover certain essential health benefits, such as doctor visits, hospital care and prescription drugs. The law also required plans to cover pregnancy and childbirth. That’s where the fireworks started in the Energy and Commerce Committee. “What mandate in the Obamacare bill does he take issue with?” Doyle asked Shimkus, using the formal parlance of congressional committees. “What about men having to purchase prenatal care?” Shimkus said. At that point, one could hear the room start to stir. “I’m just . . . is that not correct?” Shimkus said. “And should they?”
Do women get pregnant all by themselves? Should they get prenatal care if they are carrying male babies?
This has hints of the school choice debate. Everyone pays for public schools, even if they don’t have children. Public schools are a public responsibility. When a state diverts funding to private and religious schools, it diminishes the funding for public schools. It also encourages the belief that individuals are responsible only for the services they personally need or use. Why should you pay to educate other people’s children? It is an investment in our society.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It seems there is a disease going on where many forget that taxes are for the **COMMON GOOD.”
Under that general idea, it doesn’t even matter that men are partly responsible for a birth, prenatal care is still a part of the common good: the ongoing health of those who live here and who are our future.
SAME LOGIC: I don’t have a car and don’t use the roads, so why should I pay for them with my taxes? And I’ve never called a policeman either. Once we break with the idea of the common good, the list can go on and on . . . . and on.
We don’t have universal health care either–what’s wrong with this picture? And when did we lose the basic idea of the common good?
CBK,
That analogy can be carried to every area where there are public services. I never had a fire in my house, so why…
I never use a public beach…I never use a public hospital…
Diane: My point exactly . . on and on and on . . .
From what I have understood of it, this point is also the basis of the Hobby Lobby debate. I think they need to clarify for themselves what “tax” means.
As a School Librarian, when I introduced students to the World Almanac, I did a lesson where we looked up status today can abour various countries. As a comparison, among other things, I had them look up life expectancy and infant mortality rates, pointing out that these were two important identifiers when drawing conclusions about quality of life in these locations.
I am sorry to say that the United States was
not number one in either of these categories. With attitudes such as Rep Shimkus’, expect our numbers to become closer to third world countries than those of “industrialized” nations.
For shame!
John Shmuckus neeeds to be thrown out of Congress, with all the other frauds whose ignorance makes them incompetent to represent the people, or to do their job
OMG … glad I am not married to him. What a stupid man.
WELL, that DUMP is sure “Making America GRATE!”
I just find some of this ed reform stuff amazing:
“That’s really not what choice is about. Choice exists to allow parents to educate their children in accordance with their own needs, desires and values. If diversity is a core value of yours, for example, you might seek out a school where your child can learn alongside peers from different backgrounds. If your child is a budding artist, actor or musician, the “evidence” that might persuade you is whether he or she will have the opportunity to study with a working sculptor or to pound the boards in a strong theater or dance program. If your child is an athlete, the number of state titles won by the lacrosse team or sports scholarships earned by graduates might be compelling evidence. If faith is central to your family, you will want a school that allows your child to grow and be guided by your religious beliefs. There can be no doubt that, if you are fortunate enough to select a school based on your child’s talents or interests or your family’s values and traditions, the question of whether school choice “works” has already been answered. It’s working perfectly for you.”
This is a fantasy. Everyone gets exactly what they want with no additional cost or downside.
No wonder politicians love “choice”. There’s no risk, everyone gets exactly what they want with absolutely no consideration or concern for anyone else, and it doesn’t cost more.
We have open enrollment in Ohio where I live. That ONE “choice” provision has an upside and a downside. There are winners and losers. That’s when we added ONE choice aspect to the system. It changed every single school because that’s how systems work-when you pull a thread the fabric changes
This stuff comes with costs. Trade-offs. Upsides and downsides. Risk. They sell it like it doesn’t, but of course it does.
It amazes me that conservatives are pushing this cost-free,risk-free fantasy. Aren’t they supposed to be “conservative”?
https://www.usnews.com/opinion/knowledge-bank/articles/2017-03-06/test-based-evidence-alone-doesnt-tell-us-whether-school-choice-works
Chiara,
Interesting point about this article is that the voucher advocates realize that their promises of closing the achievement gap have been discredited. Now they have to find other rationales for choice.
Diane: You write to Chiara: “Interesting point about this article is that the voucher advocates realize that their promises of closing the achievement gap have been discredited. Now they have to find other rationales for choice.”
That will be a three-pronged, double-down effort: (1) RA-RA for vouchers, “choice,” and slickifying charters and private schools; (2) throwing more rag-spaghetti at teachers and public schools in hope that some of it will stick to parents and lawmakers: and (3) an increase in behind-the-scenes bribery and false-honor appeals to sycophants.
“This stuff comes with costs. Trade-offs. Upsides and downsides. Risk. They sell it like it doesn’t, but of course it does.”
Yeah, it’s called marketing in the business world. And it’s called propaganda in the nation idolizing world. My preferred term is selling snake oil. Or 100% Pure Grade AA Bullshit
Shimkus is among the lowest wattage light bulbs in Congress. He’s said we don’t need to worry about climate change because his reading of the Bible tells him God won’t let it happen. He’s a gun nut/apologist extraordinaire. And he said cap and trade legislation was a greater threat than terrorism and war. He’s a softer spoken Elmer Gantry-esque figure.
What an embarrassment he is!
cross posted at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/Is-that-not-correct–Ma-in-General_News-Children_Health_Law_Mens-Issues-170310-204.html#comment649424
my comment: I think it is time that Senator Shmuckus [sic intentional] should pack his bags and leave the legislature for people who can think about what our nation really needs.
Encouraged by the ascendency to the Executive Office of the most ignorant, deranged president IN HISTORY, the worms are coming our of the wood work, revealing their incompetence for the job.
THROW THE BUMS OUT!
We are not dealing with conservatism . We are dealing with deranged minds. The problem with Hillary’s deplorable charge was not that she was wrong. It was like everything else she was for it, till she was against it .
You could not make this stuff up, but sadly it is the mind set of the Republicans and those who vote for them. They do scream the loudest when they get screwed.
“We are not dealing with conservatism.”
Exactly, the far right, and almost all are xtian, politicians are not conservative, even though that is what they want the populace to believe. They are reactionary regressives who want to turn this country into an xtian caliphate with xtian sharia law supposedly to MAGA (yeah, it’s a verb) us to some time and place that has never been nor ever will be.
Why does Rep Smirkus choose to serve his own needs solely?
Because his god helps those who help themselves first.
And THIS should give you all some idea of just what’s going on in ILL-Annoy!
We haven’t had a state budget for 2 years–our Republican $$$$ Guv & House Speaker who’s been in office longer than ALEC has been in existence (& that’s almost 44 years!)have been at odds (although, must give credit to him & most Dems {we do, of course, have DINOs of Tyrannosaurus Rex proportions, two of which started…STARTED!–the IL Charter School Commission, of whose members [again, including some DINOs} can override local school board decisions as to approving local charter school apps). An amendment for term limits failed to pass, we have gerrymandering all over the state & the former Dem guv lost because he made fun of teacher pensions (no, really, a cartoon, “Squeezy” the pension monster–taking all the taxpayers’ money for–gasp!–teacher pensions!), stabbed the unions in the back &, for his final self-destructive act, chose Pail Vallas (yes, guys, THAT Paul Vallas) to run for his Lt. Guv. And–wait for it–the other day Mayor Rahm, angry about the Guv refusing additional funding to CPS, stated, “The emperor has no clothes!” with Guv retorting that Mayor is a Napoleon wannabe.
That’s ILL-Annoy in a nutshell, so Shimkus fits right in.
Although, I have to add, must give a shout-out to our two great Congresswomen– Schakowsky & Duckworth.
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education.
Oh, of course, not “Pail” Vallas, but Paul. And, that having been said, w/the ESSA a “hot mess” as described in a more recent post, the State of ILL-Annoy, left to its own devices, will wreak havoc on our public education to an extent as yet unseen.
However, our fight, here, will continue, because yes, WE can…& WE WILL.