Week of March 9th: Rick Perry is Chump and Jon Stewart is Champ
| Heather H.
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It’s been yet another incredible week for women’s health. It wasn’t too hard to identify our Champ and Chump.
Let’s start with the bad….
Our Chump this week is none other than Texas Governor (and former Republican presidential candidate) Rick Perry.
It seems that all the coverage of the Women’s Health Express has led Governor Rick Perry to actually respond. His basic message: “Don’t worry! We’ll fund the program!”
So Perry is “committed” to coming up with $35 million to replace what will no longer come from the federal government for the Medicaid Women’s Health Program. We might feel a little more optimistic about the Governor’s promise if he hadn’t already cut women’s health funding by two-thirds on September 1.
Because of last year’s move, more than 160,000 low-income women have been left without access to lifesaving cancer screenings, birth control, prevention and treatment of STDs, and other health exams this year. So, he’ll need to add $73 million from last fall to what’s at stake with the federal government in order to actually serve the women he’s committed to serving.
As for his contention that there are other providers besides Planned Parenthood, he’s right. However, what he’s not saying is that Planned Parenthood health centers care for more than 40 percent of the patients in the Medicaid Women’s health program.
And to be clear, this move is not what Texans want. A poll released earlier this week found that 59 percent of Texas voters do not agree with Perry’s move to prevent Planned Parenthood from participating in the Medicaid Women’s Health Program. And 55% oppose his decision to jeopardize the program as a whole.
The bottom line is that Governor Rick Perry’s record shows that he can’t be trusted when it comes to women’s health, and would rather choose politics over Texan women.
This week’s Champ is a man you all know and love. Jon Stewart has long been covering the attacks on birth control with both humor and thoughtfulness. And this week, he had our own Cecile Richards as a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart!
On Wednesday, Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards appeared on the show to discuss the latest unbelievable statements and ridiculous legislation that have dominated the national discussion.
In the last couple of weeks, Jon has been shining a light on the importance of affordable women’s health care, and the absolute ridiculous lengths Republicans will go to restrict it. From birth control to Governor Perry attempting to slash the Medicaid Women’s Health Program in Texas, Cecile and Jon discussed many of the astounding attacks on women’s health care across the country.
This week, we’re thanking Jon Stewart for standing up for women and Planned Parenthood by giving him the Champ of the Week crown. Thanks, Jon, for holding legislators and the media accountable for their hateful actions and statements over the last few months. Thanks for pointing out — with much-needed humor — just how ridiculous some of these attacks have been. And, in doing so, thanks for standing with women everywhere.
Jon Stewart certainly isn't the only media figure who has stood with women this year. But, he's among the most unique, and for that, we're grateful.
Here are both clips of Cecile’s appearance on Wednesday. Happy Weekend!
| The Daily Show with Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Exclusive - Cecile Richards Extended Interview - Pt. 1 | ||||
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| The Daily Show with Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Exclusive - Cecile Richards Extended Interview - Pt. 2 | ||||
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