Turning back the clock (to the 1800s)

If you're a woman who takes birth-control pills or uses an intrauterine device (examples shown above), you're performing abortions on a regular basis. That appears to be the opinion of the Bush administration, which is working up a proposal that would classify the use of those birth-control methods and others as abortion and, according to Reuters, would "cut off federal funds to hospitals and states that attempt to compel medical providers to offer legal abortion and contraception services to women." Reuters said the Department of Health and Human Services refused to confirm the existence of the draft proposal, but the agency said it must protect doctors and pharmacists who "object to abortion or birth control on religious or moral grounds." I'm wondering if the Bush administration came up with this on their own, or if they had Pope Benedict XVI write it up for them. Rep. Nita Lowey of New York noted that current federal law protects people who don't want to provide abortion services, but she says the Bush proposal goes too far. "By trumping state laws that guarantee women's access to prescription contraceptives, this policy would encourage health-care institutions seeking to limit access to birth control," she said. It's pretty clear that the administration, in an important election year, is pandering to the Catholic church and the religious right. But why stop there? What about designating women who wear slacks (Watch out, Hillary!) as witches and burning them at the stake? Or maybe big, red letter A's on the clothing of adulterers? Wait, I have an idea. We could have warmongers wear big W's, or even display them on their SUVs. Oh, jeez. Now I'm talking crazy.