THE GOP'S STRANGE POSITION(S) ON RAPE & SPOUSAL ABUSE

Remember when Republican Senators voted to allow the health care industry to deny women insurance coverage if they were ever a victim of domestic violence? The rationale - straight from the insurance lobby handbook - was that spousal abuse was considered a "pre-existing condition" because if you were beaten once you're more likely to be beaten again. So Republican Senators voted to allow spousal abuse to be classified as a pre-existing condition, which allowed the insurance industry to deny victims of domestic violence insurance coverage. Nice.

Well, hold on to your hats. The Republicans are at it again. Only this time it deals with rape. Check this out.

... the new Republican-controlled House is already obnoxiously redefining "rape" in pieces of legislation. Under their plan, only abortions from "forcible rape" would be eligible for government funding, instead of the much simpler "rape."

Put another way, if you want an abortion and don't have the money for one don't go looking for Medicare or Medicaid to cover rapes involving drugs or alcohol, rapes of women with limited mental capacities, incest over the age of 18, and date rapes (among others). Sanctity of life, you know.

What will they think of next  ...

- Mark

Here's the GOP Senators who earlier voted to allow insurance companies to deny coverage to domestic violence victims.

* Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
* Richard Burr (R-N.C.)
* John Ensign (R-Nev.)
* Mike Enzi (R-Wy.)
* Bill Frist (R-Tenn.)
* Judd Gregg (R-N.H.)
* Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
* Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.)
* Pat Roberts (R-Kan.)
* Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.)