What do these three
events have in common?
(1) December 7, 1941:
Pearl Harbor was attacked. 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 were
wounded. Eight battleships, three cruisers, three destroyers, an
anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer were either damaged or
sunk.
(2) September 11, 2001:
Four suicide attacks against the United States resulted in almost
3,000 deaths. The twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York
City were destroyed and a section of the Pentagon was demolished. The
attackers intended to crash a fourth plane into the United States
Capitol, but crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pa.
(3) August 1, 2012: The
Affordable Healthcare Act required new health insurance
policies to include FDA-approved contraceptives, an annual well woman
preventive care visit with her doctor, and screening for gestational
diabetes, STIs, HIV/AIDS and HPV. Also required are screening and
counseling for domestic violence, and breastfeeding support, supplies
and counseling, all without cost to the patient.
I am sure almost
everyone will agree that the first two events were, as FDR put it,
days that will live in infamy. But GOP Rep. Mike Kelly, who, I am
ashamed to say, represents Pennsylvania, said, “I want you to
remember Aug. 1, 2012, the attack on our religious freedom. That is a
day that will live in infamy, along with those other dates.”
Mike has a perfect
right not to like the requirements of August 1, but to place them on
a par with the loss of lives and property of the other two is
absolutely stupid. I am having a hard time getting my head around the
fact that someone thinks such a thing, especially someone elected to
represent us.
On a lesser note, GOP
Rep. Bill Young of Florida recently displayed his understanding of
the problems of low-wage workers in a 4th of July
discussion with a voter in St. Petersburg. The subject was a bill in
Congress to raise the minimum wage to $10.
Citizen: Do you
support that?
Young: Probably not.
Citizen: Ten bucks.
That would give us a living wage.
Young: How about
getting a job?
Citizen: I do have
one.
Young: Well, why do
you want that benefit? Get a job.
Perhaps the
conversation was a bit too complex for Young to understand.
******
My
books, “There Are Only Seven Jokes” and “The Spirit Runs
Through It” are available in paperback or Kindle at Amazon.