The administration seems to have distanced itself from the situation completely, saying the DOJ and FDA both made their cases independent of the White House. (Big shock there). Previously the administration and President Obama specifically called for limits to be placed on access to the morning-after pill. In 2011 the President said, “As the father of two daughters, I think it is important for us to make sure that we apply some common sense to various rules when it comes to over-the-counter medicine.”
So what’s changed? Was the appeal just lip service? Was it just a political maneuver? And why the push by the FDA to allow unfettered access to a medication like Plan B anyway? (Five points to me for using “unfettered” more accurately than Jay Carney).
The easy answer is because the election is over. The perception of support or non-support no longer matters. The President can distance himself from the entire situation. Kathleen Sebelius can have a change of heart. The FDA wins. Another appeal is avoided. The DOJ wins. It still leaves the rest of us with unanswered questions, though.
When did “reproductive rights” start outweighing common sense? When did “the woman’s right to choose” overshadow a parents’ right to know?
I wonder how long it will take for the first lawsuit to be filed when the emergency contraceptive fails. And we know it will. Such irony that it’ll have to be filed by the parents since anyone under 18 cannot legally file a lawsuit.
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