Depo/Welfare Follow-Up

I have to hand it to you all: you didn’t kick my butt as bad as I thought you would over that recent post. Tresa knows me very well … it was not a well-thought-out argument … it was just something goofy that came to my mind and I put it on the blog. I don’t think I’m anywhere in Ann Coulter’s ballpark, though, right? Good.

I once had a crazy-ass homeschooling friend who found out she was pregnant with her 10th kid. She cried because the only insurance they had was from HER working at Starbuck’s 20 hours a week. Twenty hours may not sound like much, but when you’re trying to homeschool a bunch of kids, keep the house from falling down and praying to God that your husband will get some meaningful work, it can be tough. I asked a stupid question and she unfriended me immediately. It was something like, “Can I help you? Like pay a utility bill or SOMETHING?” She said anytime anyone helped them like that, they expected things in return.

I can see where she’s coming from. If I had paid her outrageous gas bill, I probably would’ve eventually made some snarky comment like, “Um, why is your heat set at 90 degrees so that I’m sitting here SWEATING when you can’t even pay the bill?”

Still, the idea of the handout drives me nuts. We are far from the Great Depression days, folks, and yet so many of us feel ENTITLED to free daycare, free medical, dental and vision care, free food, free money and outrageously low rent. I am ALL FOR people being helped … TEMPORARILY. If your life sucks for 15 years straight, though, why does that have to come out of the taxes of those who are working their asses off every day? People like my husband, who gets upset when he has to go out of town, but he does it ANYWAY because it is a damn job and pays money to support his family.

We all have our stories either backing up my idea of trading a welfare check for a Depo shot or thinking it quite controlling. I had to use Medicaid when I was 18 and had a horrible miscarriage, but never have had to go on any other kind of assistance because, frankly, the idea of it was just never played with in my house when I was growing up. It was either WORK HARD or figure something else out, but you don’t take handouts.

UNLESS …

Of course, unless you have been badly disabled through no fault of your own (I’m sorry, but being overweight or alcoholic in my world does not fly for disabled). Or your house caught on fire somehow and burned down. Or a car wrecked into you and you are in bad shape.

There are things that simply suck and things we bring on ourselves. I’m just saying we bring on babies ourselves. And then have a good 8 months to prepare for said baby. You may have to suck it up and live with your parents, ladies. You may have to go after the guy for child support and put your pride away. You may have to work 2 jobs throughout your exhausting pregnancy to save up for your own place, car or baby clothes. WHY SHOULD YOU GET FREE MONEY JUST FOR HAVING A BABY?

So save STATE FUNDS for serious crap. If EVERYONE was on the government’s boob, our roads would not be drivable, people who REALLY needed help couldn’t get it (that actually happens now), our schools would suck (oops, that’s already happened).

Where are the State’s priorities?

Crap, I’m afraid I’ve offended in a whole new way now. Well, go easy on me. My brain isn’t working right, and I’m having trouble making coherent arguments that don’t hinge on generalizations.

Funny Meth Commercial

Sorry, folks, but I have a sick sense of humor. Tresa used to say she was cleaning her house like a crack whore, which always made me laugh. I didn't know there was an actual public service announcement-like video until she sent me over to YouTube to watch it. It's pretty catchy! And definitely will keep me off drugs. I'll continue to be a B12 momma to snag my waning energy fix. Enjoy! And if anyone knows where I can get me one of these women to clean my house, I can pay like $20/week! You're welcome, by the way, Schmidt, for putting the song back in your head. Let's see what ads run on the blog now!

Hardee’s

What a dumb advertising agency Hardee’s has hired. With their sexy ads, they are alienating an entire demographic … or two.

What the hell is so sexy about a hot chick eating a hamburger? An ice cream cone or a lollipop I can understand, but a hamburger?

So let’s assume the ads work well and they sell to many, many men.

What about the moms looking for a quick place to stop for a kid’s meal? You’re pissing off radical conservatives, lots of women, lots of moms, and so on.

I don’t really care about the commercials either way. But I also don’t think about hitting the drive-thru at Hardee’s EVER because I don’t know what they have for kids. And I’m thinking I probably wouldn’t be able to eat one of those damn thickburgers, no matter how big my mouth is in theory.

Plan B

I recently saw a commercial for the Plan B pill (like RU486). The slogan is, “Because the unexpected happens.” UN-EX-PEC-TED?!?!?!

So let me get this straight. You did the dirty deed with your man. Then the next day you went, “Oh, crap, I could have gotten pregnant. Why didn’t I think of that last night when I was in utter ecstasy, especially since I don’t have a clue as to when I am fertile? I’d better get my stupid doctor (who hands out prescriptions for anything and everything like they’re tissues) to call in a Plan B for me at the pharmacy! That way, I can get rid of a ‘maybe’ pregnancy and ease my conscience by not having to decide whether I want to raise a baby with my one-night-stand or grab an abortion.” (*this post does NOT apply to rape, by the way)

Look, if you don’t except to get pregnant from having sex, you have some big problems, girlfriend. Grab yourself a copy of Ms. Magazine and a copy of the book The Feminine Mystique and get to learnin’, sister. Our foremothers didn’t fight for the right to vote for us so we could be so clueless about our own bodies.

Yes, I know I’ve written about this before. And before you go labeling me as some right-wing conservative Catholic who doesn’t know what she’s talking about, let me just tell you that I DO know what I’m talking about and we’ll leave it at that for now because I don’t feel like sharing.

But kids are having sex so young. I knew KIND OF how my menstrual cycle worked when I was a teen but didn’t understand my FERTILITY (big difference) until I was about 27 ... no joke. That tidbit would’ve saved me some serious problems.

Parents, I’m begging you … find out for yourself and then let your daughters (age 10 or age 20) in on how their fertility works for those times when a guy tells her she can’t get pregnant the first time or he forgot the condoms or she’s missed her birth control pills for a few days.

Do you want her stumbling into Advice and Aid Crisis Pregnancy Center with her “unexpected” pregnancy and trying to figure out what to do and picking out maternity clothes donated by ME?! Do you want her attending post-abortive counseling for years? Taking anti-depressants because she made a huge mistake?

DepoProvera Shot in Exchange for a Welfare Check

Originally posted 9/17/09. Reposted to rile you up and see what you think!

I’m not about sterilizing women who’ve had a kid and can’t support themselves for whatever reason.

I have another idea.

How about when any female goes in to pick up her welfare check, food stamps or whatever, she gets the 3-month DepoProvera birth control shot? The Social Worker could be all jovial and go, "Trade ya a Depo shot for your welfare check, Sweetie!" It’s not permanent sterilization; it’s just 3 months of not getting pregnant and bringing a life into the world that she can’t take care of.

I think Natural Family Planning is great for a lot of women … women who can keep track of crap on a chart. I don’t personally ever again want any birth control chemical in MY body. But I can see its benefits to society,so I'm not anti. And no, genius, I don't just use NFP because "the Pope says so" ... I'm sure you know me enough by now to know I have a mind of my own.

Now, what to do about the MEN who go around making babies all over the place and can’t support them? How’s that research coming on the male chemical birth control?