Don’t throw us into that OTC birth control patch, Brer Democrats!

Let me unpack this is practical terms.

And by ‘practical’ I mean ‘partisan pragmatic.’  The breakdown for whether birth control should be over the counter is 56/37 for men, 45/48 for women.  That already suggests that pushing this issue isn’t going to be the winner for Democrats that they think that it’s going to be – an essential tie isn’t what they were looking for – but: that plurality is fueled by Republican women, who strongly favor birth control being sold only with a prescription. The survey did think to ask whether voters would be more likely to vote for or against a politician that supported OTC birth control, and got pluralities for support, except here:

Republican women showed the lowest response rate, with only 26 percent saying they would be more likely to vote for a member of Congress supporting over-the-counter birth control access; 32 percent said they would be less likely, and 36 said their vote would not change.

This must act as a tantalizing vision to Democratic activists: alas, that 32% is as accessible to them as would be the Sea of Tranquility. If you don’t believe me: try to imagine a pro-birth control prescription message that appeals to Republican women (who are presumably more conservative) that does not simultaneously also repel Democratic women (who are presumably more liberal).  Don’t feel bad if nothing immediately jumps to mind*: the Democratic party can’t think of one, either, and they’ve got people on payroll whose job it is to work this stuff out.

Put another way: basically, that’s kind of a soft opposition there – or, rather, it’s as soft as almost any other support or opposition on this particular issue.  Birth control is not on many people’s Top Ten lists, and that is the way of it. So what we’re left here is maybe – as somebody noted on Twitter – a mild problem in the primary for some GOP candidates. Which I frankly doubt will make a difference.

And if the Democrats want to try to prove me wrong on any of this, I wish them joy of the attempt.

Moe Lane

*We will now pause while the Sardonic Mocking Scenario Crowd comes up with one of their patented “Sounds half-plausible on paper, but will immediately crash and burn in real life” specials.

 

One thought on “Don’t throw us into that OTC birth control patch, Brer Democrats!”

  1. Something that strips away a decent percentage of Planned Parenthood’s revenue?
    I’m up for that.
    .
    I’m skeptical that it’s a good idea, mind you. (I have family that have reacted to birth control pills in ways that have nearly required hospitalization.) But *I* give women the credit of being adults, and being perfectly capable of making informed decisions.

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