Five Pro-Family Gifts from Congress to D.C., With Love

by Alex DiBranco · 2009-12-27 14:10:00 UTC
Topics:

Welcome to Opposite Day: D.C.-Style. Yesterday, I discussed seven family-friendly provisions in the omnibus bill; today, I'll be bringing up the final five D.C.-specific presents that comprise the "dirty dozen" that the Heritage Family has oddly dubbed "Twelve Anti-Family Gifts from Congress." Weird.

1. Redirecting money to public schools: I am painfully aware of the deficiencies of public schools, and that the decision to end the D.C. Scholarship Program is a tense one. However, allowing some children to opt-out of the system through vouchers, while leaving others to rot in sub-par District schools that need the cash now headed to private schools, hurts the many unlucky families that don't get to escape. Also at stake is the violation of church and state involved in paying for students to attend religious schools on the public dime. I'll only consider this a real gift if Congress proves it's simultaneously improving public schools. So I'll be watching, and we'll consider this one present owed.

2. D.C. can spend its taxes on abortion if it damn well pleases: After adopting a we-know-best approach to our nation's capital's finances, Congress is finally allowing D.C. to make its own decision on spending its tax money on reproductive health care for low-income women, just like any other state. No shades of gray here: thanks for the great present!

3. Benefits for domestic partnerships: Congress is also allowing D.C. to provide health care benefits to federal employees' significant others, regardless of sex. How much more family-friendly can you get? Hmm ... seems as though Congress could stand to take its cues from the capital city. Look out your windows, Congresspeople!

4. Getting high on health: Way back in the 90s, D.C. legalized medical marijuana. Finally, at the end of 2009, our oh-so-wise Congresspeople are allowing it to fund programs that will provide weed to people in need -- especially useful for people with cancer or AIDS.

5: Needles for all part two: Speaking of AIDS, D.C. (along with the rest of the nation, as discussed before) can now invest funds in a very successful preventative measure: clean syringes for drug addicts. A provision that would have kept these exchanges from being located within 1000 feet of pretty much anywhere, in effect continuing the ban, also got the boot.

Photo courtesy of eyehook.com.

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
PREVIOUS STORY:
Outdated FMLA and Workplace Laws Hurt Families, Workers, and the Public
NEXT STORY:
Fox News' Trotta Still Doesn't Get It: I Want Her Rape Apologism Off the Air

COMMENTS (0)

    Comment Policy

    · All fields are required to comment.

    [X]

    Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the campaign on Change.org. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments which, as determined solely in our discretion: (1) are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; (2) include content solely intended to personally attack the campaign creator, (3) are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them; and/or (4) violate our terms of service and/or privacy policy. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion. Please also be advised that: (A) we do not actively curate and/or monitor in any manner whatsoever the comments made on the Change.org platform, and (B) the creator of each campaign on Change.org may remove any comment at her/his/its discretion.