I have previously written that the pro-life movement isn’t really about abortion, but about punishing sin and advancing a certain puritanical view of sexuality. I still believe that.

I’m reminded of it as I watch Republicans in my state and in others take measure after measure to curtail not only abortion, but birth control as well. The number two guy running for the GOP presidential nomination came right out and said birth control is “not OK.” The frontrunner has said he was going to “get rid of” Planned Parenthood. Here in Wisconsin, Republicans not only made it illegal for private health insurance to cover abortions, they have again made it OK for Wisconsin schools to teach “abstinence only” sex education and totally forgo any mention of contraception at all.

Why all the controversy about contraception, anyway? You’d think that anyone who wishes to prevent unwanted pregnancy (and thus abortion) would be all for it. And yet they aren’t. When I have confronted conservatives about this in the past, often they flatly assert that it isn’t true, that they are “fine with” contraception. But they are liars. Just take a look around you.

This is why it’s so hard to engage and work with these guys. They aren’t about what they say they’re about. They are not dealing in good faith. They say they’re about saving babies, but when push comes to shove they’re really about stepping on women’s faces and making sure that they bear unwanted children as their due consequence for having sex. The subterfuge is so airtight that I think large numbers of them do not admit the truth to even themselves.

The differences between Republicans and Democrats may be marginal on economic issues. Both parties seem to be entirely owned by wealthy corporations and individuals (although the Republicans are strangely proud of it.) But on social issues like these there is a huge difference. Vote accordingly.