After Republicans opposed expanding contraception access and would not back the Violence Against Women Act until it had been watered down, Democrats accused the party of waging a war on women.

But ahead of tomorrow’s vote on the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), a bill that would ban physicians from performing abortions based on the fetus’ sex, anti-choice organizations have clumsily attempted to co-opt the “war on women” meme. Even though it is a measure that addresses a non-existing problem, the groups are warning members of Congress to support it:

– “Planned Parenthood is out of control, waging a ruthless war against young women and their (female) babies.” [Traditional Values Coalition email]

– “This is a real war on women. And it is wrong when we turn a blind eye to women being eliminated in the womb simply for being a member of the female sex.” [Americans United for Life letter]

– “Members who recently have embraced contrived political rhetoric asserting they are resisting a ‘war on women’ must reflect on whether they wish to be recorded as being defenders of the escalating war on baby girls.” [National Right to Life Committee letter]

And during floor debate today about PRENDA, GOP House members claimed the sex-selective abortion ban was part of the “war on women” as well:

– “This is the ultimate war on women. If we don’t allow women to be born, we cannot talk about any other rights.” [Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY)]

“Sex selection is violence against women and it is the truest kind of war against women.” [Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)]

Republicans may echo the anti-abortion advocates and try to claim PRENDA would stop a “war on women,” but it is a discriminatory bill that does not address equal rights for women. Rather than addressing inequality, PRENDA simply would exacerbate sex and race discrimination by targeting women of color from communities associated with sex selection whom doctors might suspect of wanting to have a prohibited abortion.

Obamacare includes a small business tax credit to help employers provide health insurance coverage. The issue, however, is that only 170,300 businesses out of a possible 4 million have applied for the credit because of the time-consuming application procedure. Now, the Obama administration is asking Congress to improve the process so that more small businesses apply for the credit.

Republicans are opposing the request, even though it would lower taxes for small businesses. They’re seeking to repeal Obamacare, not change it. “I don’t think expanding it is going to make any difference whatsoever,” said Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), who chairs the House Small Business Committee.

But their runs against what GOP leaders proposed in 2009, during the debate over health care reform. Then-Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) had deputized Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) to lead the Health Care Solutions Group and shape the GOP alternative to the Democrats’ health care proposals. “Unlike the Democrats’ government takeover of health care, this common-sense plan keeps patients and doctors in charge of key medical decisions,” Boehner said of the plan. In it, Blunt’s group called for a small business tax credit to help employers offset the cost of providing health insurance:

To expand availability and accessibility of health care coverage, the Republican plan: [...]

• Helps employers offer health care coverage to their workers by reducing their administrative costs through a new small business tax credit.

The Affordable Care Act’s tax credit was designed to help small businesses with fewer than 25 employees, which have the most difficult time offering insurance to their employees. These businesses make up almost 90 percent of all employers in the U.S., so improving the application process for tax credits would expand health insurance to thousands of workers.