The new rules under the Affordable Care Act would include emergency contraception, a newly approved nonprescription birth control pill, spermicides and condoms.
Democrats: for safe sex
Republicans: for creating a world where nobody dares do it
The problem is that the things he can do without congressional support can be easily overturned by the next President — and the Republicans have a majority in the House of Representatives.
Better to try and give a possible future Democratic majority an easy shoe-in precedent for writing the law, or give a future Republican majority extra busywork and lawsuits and court time to do, than to never do anything at all.
Hmm, maybe there are particular challenges to free medications? Even Quebec's most left-wing mainstream party, Québec Solidaire, doesn't quite go as far as free drugs for all, afaik.
Tons of countries offer free contraceptives and some (including France) offers free condoms (to those aged 18 to 25 in France). Free pill and IUD are coming to Canada as well (announced in March).
It's not a bad thing to have as a backup for a condom; the main issue is that some of the spermicides increase HIV transmission risk, so you typically don't see condoms with spermicide in the lube anymore.
It's not about "man up" — it's about having the votes in Congress to do it. We didn't have that in 2009, when we last tried, and I'd be surprised if we have them now