I love being a woman, but not a woman in today's media.
Today's woman is either silent, quiet, loud or crazy. Politicians have been staging a war on women, and I'm surprised to hear the responses from the ladies: SILENCE. Our government has been assaulting our bodies by legislating abortions, ultrasounds, birth control and our sexual preference. And on all of my friends' Facebook walls and Tweets, there is virtually no discussion about these acts (but I can tell you about all sorts of Pinterest-y ideas).
I am angry.
'Legitimate rape'
Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that Missouri GOP's Senate candidate, Todd Akin, recently went on the record saying that “If it’s legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." According to research, 32,101 pregnancies a year are from rape victims. Since those women's bodies didn't terminate the pregnancy, does this make their experiences less legitimate?
Try explaining THAT to the new mother coming out of the hospital.
But really, do we need research and statistics to show that this guy made a huge mistake in front of that camera? Hopefully Missouri will show up in November and vote against this man; when you are in power, you are held to a higher standard. And just because you can say something doesn't mean you should. Hopefully Akin will learn his lesson with Missouri women getting out and exercising their beautiful right to vote — for the other side, and ironically, a woman.
I said, 'vagina'
In June, Michigan Representative Lisa Brown was barred from speaking on the House floor after she used the word "vagina" after a passionate debate in regards to abortion. She was no longer allowed to share opinions on any other issues because the House leaders found her word to be uncomfortable and inappropriate.
The technical term, inappropriate? I know for a fact that this word comes up in local fifth-grade curriculum. But in a House discussion, it is off-limits, thankyouverymuch.
What was that about birth control?
Back in March, Rush Limbaugh called Georgetown Law School student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and "prostitute" because she believed birth control should be covered under insurance plans. This infuriates me for two reasons: The obvious ones are the harsh, ugly, hateful words that Mr. Limbaugh used on record towards someone he had never encountered, and the fact that these men DO NOT UNDERSTAND BIRTH CONTROL.
A women could probably lose count as to how many friends have used birth control to regulate cycles and such because of hormonal issues, NOT because they are promiscuous. But do men really know this?
These are OUR bodies, ladies
I am infuriated that a group of men who have no idea how the women's body works can legislate my vagina and silence our opinions, but today I was thankful for a tweet from President Obama, "Politicians shouldn't be making health care decisions on behalf of woman."
And that, I can stand behind.
This isn't about political sides or lines, this is about our bodies being pawns in campaigns and debates to get the votes. Call me whatever name you will, but I DO have a voice and I won't be silenced. I will fight for equal rights for EVERYBODY.
Where are the other women voices?
Click here to contact your elected officials.
forgive a political nerd like me, but I must correct. It was Clinton '92 campaign strategist James Carville that coined the phrase which was originally "The economy, stupid". It evolved into the more famous meme used now by many.
The unions that have been most forcefully attacked in Michigan are the teachers unions followed by other public sector unions. It is no coincidence that these are the unions whose membership is predominantly female. These attacks are subversive and hidden behind hateful fear mongering, but they are devastating to the middle class and to women and children in particular.
On Homosexuals "I think that the people who are caught up in the homosexual lifestyle need help," McMillin told the Detroit News on Sept. 18, 2003. "We encourage people to stop smoking. This resolution is the same sort of thing." Patterson said McMillin hailed from the "Taliban wing of the Party," after McMillin used robocalls against the Oakland County executive that said he embraced the homosexual agenda. Patterson also said that McMillin wasn't a member of the Christian Coalition because, in fact, he embarrasses the Christian Coalition.
McMillin said this about Glenn “The brightest development in Michigan was the rise to prominence of the American Family Association of Michigan and its leader, Gary Glenn."
Ran out of space previously, but thought I'd mention what I hope most would see as self-evident. Family planning, of course, also helps families manage financial planning when a woman is able to, or chooses to be, a stay-at-home mom (SAHM). Just as in families with working moms, a family with a SAHM who can decide child spacing as well as how many children they ultimately want to have, they can better manage their finances/resources appropriately in their household economy on one salary: housing, healthcare, clothing, food, school, and of course college.
I also think the word bigot is not great to bring into a conversation. It mostly serves to shout down conversation. Whatever the subject, I prefer to discuss the merits instead of getting into personal attacks or who can paint the other side worst.
L Brooks is a Republican. Not a party issue. Human rights issue. Patterson supports the inclusion of sexual orientation in state hate crime laws. "We don't kill young gay guys just because they're gay. Maybe McMillin's brand of Christianity accepts that. Mine does not," Patterson was quoted as saying in the Oakland Press
Brooks is being Brooks - being a fiscal genius and making asinine comments on everything else.
As I've stated before, my purpose for bringing McMillin up was as a recent example of someone who has had intentions ascribed to him other than his statements. This discussion is rife with such maligning of intentions where people trying to save innocent lives are characterized as being hostile to women. I was curious to see if Jordan actually believed that politicians should be taken at their word on their intentions or if that was all just talk.
In November, one political party is guaranteed to win and with either choice the American people are most definitely guaranteed to lose!!
This is the most critical issue which will
Stop the social issue propaganda and think about ways to create jobs. It won't happen using the old trickle down theory. It has been tried. It will just further erode the middle class.
If the Democrats win this election, it is because they have been successful at shifting the message to social issues. The media also tends to like the juicy social issues more than the dry economic issues, which will help the Democrats. I also would not view the Internet as an accurate picture of the country's beliefs. People on the Internet tend to be more liberal than the actual populace. There is also a greater tendency on the Internet to use words or statements that shout down and shut down conversation, so many social conservatives tend to speak with their votes instead of being ostracized in both the virtual and real world for having dissenting views. It can be very much a valid concern. Many people in this very thread are people I will be working with on education and I hope that our political differences will not cause alienation.
Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... Brecksville Business Owners... Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... Romney, Ryan to Hold Rally ... Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... Karen Jacobsen Thanks the ... Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... Illinois Politicos: Paul ... Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... PA Republicans: Paul Ryan a... Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... August Poll Shows Obama 44 ... Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... Overt Discrimination in ... Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... Mitt Romney Picks Paul Ryan... Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling... Ohio Tweets: Paul Ryan ... ... and not a one pertinent to the subject at hand, earning her new name "TaterSpam"
The ONLY time they go all out on social issues, is when they DON'T have a good economic plan, in particular, when they don't have any NEW ideas. Muddy the waters, so that the candidate does not have to spend a lot of time talking SPECIFICS - about how to move the econmony forward, or a deadline for when debt will be erased. I thought he had his opportunity to be "bold" and embrace big change when he chose Paul Rand- I mean Ryan - and Ryan's budget (not that I agree) filled with austerity, while doubling defense. Romney endorsed it several times, Rep House passed it TWICE. But within 36 hrs after naming Ryan VP pick, Romney and the RNC began running away as fast as he could: "Oh, that's HIS budget, we'll be running on the ROMNEY budget". Which is....? Still waiting for it. What we DO know is that he promises to return to W's trickle down, MORE tax cuts, bank deregs and double down on defense. How does this balance the budget? An invitation to 2008 redux? No thanks. A personhood amendment would reduce debt and create jobs...how?
I WISH the text Josh quoted was the pertinent part, if it were, it would have passed. Preface: spent years as an R policy geek, read a lot of R legislation. Recognized this language a mile away. If you read entire bill, it is clear that 1) it is likely unconstitutional 2)a third of the text dedicated to a literal roadmap to litigation* 3) would make medical malpractice ins (MMI) for OB’s more costly, if not impossible to get 4) would be impossible to enforce; medical/legal mess. 5) a solution in search of problem (in US). For reasons 2 and 3, it’s transparently a TRAP law (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) –an attempt to make it harder for all women to get any abortion, rather than a civil rights bill. [*bill specifically outlines how clinic workers, fathers, grandparents could anonymously file a complaint, use pseudonyms, to sue the doctor, mother, and likely blanket sue facility. I can hear the 1-800-LAWYER ads now “Do YOU .believe a pregnancy was terminated illegally..?] Medical professionals (not just abortion providers) would be required to report "suspected" discriminatory abortions or face possible criminal charges. Since nearly all abortions occur in the first trimester prior to sex determination, then ALL abortions would be suspect. To protect from liability, patients showing with spontaneous “natural” losses would need to be questioned as well to determine if mother initiated in any way, and if so, for what reason. -
NOTE: It was REPUBLICAN House that failed to pass the bill. And although National Right to Life (NRTLC) email blasts “Obama opposes sex selection abortion ban!!” The POTUS did not vote on it, or comment. Rather, White House deputy press secretary Jamie Smith says in a statement: “The Administration opposes gender discrimination in all forms, but the end result of THIS legislation would be to subject doctors to criminal prosecution if they fail to determine the motivations behind a very personal and private decision. The government should not intrude in medical decisions or private family matters in this way.” I’m no fan of abortion, but this type of ‘waste of time’ garbage legislation designed to make the other side look bad (both parties guilty in past) is EXACTLY why people hate Washington. Jobs created: 0 – unless you count staffing for all the law suits. Chapter 2: more manipulative garbage: The Blunt Amendment.
PS - Why is the hypocrisy of PRENDA language particularly thick? Lily Leadbettter Act – equal pay for women. R’s. can’t POSSIBLY support it because it would swing the door wide open to litigation. Argument: Could hurt “job creators”. Healthcare Reform/ACA – R’s can’t POSSIBLY support it because it doesn’t include Tort Reform. Argument: excessive law suits drive up MMI rates, which drive up h/c costs, as well as drive some dr’s out of practice, leading to possible rationing of care. Doctors, after all, ARE small business owners facing excessive litigation! Then R’s draft PRENDA legislation - that would encourage excessive litigation and soaring MMI rates! PPS - the "evidence" used to draft PRENDA legislation? International data primarily from China and India (where sex selection termination IS a problem). Also, In May of 2012, 'Live Action', a pro-life group, send actors posing as pregnant women into Planned Parenthood clinics, asking a series of questions to elicit information on sex-selective abortions. These ambush interviews were video “evidence”. When R’s are ready to return to valid data, math and science, and cut the manipulative parliamentary tricks, I’m happy to come back into the fold.
I'll give you the middle schoolers answer. I like Romney. I don't LIKE, like him. ;-) I like he and his wife personally. I've liked his previous pragmatic way of governing and working in a bipartisan manner to get a lot accomplished. I like that he was the first R to boldly enact a major Republican policy which had wallowed unused for years, but based on the key core R value of self-reliance (a mandate called the Anti-Free Rider penalty) - what became Romneycare, now the ACA. Unfortunately, in his current prez run, Romney is allowing the fringe of the party to lead him, rather than him leading the party. And he has not taken the opportunity to show an independent moment where he's stepped out and really spoken up to the fringe. I've mentioned before, that neither speaks of strong leadership nor executive experience.
The SCOTUS has shown a liking for creating new law and ignoring past judgments (a la Citizens United decision - unlimited, anonymous campaign contributions). During the next President's term, there may be as many as 3 to 4 opportunities to nominate a new justice to the Supreme Court. President Obama's commitment to maintaining a woman's right to choose vs. would-be Romney's wedding to far right ideology where no exception is given for rape or incest, AND everyone involved in a pregnancy could be facing jail time, is an important distinction to document, remember, and guide voters in this country. The GOP brought it up and into the debates about the direction of our country. Do not blame the Democratic Party for being willing to leave established law in place while trying to construct a health care system that would reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. Sarah, if you believe "our country is quickly fading into a third-world entity", please consider that your choice this year is between moving forward with Democrats or backward to feudalism, where the rich and powerful dispense with even the illusion of democracy and rule by plutocratic fiat.
Unfortunately, she's not on the ticket, and a nice speech from her (and Christie talking about his wonderful, tough as nails, Irish mom) won't make up for for the current sins of GOP and their policies toward women. Not to mention, they've WASTED the last 2 years writing women's health bills instead of working on the economy, jobs and debt reduction. Kind of speaks to their priorities - making Obama a one term president. Just run out the clock, don't let the other team score. Also, watching tonight - it struck me - that R's only let a great woman like that speak once every 4 years at the RNC. We need women's voices and experiences heard - and respected - EVERY DAY.
Whatever my personal stance on abortion, it sure in the hell is not going to cloud my decision on who I vote for to be the next President and Congressional Representatives. The issues facing this country are far bigger than Abortion. And as far as your comment about Democrats are moving this country forward, I just sit here shaking my head. Like what planet do you live on? Democrats and their lust for spending other people's money are driving this country off the fiscal cliff with larger government, more regulations and handouts to anyone that says they don't want to work. Do you realize it took this country 206 years to accumulate the first $2 trillion in national debt. Now, our great Democratic spender of other people's money has increased the deficit $6 trillion in only 3 1/2 years with his own budget numbers adding another 6-8 trillion over the next four years. Obama wants this country to fail and to revert to a Socialist state and is well on his way towards that goal. I am not going to be one of the sheep to sit back and let that happen and will support this message wherever I can.
When 10 people own all of America in the not too distant future, when advanced robotics have eliminated every last production job, when there are no postman, no banks (it'll all be electric, no currency), no restaurant employees, no taxi drivers, no translators, no teachers, etc. etc. When this day comes, the .0000000000000000001% who own the country will be happy to institute some form of socialism to prevent uprisings.