After listening to the candidates on the subjects that interest me most, I was struck by the number of Republican women who seem to be bent on supporting a candidate whose fundamental ideas are so Anti-women.
It shouldn't matter what color or nationality or social status you may enjoy. It shouldn't be about how you have always voted or how your husband votes. It should be about the rights that should be yours as part of a free, independent, equal society. A society where men and women enjoy the same health benefits, monetary equality, and protections under the law. Why would you vote for a man whose political party ideas would block, eliminate or potentially impair your health, economic status and protections under the law?
More below the fold.
Let's examine the various points.
1. The Violence Against Women Act. This act, which was already in place and supported by President Obama, was killed in Congress by a Republican filibuster. It helped support domestic violence call centers, rape crisis counselors, grief counselors and classes on self defense. Even if you are lucky enough to never need these services, having them helped countless women.
2. The Lilly Ledbetter Act or the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.
This was also killed by Republicans in what was described by many as a "disgraceful exhibit of partisanship". The Republican contention that men are 'heads of household' and therefore need more pay than woman doing the same job, no longer holds true in a society in which a disproportionate number of single moms work 2 or more minimum wage jobs to support their families. Families which now have to rely more and more on programs, such as WIC and food stamps. (Just a small note... WIC supports approx. 60% white, 20% black, 3% Asian, 11% Amer-Indian, and 5% other race peoples. Of those, children make up 4.86 million, 2.17 million infants, and 2.14 million women! That is correct! MILLIONS!! And the Republicans propose to eliminate WIC and Food stamp programs.) How is the elimination of these programs doing anything other than harming women and children?
3. Planned Parenthood programs. Mr. Romney's plan to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood because of its involvement in providing abortion services for women is flawed. As of 2011, of the 70 million in Title X grants for Planned Parenthood, only 3% is for abortion services. And most of that is for counseling services, not actual abortions.
So, do you object to the name? Do you object to what they do or stand for? Think of the number of women who use the other services they provide...the cancer screenings, the mammograms, the contraception supplies and counseling, and the HIV and STD testing they do. Most of those services are free or at a sliding scale fee. Can you see how this helps low income women without insurance and how damaging to the country it would be if these services are no longer available?
4. Roe v Wade. Presently those freedoms for which I, as a woman growing up in the '60's fought, are being systematically eliminated. And that right, to choose my own health care, my own contraception, and to own my body and choices are under intense attack by very conservative Republicans. Let me state it flat out... my vagina is not for sale, and most certainly, not a property of the Republican Party. Whether or not you believe in abortion or are against it you have to at least give women the choice and a voice.
How can you just give up your rights to personal health care choices and assume that the Republican party will be there with a helping hand when you are raped and become pregnant?
4. Then there is the 'truther' Todd Akin. As much as the Republican Party protests that he is a disgrace, I say THEY are worse. After trying to censor him they turn around and adopt his views into their party platform. Will they lay it out for you to see during the convention? No, they will obfuscate, and flat out lie about womans' issues. Their misogeny is astounding and terrifying.
So, I put it to women who would vote for Mitt Romney...Read this, check out the facts, find a cogent argument why I am wrong and then make a choice for your health and well-being and vote for President Barak Obama.