Evening Widdershins: The Women of 2012

Posted by: madamab on: May 11, 2012

• In: 2012 Election | Feminism | Open Thread | Politics | Women
• 14 Comments

Evening, Widdershins! It seems the press is finally starting to figure out that yes, women are going to be extremely important in the 2012 election – and not just the Presidential one.

Democrats, as they aggressively seek to turn women’s concerns into a rallying call of the presidential election, are leaning heavily on female candidates to retain control of the Senate.

From Massachusetts to Hawaii, a record number of Democratic women – six incumbents and at least five challengers – are running for seats this year. That eclipses 1992’s vaunted “Year of the Woman,’’ when 10 women sought entry into the country’s most exclusive political chamber.

The race in Massachusetts pitting Senator Scott Brown, a Republican, against his presumed Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Warren, has captured the most headlines nationwide, but others could be just as crucial for Democrats.

Now you all know that I am a huge fan of advancing women in politics, but I realized fairly early on in my advocacy that it really does matter WHICH women. Electing Republican women to the Senate and House simply does not work. Look at the way the Paycheck Fairness Act, which was passed by the House but not the Senate in 2009, continues to languish – and with good reason: Not one Republican woman will vote for it, not even the “moderates” Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. Imagine the power that would come from real sisterhood amongst these Senators of the female persuasion – but alas, despite the claims of some, “social issues” (aka abortion and same-sex marriage) are NOT the only issues that divide liberal from conservative women. And so it goes.

The fact is that Republicans have been alienating women to an unprecedented degree in the past couple of years, mainly because they have stopped lying about their intentions and just gone for it – let all their inhibitions go, and jumped on the Train to Insane. Yes, they think that women who want abortions deserve to be raped by a medical instrument beforehand! Yes, they think that an unfertilized egg is the same as a person! Yes, they think that a miscarriage should be the same, legally, as an abortion. Hell, YES THEY DO, and they’re proud of it, so you’ll just have to lie back and think of Clooney, women of America!

I continue to be thankful that THE CRAYZEE has been unmasked by Dick Armey’s Army, and that the rise of the Tea Party has begun to show everyone just how fucking awful these evangelical hate zombies are.  Unfortunately, this also means that the hate zombies are uniting to elect more of their kind – and they want to take over the Senate and eat its brains, they really do. (Kinda slim pickings there, but whatevah.) Their rise in the primaries may have the opposite effect in the general, however.

Whether Democrats keep control of the Senate will depend on more than just how well the party’s women do, Walsh said. “It’s not about the gender of the candidate’’ but more about how well the party can position itself to appear more responsive to interests of women voters across the country.

Democratic leaders in the Senate agree. They have been populating the chamber’s calendar with highly choreographed votes on women’s issues, seeking to take advantage of a perceived gender gap and depict Republicans as out of touch.

Okay, I have to laugh because the Boston Globe was a little too politically correct here. I do not think the Democrats are great for women at all – you know I don’t – but factually speaking, there is a HUGE gender gap between the Dems and Repubs in the Senate.  As I wrote last week, the Repubs voted AGAINST the VAWA and now are poised to flail equally spectacularly on equal pay. We know they do not support the ERA or freedom of choice, either. Senate Democrats, especially the women, have all been consistently good on those issues.

The New York Times is hopeful that Mitt Romney will take the opportunity put his money where his mouth is, and support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Mr. Romney’s commitment to fair pay will soon be tested. In the coming weeks, Senate Democrats are planning to make another attempt to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, a much-needed updating and strengthening of the 1963 Equal Pay Act.

The measure was narrowly defeated two years ago by solid Republican opposition, despite strong support from President Obama. The bill would enhance the remedies available for victims of gender-based discrimination and require employers to show that wage differences are job-related, not sex-based, and driven by business necessity. The measure would also protect employees from retaliation for sharing salary information, which is important for deterring and challenging discriminatory compensation.

By supporting the bill and rallying Republicans to get behind it, Mr. Romney can demonstrate real leadership on equal pay — and perhaps even soften the impression of Republican insensitivity to women’s concerns. At a time when women still earn, on average, only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, there is a clear need for stronger steps to help close the gender gap.

The “impression” of Republican “insensitivity” to women’s concerns? Guffaw! In any case, I predict that our pretzel-like Mittens won’t support anything that his fellow elephants are against. At this point he needs all the support he can from his Party, since getting women to follow the Party of Transvaginal Ultrasounds is going to be an awfully tough row to hoe.

In general, it does my heart good to see that wimminz are finally getting their due. I credit the women of 2008 with giving birth to the women of 2012. At least that horrible election had one silver lining!

Tonight’s drink is the American Woman. Sweet, strong, and with a hell of a kick!

• 1 1/2  oz bourbon whiskey
• 1/2  oz creme de noyaux
• 1/2  oz cherry liqueur
• 1  oz Southern Comfort® peach  liqueur

Shake everything with ice, strain  into a cocktail glass.

The bar is open and the drinks are free! Let’s shake it all night long! This is an open thread.

About these ads

Tags: evening widdershins, feminist Friday, widdershins lounge