The Right-Wing Lost, right?

It seems the Obama administration needs to be reminded that conservatives lost the election. I understand that it isn’t very feasible for a president to dive head first into political hot button issues, even a president with high approval ratings.
But the Justice Department memo in support of the Defensive of Marriage Act (DOMA) is an overt pandering to the right.

DOMA allows states and prevents the federal government from recognizing marriages and unions between same-sex couples. This means that if a couple gets married in Iowa and moves to a state that doesn’t recognize them as a married couple then they can be refused hospital visitation, estate planning becomes trickier, and basic dignity goes out the window.

President Obama expressed in campaigns that he did not support DOMA, but the actions of his administration seem to counter this position. Due to the response by the LGBTQ community and allies the White House offered this quick rebuttal:
White House spokesman Shin Inouye said "The President has said he wants to see a legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act because it prevents LGBT couples from being granted equal rights and benefits. However, until Congress passes legislation repealing the law, the administration will continue to defend the statute when it is challenged in the justice system." –LA Times
This seems like a bit of a cop out and it shows that the administration plans to do nothing in an effort to progress gay rights in this country.

Perhaps this is isn’t the most critical issue when people within our borders and beyond are facing poverty in the face. However, it is an issue of principle and civil rights.
Ironically, I found an Obama quote that expresses why it is important to show outrages over this issue.

“As a state Senator, I have taken on the issue of civil rights for the LGBT community as if they were my own struggle because I believe strongly that the infringement of rights for any one group eventually endangers the rights enjoyed under law by the entire population.” -Windy City Times 2-11-2004

Wake up and smell the oppression people!

Michelle Obama: The People’s First Lady continues the legacy of the People’s Princess.

By: Janice Formichella and Andrea Hance

The Obama’s trip to England last week was a significant highlight in the first hundred days of the President. What the trip truly served as, however, was a red carpet introducing Michelle Obama to the world. The headlines soon shifted from the G20 summit to Michelle Obama’s performance as First Lady and the fact that she overshadowed her husband during the trip. This became front-page news after Michelle made a memorable visit to a local girls school after a historic and even eyebrow-raising audience with the Queen. As images of the visit were flashed over news programs and evening papers, many started to sense the presence of the late Princess Diana in the behavior, grace, individuality, and public awe that Michelle commanded. By the end of the day some reporters had modified the comparison between Michelle and Jackie O to perhaps the more appropriate comparison of Michelle and Princess Diana.
Some of us also felt Diana’s absence. Having grown up watching Princess Diana we found the comparison between her and our new First Lady intriguing. Ever since her untimely and tragic death in 1997, no one woman has emerged to take Diana’s place as an inspiring, intelligent, courageous, graceful woman the entire world can to look up to. Given the significance of both women it is worth taking a look at the similarities between Princess Diana and her heir apparent.
One aspect of Diana’s legacy that Michelle has already started to embody is her willingness and ability to raise awareness for issues that, while critical, gather little mainstream attention. Consider the issue of HIV/AIDS in the 1980s. In 1987 not only was Diana one of the first high profile celebrities to be photographed with someone afflicted with HIV, she was the first member of the royal family to do so. Diana sat with AIDS victims at their beds, held their hands, and helped to educate the public about the disease—which was very misunderstood at the time. While much of the world (not to mention the U.S. President), and definitely the rest of the royal family, was turning away, Princess Diana was giving a human face to the devastation of HIV.
Our First Lady seems determined to use her notoriety in the same way. It is encouraging to see that Michelle is selecting issues that impact women and girls directly. Prior to becoming the first African American First Lady, Michelle championed for pay equity in the workplace and spoke about the importance of work/life balance; two issues that while important, rarely gain celebrity attention. In addition, Michelle has publically discussed the importance of women owning their professional achievements while still being proud, responsible mothers. In a society were mothers face exorbitant expectations and pressures, the importance of someone such as Michelle Obama talking openly about this dilemma women face cannot be understated as it impacts so many families.
Another striking similarity between Princess Diana and the First Lady is their ready, open arms. This is something about Diana that we will never forget and something about Michelle that is seducing the entire world. After addressing the students last week, Michelle ignored the secret service and launched, arms open, into the crowd of ecstatic girls at Elizabeth Garret Language School. This impulsive response invoked images of Diana emotionally clinging to babies stricken with HIV or children disfigured by landmines. This readiness to act on impulse and challenge the status quo allows these women to appear human to the world and will endure them to the public for a hundred years to come.
Michelle embodies the same valuable legacy of loving and responsible motherhood that Diana was so well known for. Both mothers have instilled a sense of personal responsibility in their children and managed to keep a sense of normal childhood for them while growing up in the public eye. It is important for young women that Michelle is making active motherhood such a strong focus while also promoting progressive ideas about women, careers, and families.
Princess Diana and Michelle Obama both gained notoriety through their marriages to powerful men. Both women also quickly transcended the label of “wife” and became influential in their own right. This similarity also represents a large difference between the women, and one of our greatest hopes. While addressing the school girls last week, Michelle told the girls that the men in her life taught her “what a respectful relationship should look like between men and women” and “what a strong marriage looks like.” It was these remarks about men and relationships that were possibly the most significant yet the most under reported. In an era of wide spread degradation of women, and visible, even tolerated domestic violence, hearing the most iconic woman in the world address healthy relationships is astounding and shows remarkable foresight on her part. Besides the fact that Michelle is willing to bring attention to a subject that most would rather treat as a non-issue, the Obama’s portray a relationship that is respectful and equitable. When the President makes comments about his marriage such as “as you build a life of mutual support, you retain some sense of surprise or wonder about the other person”[1] the couple is setting a wonderful example for young men and women all over the world.
Perhaps this is one issue that Diana wished she could have addressed or portrayed differently. Unfortunately Diana’s marriage was tabloid news for its lack of honesty and mutual support. She rocked the royal family by divorcing the Prince to regain her independence and self-respect. Now, we see Michelle demanding and enjoying these things within a solid relationship.
As young progressive women we are hopeful that Michelle will continue to use her influence to bring awareness and action to causes that impact women disproportionally and continue to demonstrate courage in doing so. It was revealed last week that Afghanistan is in the process of passing laws that will strip women of several fundamental rights. Surprisingly, this shocking turn of events has prompted little outrage from the world community. Given her growing influence, we ask Michelle to publically condemn these actions and press for U.S. intervention. If Michelle has the courage to take the lead on some of these sticky issues, she will not be alone. An army of women, equipped with a leader, will gather around her to sound the alarm—yes we can, and yes we will!
It is truly a tragedy that the world was not able to witness the meeting of Princess Diana and Michelle Obama. It certainly would have been the beginning of a dynamic friendship. Instead we will remember the example that Diana set for all young women of the world and will watch with anticipation as Michelle continues to dazzle and impress us.

Read more of our thoughts at feministfriendly.com and progressiveplaid.blogspot.com


[1] http://www.newsweek.com/id/184773

Corporate Entitlement Complex

I would like every person to raise their hand if they believe that $500,000 a year is a rip off. Even for a stressful and “important” work position. Today, President Obama announced a salary cap of ½ a million dollars for executives in companies that receive a lot of taxpayer bailout cash. Of course, some people on Wall Street went crazy when they heard this news. While others, including myself, cheered. This seems like a perfectly reasonable request, especially for the time being. Perhaps, if the executives end up being profitable and contribute in making American and global society profitable, sustainable and reputable again then the cap can come off.
Considering the fact that U.S. residents are helping them out, they should really appreciate having a job at all. That’s what people tell me, even though I had my hours cut by 20% and therefore my pay. Not to mention that I was underpaid in the first place. Why should I get on board to hand out money to corporate fat cats for yachts, larger homes, sport cars and vacations? (The last one really gets me angry because travel is the luxury I truly envy) Seriously, can anyone give me a good reason?

By the way, if any executives are reading this and want to quit there job because of the salary cap, I'll take you job for a year at $500,000.

Comedic Cause

This January PBS had a series about comedy. The final installment made several points about comedy’s relationship to societal issues. As we saw during the recent U.S. presidential election, Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, late night talk shows and many others capitalized on the thin line between politics and comedy.

Politics and activism can be extremely serious and easily make people frustrated and burnt out. When comedians target issues or people that cause us the most stress it give the activist a moment to breath and laugh. Both are essential to life!

Political leaders are the most targeted by talk show and variety host. SNL became the phoenix rising from low rating when Tina Fey perfectly portrayed Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whom she has a similar appearance. For the past 8 years, our president gave us many funny moments to help break the tension created by his administration. One example is the top 10 list of Bush moments on the David Letterman show. This featured moments where the former president looked like a deer in headlights and spit as he walked across the White House lawn.

Some people may take offense to these jokes, but it is all a part of being in the public eye. Also, there is a difference between someone in the U.S. making fun of an American president than someone who lives outside our borders. People across the world have a right, even a responsibility to let us know how our government is affecting them. However, making fun of our government officials seems a bit off. It is comparable to the idea that you can say stupid things about your family, but if anyone else does then those are fighting words!

Political comedy has been around for centuries and we are lucky to have the opportunity to partake in it. As long as serious issues are resolved and people continue to educate themselves in concentrate ways through several media outlets, then I say bring on the belly ache of laughter not tears!

History Starts Now

I was lucky enough to make it safely to Washington DC and witness history unfolding on January 20th, 2009. My position in the sun meant I could really only see Michelle’s yellow outfit and President Barack Obama’s red tie when the oath of office was taken. This held no effect on me or the crowd around me as we cheered with elation as the reality of a new era sunk into our emotions.
Moving forward none of us should expect miracles or even that everything will be fixed within the next four years. However, a feeling of relief has washed over me (and many others) like a soft blanket in winter. I woke up this morning and saw the American flag on a shelf in the living room and for the first time in years I didn’t pass it with a sense of yearning, but rather a sense of dignity.
Today, President Barack Obama gets to work at the most challenging job in the world. Already his leadership has been exposed. He signed an executive order to require ethics in his administration. This is a step in the right direction and sets the tone for his expectations. He also began taking action on Guantanamo Bay, which affirms his commitment to closing the prison, symbol of the recent demise of civil liberties. It is my great hope that within days the global gag rule, which denies and undermines healthcare access to several people in need across the globe, especially women, will be overturn.

As the crowds streamed off the capital lawn, I looked towards the next step in this journey. What will happen in the next 4 (hopefully 8) years? How will the country and the world react? What will America look like next January 20th? I can hope it is a little bit better and we all can be beacons of that hope by helping each other out from time to time.

Platform Wrangling Part II

Time is moving quickly and the election in now less than a week away! As promised here is the second part of my examination of the two parties' platforms. Again, I encourage you to explore their stances on your own.

The following are overviews of Foreign Policy & Military, Civil Liberties, Gun Control and Reproductive Rights. Have fun!

Foreign Policy and Military:
Using our military and business might is how Republicans believe peace will be achieved.
Republicans main priorities in foreign affairs are opening markets to free trade with the U.S. and showing military strength. “The Republican vision of peace through strength requires a sustained international effort, which complements our military activities, to develop and maintain alliances and relationships that will lead to greater peace and stability.” (Pg. 6)
Iraq: “That outcome is too critical to our own national security to be jeopardized by artificial or politically inspired timetables that neither reflect conditions on the ground nor respect the essential advice of our military commanders.” (pg. 13)
Afghanistan: Republicans believe there is still some work to be done, but that there has been progress. There is little mention of increasing American troops in Afghanistan and no mention of grassroots development assistance. “Additional forces are also necessary, both from NATO countries and through a doubling in size of the Afghan army.” (Pg. 13)
Republicans do affirm the value of women in the armed service. However, they also believe “To protect our servicemen and women and ensure that America’s Armed Forces remain the best in the world, we affirm the timelessness of those values, the benefits of traditional military culture, and the incompatibility of homosexuality with military service.” (Pg. 5)

Democrats recognize that a strong military is important, but that foreign policy and protecting the United States needs to be more holistic and include diplomacy, education, development and leading by example.
Democrats see foreign countries as potential partners in business, but want to work towards greater equality by ensuring high labor and environmental standards. “Development and diplomacy will be reinforced as key pillars of U.S. foreign policy, and our civilian agencies will be staffed, resourced, and equipped to address effectively new global challenges.” (Pg. 41)
“Needed reform of these alliances and institutions will not come by bullying other countries to ratify American demands. It will come when we convince other governments and peoples that they too have a stake in effective partnerships.” (Pg. 36)
Iraq: “We will give our military a new mission: ending this war and giving Iraq back to its people. We will be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. We can safely remove our combat brigades at the pace of one to two per month and expect to complete redeployment within sixteen months.” (Pg. 29)
Afghanistan: “We will send at least two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan, and use this commitment to seek greater contributions–with fewer restrictions–from our NATO allies. We will focus on building up our special forces and intelligence capacity, training, equipping and advising Afghan security forces, building Afghan governmental capacity, and promoting the rule of law.” “We will help Afghans educate their children, including their girls, provide basic human services to their population, and grow their economy from the bottom up”
Democrats would like to increase military recruit through programs and believe it is essential to repeal the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy.

Civil Liberties:
Yes, Democrats realize that these liberties are the cornerstone of the freedoms that our founding father and mothers envisioned for the United States.
Democrats, on the other hand have a couple pages discussing different programs that will need to be reevaluated in order to protect our civil liberties. “We reject sweeping claims of “inherent” presidential power. We will revisit the Patriot Act and overturn unconstitutional executive decisions issued during the past eight years.” (Pg. 54) “We will close the detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, the location of so many of the worst constitutional abuses in recent years.” (Pg. 55) “We will review the current Administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. We reject illegal wiretapping of American citizens, wherever they live.” (Pg. 54)


What are those again? Oops! Republicans forgot to mention most of them!

Republicans don’t bring up a lot on this topic and fail to bring up issues involving torture, wiretapping or Guantanamo Bay. The following is the only mention of civil liberties. “We must always ensure that law enforcement respects the civil and constitutional rights of the people. While we wage war on terrorism in foreign lands, it is sometimes necessary for intelligence agencies and law enforcement officials to pursue terrorist threats at home. However, no expansion of governmental powers should occur at the expense of our constitutional liberties.” Pg.49

Gun Control:
Democrats realize that with such a right as owning a firearm comes even greater responsibility.
Democrats propose to “Acting responsibly and with respect for differing views on this issue, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe.” (pg. 48)

Republicans forget about the thousands of people shot each year by firearms that are legal or were borrowed or stolen from a legal owner.
They believe in no gun control what so ever. "We recognize that gun control only affects and penalizes law-abiding citizens." (pg. 51)

Reproductive Rights:
Republicans do not believe a woman should have the right to make personal judgments in her reproductive activities.
Being proactive in preventing unwanted pregnancies is discouraged by the Republican Party. “We oppose school-based clinics that provide referrals, counseling, and related services for abortion and contraception.” (pg. 45)
Republicans also support a global gag rule, which refuses to fund international organizations that perform or promote abortion as a family planning option. Because of this stance they also reject signing treaties such as CEDAW (women’s right treaty) and UN convention on the rights of the child. (Pg. 8)

Democrats trust women and families to make decisions about their own reproduction and birth control decisions. They recognize it isn’t just a gender issue, but a class and human rights issue.
“The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all
efforts to weaken or undermine that right…The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to comprehensive affordable family planning services and age-appropriate sex education” (pg. 50)
In addition, Democrats would repeal the global gag rule and reinstate funding to organizations such as United Nations Population Fund, which advocates women's health in third world countries.


Vote! Vote! Vote!

Platform Wrangling Part 1

This is the first of two installments of Platform Wrangling. I have read the 2008 platforms put forth by both the Democrat and Republican parties. Below you will see a comparison of their views on Fiscal Policy, Energy/Environment, Healthcare, and Education.

Early next week, I will bring you their thoughts on Foreign Policy, Military Issues, Gun Control, Civil Liberties, and Reproductive Rights.

Fiscal Policy:
Republicans still believe wealth actually trickles down.
Advocate to make 2001/2003 tax cuts permanent, reduce business and capital gains taxes. They believe in limited regulation and allowing the open market to balance the economy. "We believe in the free market as the best tool to sustained prosperity and opportunity for all." (pg. 28)
In order to save money in Washington, Republicans propose to freeze spending and eliminate wasteful programs, reinstate a presidential line-item veto, and placing more responsibility on the states.

Democrats believe in more distribution of economic wealth and opportunity so all people can feel secure and pursue happiness.
"We must build on the wealth that open markets have created and share its benefits more equitably." (pg. 26) Democrats would allow the tax cuts to expire and wouldn't raise taxes on anyone making under $250,000
In order to save money in Washington, Democrats will end the Iraq war timely and responsibility, place a fee on polluters, evaluate programming and reorganize or eliminate wasteful programs.

Environment and Energy:
Democrats: New technology and they call on us to be grown ups by taking responsibility for what humans (especially in the west) have collectively done to mess up the natural world.
To alleviate our dependence on fossil fuels, Democrats want to fast track investment in green technology research, production and deployment of solar, wind, geothermal, clean coal, etc. Also, they "call on businesses, government, and the American people to make America 50% more energy efficient by 2030." (pg. 17)
As for climate change, Democrats recognize it is a "man-made threat to the planet" (pg. 43) and call for a Global Energy Forum to discuss and create global commitment to reducing energy emissions.

Republicans: Drilling, Nuclear Energy and who cares about animals really?
Republicans main priority in energy is drilling and refining oil in the U.S. "We oppose any effort that would permanently block access to the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge." (pg. 32) They also advocate for some nuclear energy technology, renewable resources, clean coal and natural gas.
"Republicans caution against the doomsday climate change scenarios," (pg. 36) and believe a robust economy is the best way to deal with climate change. They will not ask anyone to sacrifice for the environment and think that private ownerships of land is the "best guarantee of conscientious stewardship." (pg.36)

Healthcare:
Democrats think everyone should be covered and healthcare needs to be affordable, accessible and flexible. All children should be covered!
Democrat policy would include a person having an option to have health coverage through their work or through other private companies or public programs. These options should be accessible and affordable. "Health insurance should accept all applicants and be prohibited from charging different prices based on pre-existing conditions." (pg. 11)
Democrats support increased funding for biomedical and stem cell research.
In addition, they reinforce their commitment to women's health. "We oppose the current Administration's consistent attempts to undermine a women's ability to make her own life choices and obtain reproductive healthy care including birth control.” (pg. 13)

Republicans think open markets will work for healthcare, because it worked so well for the stock market.
Republicans believe open markets and privatization will regulate costs. "It lets consumers make better decisions about where to spend their health care dollars, thereby fostering competition and lowering costs." (pg. 39) They encourage companies to cover pre-existing conditions, but leave the standards to the patient's state of residency.
Republicans support limited stem cell research. They also support robust intellectual property laws. As far as women's health, they support allowing medical professionals to refuse healthcare service if they feel it is against their conscience.

Education:

Republicans believe that giving vouchers to students to attend private schools will somehow help public schools.
Republicans believe in "school choice" through vouchers and tax credits for religious, charter and home schools. They call for a review of Department of Education and cut programs. To recruit teachers they will develop a teacher corps of business and military professionals to fill-in teacher spots when needed.

Democrats want to make sure teachers and administrators are given every opportunity to help students learn. They also realize learning doesn’t just happen during school hours and other programming to supplement education is necessary to produce a strong, smart and capable next generation.
Democrats believe in increased resources for public schools including professional development for educators, after school programs, early childhood education, and alternative education programs. Incentives (such as college tuition/loan assistance) for teachers that serve at-risk communities, mentor new teachers and excel in the classroom.

I encourage everyone to look at the platforms on their own.
Don’t forget to vote November 4th!

Craving Celebrity

(Sorry for the delay in posting. A combination of traveling and computer troubles prevented me from posting. I will try to make up for it by posting twice next week! Yeah!)

Many people want to be famous. I can understand it to a point. Usually, celebrities don't have a lot of financial woes and it appears that they get pretty much what ever they want. However, the pressure to look good every time you leave your house would be a pain. Magazines would call it shameful if you ran to the corner store in PJs. Not to mention, the annoyance of cameras flashing in your face as you walk to that store. Your moments as a celebrity may be "glamourous," but you would have to share most them with a million people and not just your loved ones.

As much as I don't think I would like to be extremely famous there is one thing about celebrity that I envy greatly. That is that their voices are actually heard. They may be criticized, rightly or not, but there is no question they get their voice out there. When they care about an issue they can do something. No, they can't solve the problem by magic, but they can raise awareness and often coordinate some action.

Just think for a moment and many names and causes come to mind. (Please click on the names to find out more about the causes they support.)

George Clooney and Don Cheadle: Darfur
Angelina Jolie: Refugees
Bono: AIDS/African Aid
Oprah: Girls Education
Al Gore: Environment/Climate Change
Late Princess Diana: Landmines

This is what I envy. Celebrities can keep the paparatizzi, big houses, magazine covers, and red carpets (although I must admit walking a red carpet once in life might be fun, but it certainly isn't something I need to do to be happy.) What I really want is the means to get important information to the public and the means to moblize and begin change.

The celebrity culture of America has seeped into politics. Even as I write this, Entertainment Tonight is teasing an upcoming interview with John McCain. This aspect of the political process can be a good or bad thing. More people are interested in politics, but are they interested in issues or what is on the candidates' Ipods?

A big concern with politicians becoming “stars” is that the nature of celebrity isn’t one that requires much accountability. Movie stars make a living at playing a part, essentially not being themselves and telling a story that is usually fiction. We can’t have our campaigns becoming romantic-comedy or tragic screenplays.

Many political commentators get ratings from turning the election into laughs or dramatic yelling-matches. The popularity of Tina Fey’s spot on parody of Gov. Palin has given SNL a huge boost. ABC’s The View has produced some heated political arguments this season and it only takes 5 minutes of watching Bill O’Reilly to see the drama emerge.

However, there are more people registering to vote and real issues are being discussed more this year than I ever remember in the past. It is exciting that Obama was easily able to fill a football stadium with supporters/delegates while still thousands watched his acceptance speech at home. Hopefully, the excitement of politics will translate into the younger generations caring about issues, craving knowledge and demanding to be a part of the process. This is a great thing.

So is a celebrity political culture a good or bad thing? Time will tell like it always seems to do.

Demonstrations and Demographics

I was poised with my pen in hand as McCain began his speech. After 10 minutes I was already tired and wanting to go to bed. His speech was not the worst I've heard, but certainly not specific or inspiring. A more interesting part of the night was the protesters that were actually shown on camera. During Palin's speech, at least one Code Pink protester had been escorted out of the Xcel Center, but I didn't find out until my Estonian friend told me about it.

One sign held by a protester stated something like "McCain votes against veterans." That seems to be a bizarre claim since he himself is a veteran. Not to mention the Republicans like to remind of us his service every chance they get. However, the statement may have some substance.

As recent as this spring, McCain opposed an update to the GI bill that helps soldiers attend college and gain other training after their service. The senator said he opposed it because he thinks offering these benefits will encourage people to leave the military. Soldiers on the frontlines serving several extra years just because they have to in order to get their education benefits is sad and disrespectful. What about injured service members that are discharged early? I really don't know how they would be affected by a McCain GI bill.

Increasing funding for the war isn't popular, but most people believe in taking care of injured and sick veterans. McCain has voted against funding for veteran medical care many times. Just to mention one S. Amdt 3642 increased funding for outpatient care and treatment for veterans. Many other actions show McCain's lacking record on veteran's issues.

On a different note, the Republican Delegation had an interesting make up. The party that is supposedly more "in touch" with the American public doesn't show it by the people they invited to St. Paul. Ninety-three percent were white and 51% have a net worth over $500,000. This doesn't seem like an accurate picture of average Americans. According to the U.S. Census, average household income is around $50,000 well below the 1/2 million mark. As far as race, in 2006 74% of American identified as white.

So the Republican Convention is over and now we can really get this election started! This is when the debates start, signs go up in yards/windows and the nerves really kick-in.

Poetry in Progress

I can't believe it is Thursday and the Democrat convention is coming to close. Instead of doing a post about issues, this one will simply be the start of a poem. I wrote this at lunch today and plan to revise and add to it eventually.

The end of the Democratic National Convention is
only the beginning

Election season is in bloom
Work has to be done
The seeds have been planted
Don't be afraid to get your feet muddy
Stand up to the mic
Be a powerful force, use your voice to
express the necessity of now.

Shout "We Must Vote" to
breath a sigh of relief as
we hear the vines of ignorance break
Show the world how a real patriot acts by
raising the bar on American politics and
live the dream of a king.

Obama 08

A Vice for Women

Senator Joe Biden will be speaking tonight as the Vice Presidential nominee. This follows Women's Equality Day that concluded with a great speech by Hillary Clinton. I must acknowledge that her speech was right on the mark.

In the spirit of feminism, here are some highlights from Biden's history on Women's Rights:
He has spoken out for the ratification of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), an international treaty that establishes equal right for women. While 90% of UN member states have ratified it, the United States lags behind.

Senator Biden was a chief sponsor of the Violence Against Women Act (1994). He has also worked to ensure its reauthorization in 2000 and 2006. In addition, he has worked to maintain and increase funding for the bill despite efforts by the Bush administration to cut funding. The bill supports women's shelters and prevention programs among other vital projects working to end violence.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he has stood up for women and other groups. He voted against the nominations of Justices Roberts and Alito, even going so far as to support a filibuster of Alito's appointment. Besides these well-known cases, Biden has repeatedly voted "no" to the appointment of judges with questionable records, such as Judge Thomas Griffith an opponent to Title IX.

In addition the senator has been outspoken on several important issues. He is an ally for reproductive rights, pay equity and the empowerment of Afghan women. These examples show how he is a good pick for women. That is yet another reason why I am proudly supporting the Democratic ticket this November.

Divided and Conquered? Why?

News reports gladly remind us that Democrats seems to work harder to maintain solidarity. They show images of Clinton protesters at the convention and give McCain free ad time by repeatedly showing a commercial with a Hillary supporter voting for him. I realize this is mostly media's subjective view of what is going on in the election, but this is not acceptable.

Any democrat/liberal that walks away because their primary candidate didn't achieve the nomination is shameful. Any feminist that turns to the republicans simply because a woman isn't on the ticket is doing a grave disserve to all feminists. Critics can point to this and say feminists don't really want positive change they just want women in powerful positions no matter the cost.

I am so angry that people are resistant to the better candidate this November! Here is just a few of the comparisons that can be made between the two nominees:

Obama is pro-choice and advocates better birth control policies.
McCain is committed to overturning Roe v. Wade and doesn't mention anything about preventing unwanted pregnancies.

Obama's education policies include reforming No Child Left Behind by funding it, fostering innovative teaching, shared learning and raising achievement in a variety of ways. He also includes early childhood and affordable college education as priorities.
McCain's education ideas revolve almost exclusively around choice. What about rural areas where there aren't really any schools to choose from within miles? What about transportation if students have to travel farther to get to a choice school? How will 'good' schools manage an influx of students?

On energy Obama's plan focuses more on green technologies and renewable resources.
McCain touches on these issues, but features domestic oil production ahead of creating ways to lower our energy consumption.

Don't forget about the Supreme Court. Rudy Giuliani boasted about McCain's support of Justices Scalia, Alito and Roberts on ABC's This Week.
Obama voted against the appointment of Alito and Roberts.

For more comparisons you can go to each candidates website: Obama or McCain?

It is fine to criticize our leaders, even the ones that get our vote. This is NOT the time to do so. Now is when we choose a smarter path. Now is when we fight against disaster. Now is when we must put aside our unrealistic expectations for perfection. Now is when we stand behind the best chance we have for a better world. Now is when we must support Obama for ourselves and the greater good.