Older, Unhappy Women As Swing Voters

The AARP's Divided We Fail initiative released a survey today of swing voters in battleground states, those identified as older, lower income, mostly white women, who said their decision would be based, primarily, upon the economy. Not a surprise, considering the state of same, but one that bears further scrutiny following another survey; this one reported by USA Today and ABC news, which stated that older women were unhappier than their male counterparts:

Women start out as happy young adults but by midlife wind up the sadder sex, says a new study on satisfaction related to financial circumstances and family life, which past research has shown play a significant role in well-being and happiness.

The ABC report showed a graph that started with men and women in their 20's, with women the happier of the two sexes and men working on it -- until age 48 when the lines cross as women take a downward slide into unhappiness and men find themselves well situated.

What is this about?

The answer provides a clue to the support for Hillary Clinton within the same demographic: the way our society is structured, the possibility that a women of a certain age and (at least at birth) background might finally be able to dictate policy that would include some consideration of their circumstances:

Early in adult life, women are more likely than men to fulfill their aspirations for material goods and family life, but later, they may be divorced or separated and less financially secure. Meanwhile, men's finances and family life improve, making them "the happier of the two genders," the study says.

The societal support system for these women becomes a pulled-out rug that threatens to leave them behind after age 48. If they are not with a man, they are at risk for poverty which increases the pressure upon these women to stay with their men. But that is no panacea. If they do stay, many of these women are at increased risk of becoming a caretaker and/or beholden to a man in a position of power, that, dependent upon his character, who has the opportunity to misuse that power awarded him by society.

No wonder the men surveyed were happier.

The AARP survey concluded that the older white women in the battleground states they approached placed the economy as their preeminent issue felt that neither candidate was addressing their concerns.

"Undecided swing voters are older women, focused domestically on the economy and health care and do not feel that either candidate is adequately addressing these issues," said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond.

The polling found that 60 percent of swing voters say they are interested in learning more about the candidates' positions on the issues that matter most to them. Perhaps most importantly, the research indicates that nearly all swing voters (94%) in the six key states agree that health care and financial security are too big for any one candidate or party to fix.

As societal imbalances can produce conflict within the groups being oppressed, a consequence of the divide and conquer nature of our trickle-down economics that don't (trickle down), it is possible that these women could end up voting against their own interests with a McCain who, at least, culturally speaks their language, as opposed to an Obama, who does not seem to be speaking to them at all.

What does Senator Obama have to do to reach these women?

I don't claim to be an expert, but here's what I'd say:

"I get it that society is leaving many of you behind. I WILL SPEAK TO THIS AS YOUR PRESIDENT. I will make sure that sexism inherent in our economy, our society, our laws, our support systems, our education, our assumptions, are scrutinized, given the light of day and corrected wherever such inequality is uncovered in our system. IT WILL NO LONGER BE SWEPT UNDER THE RUG."

Not sure how that would go over with their happier male counterparts, but it's what I'd say.

Comments

[bluevillage]

Obama's smile brings a smile to your face. His voice is more lovely than McCain's. Who would the Unhappy rather see and hear on television for the next 4 years?

[JaneEyrez]

The survey says what it says, but from my vantage point (almost 59), I have never been happier, even though I live alone, work hard to keep myself financially viable. My friends and I all agree that we've never been happier in our lives and feel that we've finally come into our own. And every damn one of us is a HUGE Obama supporter!

[FloridaShutterBug]

Sixty-four year-old, white female Floridian voting for America.

Obama 08

[BADEN]

This is a Clintonian Red Herring.

If women are projecting onto a politician, believing somehow this specific woman politician really "feels yer pain", I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

I vote for who I believe will represent me the best.
I don't vote sex.

I would LOVE to vote for the first woman POTUS, but it has to be the right PERSON who happens to be female.

Clinton is a political animal. Period.

Shoot, ladies - WE'RE THE MAJORITY OF CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTRY.
We should be able to do anything......anything.

[Rockerbabe]

This somewhat "older woman" does not need to be wooed! I prefer Mr. Darcy, thank you very much!
What I want:
Respect and adherence to the laws and principles of the Constitution of the United States.
Respect for my rights to make my own decision, especially regarding healthcare and the direction of my life.
Respect for equal pay for equal work; enforcement of the Title VI provisions.
Fair and simplified tax code based on income and dependents, not marital status.
Universial healthcare.
Enforcement of the environmental laws.
Upgrades in the infrastructure; including rebuilding New Orleans in some form or fashion agreeable to the residents of New Orleans.
Fairness in the Social Security Program with regard to gender and marital status.
Emphasis on education our kids; not taking test and more test!
Overhaul of the "War on Drugs" aka, the war on the citizenry.
Exit out of Iraq asap; then an exit our of Afghanistan asap.

[saltysea]

agree with most :o).

[tbone99]

Mccain left his first family to marry a trophy millionairess- I'm sure that will register with them. But Obama spoke of his grandmother as a "typical" racist older woman - that may be sticking in their throat too.

Too bad the Dems aren't offering true universal health care - it could be the tiebreaker between two
men they 're not crazy about.

[gurukalehuru]

As to McCain "speaking their language," I say: buffalo chips.

[Falafel]

All older women aren't unhappy; just those who blindly followed the Hillster and identified with her marital strife.

[sfbayani]

If this is true, indeed that would be the worse legacy that older women are leaving the next generation of women - who would have to fight again for their rights when McBush will try to overturn Roe v Wade.

How feminist - and patriotic - will that be!!!

[geg6]

These women (incidentally, my own age group) are just plain stupid. I have no other or nicer way of putting. What the hell do they think McSame is going to do to help them out of whatever situation they are in at this point in their lives? Help them out on healthcare? Nope. Fight for equal pay? Nope. Make sure their kids can afford to go to college? Nope.

Stupid. The only thing Obama should say to them is the same thing I say to them when I hear their stupid carping about how they don't trust Obama for whatever silly reason they are rationalizing at that moment. And that is to use a brain cell and understand that McCain not only won't help them but has explicitly worked against anything that benefits women or makes their lives easier. If they vote for McCain, they are voting against themselves and deserve whatever they get. The shame is that we will all have to live with their stupidity.

[cheo]

As an over-60 woman I am sick of this crap about how "Obama HAS to reach, or even worse,
"WOO" the older female Clinton supporters.
How about asking THIS question? What do these women have to do to BE heard? Stop whining, get off your butts, read Obama's policy proposals, realize they are very much the same as Hillary's and VERY different from McCain's.
Then, start attending your precinct meetings, volunteer to work on the campaigns of hopefully Obama, but at least your LOCAL Democratic candidates--MANY of whom are WOMEN--and who are for the most part, highly motivated to further Women's and family issues. Even if it's just an hour or two a week it will help you and your candidate(s).

As two of my favorite bumper stickers say: "The World is Run By Those Who SHOW UP', and, "If you don't vote, don't complain".

[gurukalehuru]

Absolutely spot on, Cheo. Allow me to paraphrase: Ask not what Obama can do for you. Ask what you can do for Obama.

[calluna]

"How about asking THIS question? What do these women have to do to BE heard?"

Because, ma'am, they are voting, tax-paying members of American society, and they have as much right to air their grievances and demand of their candidates, answers as to how that candidate is going to deal with the issues that, when you get right down to it, affect us all.

Keep in mind that this article isn't talking about only Clinton supporters -- it's talking about a demographic that was more likely to support Clinton, but is very much up for grabs in the fall.

[Janet Ritz - Huffpost Blogger]

Best response. You got the point of the article.

[saltysea]

That's what puzzles some of us. How can you be very much for Clinton and then be up for grabs to a man that will act mostly in direct opposition to what Clinton believes in?

[texanna]

Well, I wouldn't hold my breath for anything like that to come out of the Obama camp. Frankly, I don't think he's really all that concerned about the sexism problem in this country and he's made it clear that he's really much more interested in the young voter.

[bethinCary]

OR

maybe women relaize finally that meaterial goods can't buy happiness-and are in teh midst of finally having their say about what does...
8 yrs of the GOP lies, absurdity, and violations of civil liberties which affect women and other minorites more..

So...no not "unhappy" women...

ANGRY women..
women with a conscience who want to correct the inequality and injustices done at the hands of 2 men..
Somebody absolutely NEEDS to get angry about it--it's the only way to bring about change..

[saltysea]

sounds like an Obama supporter to me. He's the best chance we have to address your concerns.

[londongal]

Dear Janet:

"It is possible that these women could end up voting against their own interests with a McCain who, at least, culturally speaks their language."

I don't quite understand what you mean by that statement since you say that "neither candidate was addressing their [women's] concerns." What cultural language are you referring to?

[dadw5boys]

Mc Cain will hand over Social Security and Medicare to private interest if he can.

Women live longer than men so this is very much and issue for them.

Mc Cain will also cut their retirement checks instead of finding other ways to fund Social Security.

Mnay retirees have had the retirement plans handed over to the government because the companys did not fund them properly espically after Bush lowered the funding requirements to only 25 % .