Yes, Governor Sarah Palin has added a dash of excitement to the Republican ticket, a party which has no history of reaching out to women. Let's remember what this party stands for: the appointment of Justices who are determined to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In past elections, it was difficult to get voters to focus on the importance of Supreme Court appointments. It seemed too far off, too hypothetical. That has changed in 2008. We're not talking about the distant future, we are talking now. Senator McCain has told the world that the justices he would appoint would be in the mold of Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. He has made that promise not only to the far right; he has made it to the nation.
How likely is it that the next President will have the opportunity to fill vacancies? Very. Justice Stevens is 88 years old. Justice Ginsberg is 75 and has had bouts of ill health. Justice Breyer is 70, and Justice Souter, 68, has expressed a desire to return to his native New Hampshire. All four justices have been strong supporters of a woman's right to choose. They also have been in the minority on a host of decisions regarding civil rights and equal pay. The one which affected women most directly was Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. That 5-4 decision denied Lily Ledbetter, a supervisor on the factory floor, the right to sue for pay discrimination because she had not filed her case within 180 days. She found out she had been paid less than her male counterparts, after 20 years.
If you think that the McCain/Palin ticket has suddenly become a friend to women, just look at the make-up of the Democratic and Republican conventions. The Democratic convention, for the first time in history, had more female delegates than male, 51-49%, following a steady climb to gender equality.
The Republican convention break down was over 60% male. They moved in the opposite direction; fewer women than in 2004 and 2000.
Red state feminism may be exciting, even interesting, but it does not speak to average women, whether they are stay-at-home moms or working-moms or neither. If they take away Reproductive Choice, they will have taken away the most important decision a woman has to make: when and whether to have a child. Throughout history, women have struggled to free themselves from those who would dictate that decision, instead of acknowledging that women have the moral sense to make that decision themselves.
Wouldn't it be ironic if the McCain/Palin appointees to the U.S. Supreme Court thrust us back in time to the dark days when women had no choice.
Madeleine M. Kunin is the former Governor of Vermont and was the state's first woman governor. She served as Ambassador to Switzerland for President Clinton, and was on the three-person panel that chose Al Gore to be Clinton's VP. She is the author of Pearls, Politics, and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead from Chelsea Green Publishing.
Just so you know, there are numerous "feminists" who happen to agree with Palin, myself being one of them. I'm tired of Democrats claiming their viewpoint is the only feminist one out there. Give me a break! What an insult to our intelligence, our personal belief systems, and the right to have freedom of expression and independent thought as an American citizen.
It's refreshing to hear Palin refer to the idea of creating a culture of life vs. death.
I, for one, am sick of women blindly choosing multiple abortions just because they can't stop sleeping around, use birth control, or consider adoption or single parenting. I would be very interested to read statistics of how many women who abort their unborn baby have been raped vs. those who are just using it as another form of birth control.
I'm sure it tilts very heavily towards the latter.
Yes, responsibility takes discipline and sacrifice. I suffered when I chose my adoption, but I can also say I'm happy that my child is making another family who couldn't have their own child very happy. He's happy too. That's what mattered to me.
Now, PALIN SAYS SHE WANTS WAR WITH RUSSIA. isn't that "conservative"?
there's EVERYTHING TO LIKE about war for republicans!
Palin's ready to start our WAR WITH RUSSIA to keep that money pouring in.
Republicans are out to BANKRUPT everybody except themselves.
NO THANKS! No more years for that CORRUPT BUNCH.
If you believe in Abstinence Only Sex Education even though both yourself and your daughter became pregnant before marriage…you might be Sarah Palin.
If you say you were against the Bridge from Nowhere when in fact, you were for it and eagerly used the funds for Alaskan pork barrel projects….you might be Sarah Palin.
If you fire a librarian for refusing to allow you to ban books….you might be Sarah Palin.
If you campaign on the virtues of being in the PTA and being a Hockey Mom even as your two oldest children are, in real time, acting out in very self-destructive ways….you might be Sarah Palin.
If you think that praying can change one’s predisposition to be gay…you might be Sarah Palin.
If you refuse to grant interviews until the media is properly deferential…you might be Sarah Palin.
If one of your notable qualifications to be Vice President is that you can field dress a moose or shoot wolves from helicopters…you might be Sarah Palin.
If you try to ride the political coattails of previous female candidates such as Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro even though your ideology is diametrically opposed to theirs….you might be Sarah Palin.
When you campaign on the basis of cutting out earmarks and yet you lobbied for and received earmarks to improving recreational halibut fishing, studying the mating habits of crabs, and the DNA of harbor seals….you might be Sarah Palin.
If you believe the presidency is from 8 to 10 years you might be Barack Obama.
If you have a wife who has never been proud of her country you might be Barack Obama.
If you had a pastor for 20 years who preached racism and hate you might be Barack Obama.
If your former pastor was just busted for having an affair you might be Barack Obama.
If you serve on a board of directors with a known unrepentant terrorist you might be Barack Obama.
If you do business with a man who funnels money to the PLO you might be Barack Obama.
If you took a sweetheart land deal from a convicted felon you might be Barack Obama.
If you consistently flip flop on your issues to draw more independent voters you might be Barack Obama.
If you vote against military funding that even Joe Biden said would result in deaths of our troops you might be Barack Obama.
If you refuse to debate John McCain in a town hall meeting because you're afraid of being asked tough questions you might be Barack Obama.
If you have no record of any meaningful legislation passed while serving as senator because you're too busy running for president you might be Barack Obama.
If the majority of your votes as state legislature were "present" you might be Barack Obama.
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/06pdf/05-1074.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ledbetter_v._Goodyear
Teddy Roosevelt was pro-Union, pro National health-care, pro-Environment. And that is just how radically he does not resemble the policy positions of the current joke of a candidate. How about on EXPERIENCE?
Prior to being VP he:
1. Attended Harvard Law
2. Read voraciously and understood the world beyond the grove of trees outside his window
3. Travelled extensively
4. Wrote more bills than any other legislator as a New York Assemblyman
5. Served in the U.S. civil service commission under Harrison and Cleveland
6. Served as president of the NYC board of police commisioners
7. Served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under McKinley. The Secretary was so inactive in his duties that Roosevelt essentially ran the Navy department.
8. Led the Roughriders in Cuba, awarded Medal of Honor (belatedly)
9. Governor of New York
Furthermore, said "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Hardly the tack taken by the current administration, or the potential Republican successors.
AND he was a rabid racist.
A more ludicrous comparison has probably never been made.
Here is some homework for you, compare Obama to Lincoln. Tell us all how closely they equate. Or are you incapable of applying your standards equivalently without bias?
Vietnam vet and proud of it
I am under 45 years old,
I love the outdoors,
I hunt,
I am a Republican reformer,
I have taken on the Republican Party establishment,
I have many children,
I have a spot on the national ticket as vice president with less than two years in the governor's office.
Have you ever heard of me before now?
I am Teddy Roosevelt.
I'm under 45 years old
I don't believe in global warming,
I approve the pathetic practice of Aerial Hunting,
I am a Republican tool,
I invest "nothing" into education,
I have a litter,
I have hugely under qualified?
Have you head of me before?
I am Sarah Paline
Let's examine the family which produces them:
Probably coming from a 'Conservative' family tree which has embraced the concept of male domination for many generations. (since the dawn of time...4,000 years ago).....Mother is an abused, frustrated, and angry women, but brainwashed (psychologically programmed from birth) to think that everything is just FINE. "this is the way God wants it". so Mom takes her anger and frustration out on her (disposable) female children. simultaneously, Dad worships his 'baby girl'. nothing is denied, and nothing is too good for her. covertly abused by their Mothers, and openly adored by their Fathers, these women subconciously identify with their Father. they pick up and mimic his prehistoric testosterone fueled 'fight or flight' way of thinking. the concept of 'diplomacy', or intelligent discussion does not exist here. 'you don't talk to your enemies. you kill them.'.............
i think this is an excellent subject for a dissertation, Psychology Grads. go for it!!!
Women like Palin confound me. Is it self-hatred? That instead of loving her feminine side, she pushes it away - and invests her energy trying to be one of the boys? How boring, I say. What a wasted life.....You can be a feminist and stick up for a woman's right to choose, and still love your feminine side, you know. Palin seems to think such thoughts cannot co-exist.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/11/assemblies_of_god/
I believe it was the Assemblies of Gawd who were behind Jesus Camp..be scared