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Nancy Keenan

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Women Need to Remember the Real Mitt Romney on November 6

Posted: 10/15/2012 7:10 pm

What a week for women and their families.

Last week, Gov. Romney told The Des Moines Register editorial board that "there is no legislation with regards to abortion that I'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda."

Even Romney and his team realized pretty quickly those words weren't credible.

Within a couple of hours, Romney's spokeswoman said, "Gov. Romney would of course support legislation aimed at providing greater protections for life." The next day, Romney told supporters at a campaign rally, "I'll be a pro-life president." Then, on Thursday night, at the vice-presidential debate, Romney's running mate Paul Ryan said a Romney administration would be opposed to abortion in all cases other than rape, incest or where the life of the mother was in danger.

Perhaps Gov. Romney's ed-board prep should have included a look at the talking points he has laid out throughout his presidential campaign, which repeatedly states his plan to put politicians in between a woman and her doctor when medical decisions need to be made.

Before women and their families decide whether to vote for Mitt Romney for president this November, they should think long and hard about which anti-choice actions he plans to pursue if elected to the White House:

Overturning Roe v. Wade is part of Romney's agenda. The next president could nominate enough Supreme Court justices to determine the future of Roe. And Romney has said, "I hope to appoint justices for the Supreme Court that will follow the law and the constitution. And it would be my preference that they reverse Roe v. Wade..."

Blocking women's access to birth control is also part of his agenda. Romney has said he would eliminate Title X family-planning programs.

This election, voters will be faced with a clear choice: an administration that will protect women's privacy and personal health-care decisions, or one that allows politicians to make those choices for them.

We saw Mitt Romney tell lie after lie about his policy proposals at the first presidential debate. And now he is doing it again on the campaign trail. Women and their families need to know the truth about the Romney-Ryan ticket. And, those who want an end to the War on Women need to vote for President Obama, whose leadership supports, rather than threatens, their reproductive rights.

 

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What a week for women and their families. Last week, Gov. Romney told The Des Moines Register editorial board that "there is no legislation with regards to abortion that I'm familiar with that would ...
What a week for women and their families. Last week, Gov. Romney told The Des Moines Register editorial board that "there is no legislation with regards to abortion that I'm familiar with that would ...
 
 
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09:07 AM on 10/17/2012
He reminds us of who he truly is every so often. He cannot control his true feelings every second of the day, or under fire in a heated debate!
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isb782
JM is the Man!
04:24 AM on 10/17/2012
As mother with three daughters I will be voting obama on Nov 6, too much is on stake this election cycle.
08:45 PM on 10/16/2012
I think women, moms in particular, will be the deciding factor in this election. As an artist I had to make a political cartoon on this subject.Here is my cartoon hot off the canvas:

http://www.yjstudios.com/blog/2012/10/16/women-vote-for-romney
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Zimpod
Lemony fresh victory shall be mine!
12:27 PM on 10/16/2012
As long as the Republican party is anti-women and anti-science, I will be ANTI-REPUCLICAN.

I AM SICK of politicians pandering to the lunatic fringe in order to gain and retain power. "Small Government" my aunt Fanny!!! The Republican party elite thinks nothing of giving religious fanatics complete control over this country - because the "RULES" will never apply to them and the 1%.
09:53 AM on 10/16/2012
Women do what they are told. This year they will be told to vote for Romney. That is what they will do.
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Zimpod
Lemony fresh victory shall be mine!
12:30 PM on 10/16/2012
Ah, maybe the stepford fundamentalist fake christian types that are utterly dominated and controlled by their "men," but I think for myself - and I'm voting for President Obama.
12:34 PM on 10/16/2012
What women do what they are told? Or are you being sarcastic?
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demisfine
Often correct, NEVER right.
09:20 AM on 10/16/2012
I'm an Obama For America volunteer.
On the phone a couple of weeks ago, an 80 year old woman told me she is voting for President Obama again, because she doesn't want her granddaughters to have less autonomy than she and her daughters have had.
We don't give our seniors enough credit for caring about the nation. I think that seniors are often protrayed aas selfish and frightened for their own well being.
Hearing this women sincerely concerned for the future of women's rights inspired me.
Romney/Ryan will take us back the era of Donna Reed.
No thanks. I don't want to see women on valium just to survive the mundane details of life.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Honey Bucket
12:07 PM on 10/16/2012
I'm 67 and would never vote for any candidate that doesn't support Woman's Reproductive Freedom.
No matter how old I am, I will vote this way.
I am very well read and keep up with what's going on in politics and the world.
President Obama has repaired what Bush did in world opinion and I like him.
I hope Hillary Clinton runs in 2016 because I would vote for her.
I also was very impressed with the mayor of San Antonio when he spoke at the Dem convention.
All you women out there impress on your family members to vote for our president. He is better for our country than that vulture Romney.
09:11 AM on 10/17/2012
My sentiments exactly! I'm 56, a bit younger baby boomer than you are. Thanks for paving the way for me when I entered the male-dominated business world! It's been a long, hard fight that we CANNOT afford to lose now!
12:32 PM on 10/16/2012
Well, many grandmas now are the very women that fought for Roe v. Wade and equality in the workplace in the 60s and 70s. They don't want to see their hard work taken away for the women of now and future generations of women.

I can't for the life of me understand WHY a women would freely give up the few protected rights they have.

Make no mistake, Ryan and Romney aren't interested in protecting the rights of women. They are, however, interested in redefining what the women's place is in the family and society as a whole. As I stated, Ryan voted against the Lily Ledbetter Act. Why wouldn't he or any other man for that matter, support a woman's right to equal pay? How in the world would that help a woman economically?
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Zimpod
Lemony fresh victory shall be mine!
12:48 PM on 10/16/2012
Especially since most of his wealth came from his wife.
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demisfine
Often correct, NEVER right.
12:49 PM on 10/16/2012
Exactly.
Less women in the workforce means more men in power. More men with money. More men making choices.
1950 all over again.
07:28 AM on 10/16/2012
i remeber back in 2000 the meme used to be it doesnt matter who gets elected they both the same anyway and since that time it has been proven time and again republicans are not your friends
07:17 AM on 10/16/2012
Women have no real right to vote.

They can only pretend to do so, using unreliable, unsecured
electronics designed, built, programmed, and operated in
secrecy by unknown entities.
05:54 AM on 10/16/2012
They don't want women to have contraception, the choice to reproduce or not which is a major economic factor and they would like to repeal fair pay for women. Add in their lust for taking away social safety nets for the low income, low cost health care through planned parenthood, early childhood programs, low income breakfast and lunch programs in schools......it is MIND BLOWING.

Pro-life my butt. The care for life, particularly for the most vulnerable in society, lasts to them, all of 9 months during gestation. The buck stops there.

First they take away contraception, then they take away a women's choice, then then the take away fair pay. What will be next? Your right to vote I am sure.

If you think this is a steaming pile of hyperbole, remember women, you have no other rights under the US Constitution.

We fought long and hard for the little rights we do have. Are you ready to give them up?

You, your daughters, nieces, and granddaughters deserve more; a hell of a lot more.
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Pantsy
12:12 PM on 10/16/2012
i always want to ask these romney/ryan types, are YOU going to care for all those unwanted children that resulted from your policies?
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Zimpod
Lemony fresh victory shall be mine!
12:34 PM on 10/16/2012
They'll just look at you blankly and then eventually mumble something about charities and work houses.
09:12 AM on 10/17/2012
That would be a terrific follow-up question in the debate!
05:53 AM on 10/16/2012
I wonder how many women in this country know that women, under the constitution, do NOT have equal rights. The Equal Rights Amendment was NEVER ratified.

It took until 1920 for women to get secured the vote, 1973 with Roe v Wade to have domain over our bodies and own health care and ......drum roll please....

2009 for the Lily Ledbetter Act to assure that women received the same pay as a man for the same job. 20freakin'09! It happened to be the FIRST bill that Obama signed as President of the United States, and surprise, surprise, a bill that PAUL RYAN opposed and voted AGAINST. He and a large number of other GOPTEA would like to see repealed.

Pray, tell - what could possibly be the objection of a women being secured the right to equal pay for equal work after all. I mean isn't it the ROmney/Ryan cry all about economic security of the citizens of the US? Why in the WORLD would he vote against the economic security of a woman, and all in the same breath take away her right of dominion of her own body? Bringing a child into this world is a MAJOR economic issue for a woman and her family. Couple that with their wish to ban contraception, well that all adds up rather suspiciously doesn't it?

CONT.....
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Honey Bucket
12:10 PM on 10/16/2012
I have known that the Equal Rights bill never passed. The GOP keep chipping away our rights.
In the GOP controlled states legislatures it is getting worse.
Women, vote for your rights.
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isb782
JM is the Man!
04:37 AM on 10/17/2012
I did.
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
05:39 AM on 10/16/2012
Today's meme from the phones of the almost criminally uninformed:
`Strong independent women for Romney'.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Pantsy
12:14 PM on 10/16/2012
those words dont look like they should go together.
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
01:09 PM on 10/16/2012
Well, no-one would surely expect the meme of the day to actually make sense. 
01:20 AM on 10/16/2012
No one is trying to block contraception. Women can plan their families WITHOUT the government
(taxpayer) involved.

Strong, independent-thinking women don't need the Democratic Party, either.

Most women I know are more concerned about JOBS.... not abortion, too.
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
05:38 AM on 10/16/2012
Lots of people are trying to block contraception.

If they get a job under Mr Romney, there's still a good chance they wouldn't get healthcare.

Strong, independent = smug and unchallenged by reality. When your little world caves in, then you'll be rather sorry to have allied yourself with smirking selfishness, imagining you're on a yacht heading to your dressage contest.
01:34 PM on 10/16/2012
@Paulier

I don't mean this in a snarky way, but PLEASE do some research. They ARE trying to block conception for women, and a lot of this will be accomplished through states rights.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Honey Bucket
12:15 PM on 10/16/2012
All the women I know, both young and old disagree with you. We want our rights, we want our medication for birth control covered (as men have their ED medication covered) and we will never vote for a GOP candidate. The GOP killed the Jobs bill that would have provided over a million jobs. Don't talk about the GOP being better than the DEMS.
The pill is a medication and should be covered by insurance and we also love the ACA. It will help millions of families with health issues and pre-existing issues. The GOP doesn't like it because their buddies and campaign contributors own the health companies and they want to keep overcharging voters.
By the way, Romney owns a huge chunk of health care companies stocks and this is why he doesn't support if for all Americans.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
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01:11 AM on 10/16/2012
Amen sister!
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ajax2
10:13 PM on 10/15/2012
It's much more than Romney's position on women. Woman need to look at the entire GOP platform on women. The GOP positions defend rape, and incest in abortion funding. They accuse women of making false claims, or deserving of rape. They go so far as to claim decent women don't conceive from rape. Romney carries these positions with him. He can't discard them or his skin.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
summerwind08234
09:53 PM on 10/15/2012
Oh these articles are so useless any intelligent woman is voting for Romney, woman care about economy and jobs not how many late term abortions they can get .
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Avak
I think, therefore I am liberal
01:12 AM on 10/16/2012
Many women care about whether politicians are trying to limit their rights to participate in said economy. My rights to full social, political, and economical equality come first, and I will vote on that before voting on *anything* else.
09:04 AM on 10/16/2012
Well, since getting pregnant greatly affects a womans job and the financial stability of her family, having complete control over her own body in ALL things is just as important as "jobs and the economy".