Contraception

2012 Could Become Another “Year Of The Woman” In Both Houses Of Congress

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2012 could well prove to be another “Year Of The Woman” in both houses of Congress, similar to 1992, when a dramatic increase in women in government occurred.

Presently, there are 76 women in the House of Representatives, 52 Democrats and 24 Republicans. The US Senate has 17 women as members, with 12 Democrats and 5 Republicans. So the Democrats have two thirds of all women in Congress, with 64 as compared to the Republicans with 29.

With the Republican attack on contraception, and the Rush Limbaugh fatal mistake to attack a woman personally for her testimony about contraception before a Congressional committee, and with no criticism by GOP Presidential candidates, and very little criticism by any Republicans in Congress, including the women members, it is certain that there will be many new, primarily Democratic, women elected in 2012 to both houses of Congress.

The Democrats have about 38 women running for House seats, while the GOP only have 7, while in the Senate, there are 6 women running as Democrats as compared to 4 for the Republicans. Many of those running for the Senate, particularly for the Democrats, come from states that have never had women elected to that distinguished body.

Notice that for women running for Congress, 44 are Democrats and only 11 are Republicans, 80 percent of the total, as compared to 71 percent for those presently in Congress.

More than ever, it seems highly likely that women will play a major role in the elections, and that will benefit the Democrats and Barack Obama.

And the odds of future women candidates for President from the Democratic Party grows dramatically, with the potential for more than 20 women Democrats in the US Senate in 2013!

Rush Limbaugh’s Apology To Sandra Fluke: NOT Enough!

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Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, a disgrace for a human being, issued a personal attack this week on law student Sandra Fluke for her testimony on contraceptive availability, calling her a “slut” and a “prostitute”, and demanded that he and others get to see porn movies produced by her sexual activity!

What an insult and a humiliation for any human being to be so labeled by a reckless, irresponsible windbag and propagandist such as Limbaugh!

Only after Limbaugh lost six advertisers for his radio show did he issue a half hearted apology, but this is the manner that Rush Limbaugh uses regularly, and will continue to do so in the future.

The answer is to NOT accept the weak apology, and campaign to have more advertisers withdraw their commercial support of his program, and bring it down completely, unless Limbaugh decided to support his own program with his own fortune, which needs to be taxed much more heavily than it is!

And Sandra Fluke should sue Limbaugh, and attempt to take away as much of the ill earned fortune of Limbaugh as possible. It is certain that there are attorneys who will wish to make Limbaugh’s life miserable, and be willing to support Fluke, only earning their pay IF Limbaugh loses a jury trial for defamation of character.

This man needs to be shut up as a person who spews poison and promotes division for his own aggrandizement!

And we need to realize that Rush Limbaugh is a disgrace to any sense of morality and ethics, and has even outdone Newt Gingrich in having had FOUR wives, to Gingrich’s THREE!

And Mitt Romney’s refusal to comment on the whole matter is despicable, and demonstrates once again that he has no guts, no courage, no principle, other than his own advancement!

And for Rick Santorum to just use the word “absurd” for what Rush Limbaugh said is also disgraceful!

And kudos to Ron Paul for saying that what Rush did was in “poor taste”! He shows more guts than any of the other GOP candidates for President!

The Republican Party Establishment In Panic: Jeb Bush, George Will, Haley Barbour

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The Republican Party Establishment is fully aware that the party is doomed if it follows the crazy path being tread by Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul.

These candidates are absolutely a calamity big time.

Mitt Romney spends time talking about the height of the trees in Michigan; the fact that his wife has two Cadillacs; the concept that he likes firing people; jokes about being “unemployed”; suggests a tax plan that would be worse than that under George W. Bush in cutting taxes on the wealthy; and continues to say that the auto industry bailout was a bad idea even though it saved between one and two million jobs.

Rick Santorum talks about Satan taking over America; attacks public education and higher education as promoting secular humanism; advocates the end of contraception availability to women; condemns homosexuality in the most extreme language; advocates religion in government; and calls for war on Iran immediately.

Newt Gingrich says that Barack Obama is dangerous to American security; calls for immediate action on Day One to wipe out everything Barack Obama has promoted; calls for a moon colony despite no funds available for it anytime soon; brags about his own brilliance and intellect and knowledge; has no shame about his moral lapses; and enjoys stirring a “hornet’s nest” and being a “flame thrower”.

Ron Paul calls for the elimination of the Federal Reserve; the immediate withdrawal of our troops from all nations overseas; the ending of five federal government agencies; is for massive immediate cuts in the federal budget;
believes in no regulation of corporations; and is a total advocate of libertarianism.

All four are a true disaster, and we have heard the lament from Establishment figures.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush deplores the promotion of fear and emotion; while George Will, of ABC’s THIS WEEK and also a Washington Post columnist, states that none of the candidates have made a good case for the nomination; and former Mississippi Governor and Republican National Chairman Haley Barbour also is critical of the performance of the candidates for the Republican nomination.

Whether anything can be done to avoid electoral disaster is very hard to predict at this point, but a sense of foreboding is clearly evident in Republican circles!

Rick Santorum: 2012 Most Important Election Since 1860? He May Have It Right!

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Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania Senator, and leading Mitt Romney in the Michigan polls, is becoming the center of more attention, having to defend Foster Friess, his “sugar daddy”, who is keeping Santorum going financially. Foster Friess made fun of women and contraception, suggesting that years ago, before birth control pills, women would put aspirin between their knees to prevent pregnancy! What an amazing statement, and all Santorum can do is say he is not responsible for what his financial and other supporters say! If he was to take responsibility, he might lose his financial support, so of course, no principles, Rick, except your own aggrandizement!

But now, Santorum today has gone further, to state that the 2012 election is the most important since the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, 152 years ago!

What an interesting comparison! It is VERY CLEAR that he is appealing to white blue collar workers, north and south, craftily reminding them that before 1860, without saying it, that we did not have to worry about civil rights, human rights, such as the reality that African Americans were mostly in slavery, women had no rights, immigrants were being victimized by the American (Know Nothings) party, that government was small and based on states rights, that labor had no rights, that we exploited natural resources without regard for the environment, etc. In other words, the “good old days”, before that “dastardly” Republican named Abraham Lincoln had to “ruin” everything, and then other Republicans like Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, and George H. W. Bush, and others in Congress, and of course northern Democrats and Democratic Presidents had the nerve to “change” things away from what they were in 1860.

Of course, the kind of people Santorum is appealing to, in most cases, have no knowledge of what he is talking about, except in small snippets. But Santorum has a veiled message, and is promoting a “culture” war, of them against us!

This “culture war”, trying to take away separation of church and state that our Founding Fathers gave us; promotion of constant war overseas; and advocating the advancement of corporate America against the very blue collar whites that he claims to represent, IS the new “war”, just as important as the Civil War, as it is indeed the NEW “Civil War” for the future of American freedom and opportunity!

Rick Santorum: Anti “Modern Women”, And Wants Women Back In The 1950s!

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Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum may be leading in many polls at the moment for the Republican Presidential nomination, but he has a major problem among women, and rightfully!

Rick Santorum is the Number One “Male Chauvinist Pig” in American politics!

Santorum wants women to be what their image was in the “good old days” of the 1950s–mostly staying home, not working, not educated beyond high school, only there to make her husband’s life easier when he came home, doing all the household duties, having large families, and basically being always available in two places–the kitchen and the bedroom!

Those days are gone forever, even for wealthier women, as well as middle class and poor women.

The reality is that women NEED to work to sustain their economic advancement, whether single, married, divorced, widowed, and with or without children.

Also, women have become a larger portion of the college educated, and do not wish to sit home full time forever and just keep the house clean and take care of the children, and most certainly, expect their boyfriends or husbands to share in the domestic duties.

The age of feminism has arrived since the 1960s, and women are NEVER going back to the old subservient existence they had.

They are human beings who wish and need also to work and accomplish personal goals; wish to serve their country in the military as equals; wish to control their family sizes through contraception methods; wish in overwhelming numbers to have control of their own bodies, and not be told they must follow through on any and all pregnancies unless that is their wish; and are not going to allow any church or synagogue to dictate to them their role in American life.

Rick Santorum will not be able to gain support of many women, unless they are the minority that allows themselves to be dictated to by their husbands, boyfriends, or fathers; are religiously fanatical where they are willing to make themselves subservient; and have no problem in giving up the potential and challenge of professional careers and opportunities to just be a “baby maker” and housewife full time for their entire lives. Such a person is Rick Santorum’s wife, Karen Santorum, who gave up a nursing and legal education, shows herself adoring her husband as if he is God, and has no ambition except the advancement of her own husband.

Those who wish this are the era of “Ozzie and Harriet”, “Leave It To Beaver”, “Father Knows Best”, and “The Donna Reed Show”! Sadly, for Rick and others like him, that is a distinct small minority of American women, and that is a good thing!

Rick Santorum The Frontrunner In The Presidential Race: A Nightmare Scenario!

Ronald 2 Comments

Imagine the impossible: After ELEVEN frontrunners in the Republican Presidential race, we finally have former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania as the present frontrunner.

This is a literal nightmare, as Santorum would take us back socially to the 1950s; economically to the Gilded Age or 1920s; and would send troops and bomb Iran on his first day in office.

Rick Santorum would try to outlaw contraceptives; outlaw all abortions under all circumstances; reverse “don’s ask, don’t tell” in the military; promote theocracy in America, with his fanatical religious convictions; set out to wipe out most of the New Deal and Great Society; promote the end of any regulation of corporations and banks; promote the interests of the oil industry at the expense of the environment; cut taxes on the wealthy much more than even the Bush tax cuts; and promote military intervention all over the world in the name of American “exceptionalism”!

And there is more, enough to make us wish for George W. Bush’s “compassionate conservatism”, or the time of Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford or Richard Nixon!

This country would be so damaged and divided, more than ever before, and make us long for the “good old days” of earlier Presidents, who no matter how controversial they were, were never as extreme and fanatical as Rick Santorum would be.

Rick Santorum is a mental case, a danger to the stability and advancement of America, and those who wish he was the Republican nominee, thinking it would be easy for Barack Obama to defeat him, had better think twice and wish that he NOT be chosen, as one can never know for sure how those citizens among us who are emotional and ignorant and overtly “religious”, might not see Rick Santorum as their “Jesus Christ” who can save the country!

This potential for a Santorum Presidency is the most dangerous threat to our future since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, even surpassing the candidacy of Barry Goldwater in 1964, and we must hope that Mitt Romney is able to overcome this challenge, as no matter what one thinks of Mitt, at least we know he is sane and stable, and no threat to the future of the nation, were he to occupy the White House in 2013.

Republicans, Women, And Domestic Violence: Beyond Belief!

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In 1994, the Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed into law the Violence Against Women Act, a measure designed to combat domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking of women. It was a totally bipartisan effort, widely hailed as an important step in protection of women.

In 2000 and in 2005, the law was renewed with bipartisan support again. It was not a political issue based on party.

But now in 2012, not a single Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to reauthorize the legislation, an absolutely unbelievable development.

Those Republicans on the Judiciary Committee include: Chick Grassley of Iowa, the ranking member; Orrin Hatch of Utah; Jon Kyl of Arizona; Jeff Sessions of Alabama; Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; John Cornyn of Texas; Mike Lee of Utah; and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

How in the world can any of these senators justify this refusal to support a renewal? What is wrong with these people that they do not think women need continued protection from abusive fathers, brothers, boyfriends, and husbands, as well as stalkers? Why is it that whenever women are the issue, Republicans, both men and women as well, do not think women should be protected by federal law?

Apparently, the Republicans disagree on the provisions to protect gay and transgender people, and also to protect undocumented immigrant women who are victims of violence. It is part of their anti gay and anti immigrant agenda, but really, this is simply an issue of human rights, and in the 21st century, to have such a narrow minded and intolerant view of women’s rights, because some might be from certain groups rejected by some, is unconscionable!

Apparently, there are no limits to the refusal of Republicans to promote any bipartisanship on anything! How any self respecting woman can support the Republican Party after this insult, as well as others recently on birth control, contraception, and other issues of women’s health, is beyond understanding.

President Barack Obama And Women’s Role In His Administration: Greater Than Any President!

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With the controversy over contraception coverage for women in religiously based employment at the height of the news this week, it became evident that President Obama was influenced by women in his administration toward the stand he took, until he backtracked earlier today. Among those women influencing his earlier stand were Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and White House aide Valerie Jarrett. Among the men opposed were Vice President Joe Biden and former Chief of Staff William Daley.

Last year, it was women working with Barack Obama, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice, who convinced him to get involved in Libya”s Civil War, although others such as Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and National Security Adviser Tom Donilon advised against it.

This is an interesting development, as never before have women had such significance in decision making on important domestic and foreign policy issues as under Obama.

Whether in the long run this will be seen as positive for the Obama record in office will be debated and analyzed for decades!

The Totalitarian Rick Santorum: Barry Goldwater Would Have Opposed Him Vehemently!

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48 years ago, Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona led the Republican Party to total disaster in the Presidential Election of 1964. He was seen as dangerous in foreign policy, and wishing to wipe out the New Deal of FDR. And he had a tendency to have a loose mouth!

But if Barry Goldwater was alive today and involved in following the political scene, he would be vehemently against former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum without any doubt. The question is why would this be so?

The answer is that Barry Goldwater throughout his life was a libertarian, who believed that people’s PRIVATE lives were just that, private! He would be opposed to any interference in the social issues that the Republican Party is so wedded to in today’s political environment.

He made it clear over time in his later years that he was opposed to the Religious Right, the Moral Majority and Christian Coalition, led by preachers such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. He believed in total separation of church and state, and believed it was not the business of politicians to get involved in religious causes and promotion.

Goldwater declared his opposition to the so called Pro Life movement, believing in the right of women to control their own bodies, and therefore, to abortion rights.

Goldwater would have been shocked to have politicians wish to outlaw contraception, therefore effectively promoting poor people having children they could not afford, and which would impoverish them further.

Goldwater believed also in gay rights, and in no discrimination against gays and lesbians in the military, stating that in a foxhole, no one would care about another’s sexual orientation, as long as one could shoot straight!

Goldwater would be stunned at the support that Rick Santorum received in last night’s primary in Missouri, and caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado. He would condemn the totalitarian mind of Santorum, who complains about government interfering in any form in economic regulation, but has no problem in interference in social regulation!

Santorum has a wife who adores him, and gave up her profession of law to produce eight children for him. She looks at him as if he is perfect, a god like figure, in itself a sickening display! That may be fine for Rick and his wife, if she chooses to be like a 1950s “Ozzie and Harriet” or “Father Knows Best” wife. But it is NOT what a vast majority of women in America are going to allow in their lives, that the men order them around and control their very existence!

And gay Americans are not going to allow a hate monger, religious zealot like Rick Santorum to control who they love or marry, or any other aspect of their lives!

The candidacy of Rick Santorum will NOT be accepted by the nation at large, and if the GOP is smart, they will stop him as a danger to basic human rights and freedom, with his totalitarian ideas!

The Multiple Problems Of Rick Santorum: Why He Would Be A Nightmare For America!

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Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum comes across as handsome, personable, a good speaker, and willing to look people directly in the eye when he meets them.

But these strengths are outweighed by his many shortcomings, as witness:

Rick Santorum was extremely unpopular among his Republican colleagues in the US House of Representatives and US Senate, from John McCain to Jim DeMint, a wide range within a narrow based party.

Rick Santorum became the biggest promoter of “pork”, known as “earmarks”, and made all the right connections with business people so that he has enriched himself since his defeat in the Senate reelection contest of 2006, where he lost by the massive margin of 17 points, despite his 12 years of Senate seniority.

Rick Santorum has a confrontational, take no prisoners approach to his “enemies”, and has absolutist views on many issues, which means he would not unite the American people, and would cause a bigger rift, a bigger chasm, a bigger division, than has existed under Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. He does not have the personality or nature to compromise, or to promote unity. The political atmosphere would be far worse, much more poisonous in a Santorum Presidency, and antagonistic to his “enemies”, more anti media than anyone since Richard Nixon!

Rick Santorum believes in a muscular foreign policy, and would engage America in more overseas military adventures without any pause, which makes him very dangerous.

Rick Santorum has no concern for the poor or the struggling middle class, as he has demonstrated so often, since he believes that no one is responsible to pay more taxes to help the sick, the poor, the disadvantaged, and that we have no social responsibility to each other. He would be the most right wing candidate since Barry Goldwater, but worse than Goldwater, who was a libertarian in many ways, and would not approve of Santorum’s invocation of “Jesus”, and Santorum’s narrow view of Christianity. Santorum would have no problem going back to a theory of Social Darwinism, prevalent in the Gilded Age of the late 19th century.

Rick Santorum believes there is no right to privacy including his opposition to abortion in all circumstances; his extreme condemnation of gay rights in all of its forms; his opposition even to contraception; and his desire to have divorce made more difficult, forcing unhappy couples to stay together as long as they have children under the age of 18. He also believes that consenting adults do not have the right to consensual sex in their own homes!

Rick Santorum claims to speak for the working class, because of his own blue collar family background, including his grandfather, who migrated from Italy and worked in the coal mines, but really he is personally quite wealthy, and only really has shown political concern for WHITE working class, which he is appealing to, and not concern for African Americans or Hispanics, with his statements and actions attacking any assistance or support of the advancements of these minority groups, which have been left behind.

Rick Santorum showed he was not a “compassionate” conservative as President George W. Bush claimed to be, when he said that “pre-existing” conditions involving health care should be given higher premium rates because their “habits” led to the pre-existing conditions, even when a mother saying her child had developed health issues and could not get insurance, questioned him this week at a campaign rally in New Hampshire. Santorum has no compassion or concern for anyone not wealthy, and this is supposed to be a “good Christian”? This is the true hypocrisy of Rick Santorum, promoting selfishness and greed, not what Jesus Christ promoted! And yet, Santorum claims he is the “JESUS” candidate! What an outrage!

Rick Santorum is dangerous to America, as he would promote a repeal of the New Deal and Great Society; would advocate military interventions overseas; would destroy the safety net that exists for those less fortunate and less healthy; and would promote government intrusion in the private lives of Americans, including their sexual behavior.

This is a prescription for a totalitarian government socially, but laissez faire economically, all in the name of JESUS! Just what the Founding Fathers worked so strongly against! We are NOT a theocracy, and the thought of it is enough to make one terrified!