The Political Voices of Women

This is an interesting question. Are you better off than you were eight years ago? Do you know anyone who is? Just wondering. Let me know in comments.

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Dear Readers,

If the last few days have left you with the same feelings that you had during the run up to the Iraq War you’re definitely not alone.

Remember the WMDs that posed an imminent threat to America?

Remember the statements that implied that the Iraqi oil revenue was going to pay for the war?

Now the Bush Administration and The Fed are saying that we have a financial crisis that needs an immediate $700 billion infusion from the American taxpayer. Did you know that some of that money could be used to bail out foreign owned banks?

Within the next 24 hours, Congress is expected to make an historic choice in addressing America’s financial crisis:

Cut the Bush administration a $700 billion blank check for Wall Street
OR
demand sensible public checks and balances in the $700 billion bailout.

Well, before you let them cut that blank check think about this?

Remember the brave US service men and women who were sent to war in Afghanistan and Iraq without proper body armor.

Remember the appalling conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Remember that the US embassy in Iraq which cost in excess of $600 million to build and is projected to have an annual operating cost of $1.2 billion.

Remember that President Bush vetoed a $35 billion expansion to the SCHIP program which would have provided health insurance to millions of America’s uninsured children. He said that we couldn’t afford it.

Remember the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and now Ike. There are still parts of New Orleans’ 9th Ward as well as many parishes in Western Louisiana which have yet to have all of the debris removed.

Remember that five years after the worse blackout in US history, the energy grid is still “in dire straits“.

Americans, Get Over The Shock Already!

Are you going to let The Fed, the Bush Administration and Congress rush through a $700 billion dollar bailout of Wall Street and the banking industry when all of the aforementioned have put America and Americans last time after time after time after time?

Now, I’m not saying that nothing needs to be done to fix this broken economy. But are you going to let them rush to a bailout like they rushed to a war?

I just took action with the Campaign for America’s Future to weigh in for common sense solutions. I wanted to urge you to do the same. Please write an emergency letter to Congress now, and tell them: **No $700 Billion blank check to the Bush administration for Wall Street!**

Enough is Enough!

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Yes! This ad will get women’s blood a boiling! I missed the opportunity to sit in on a nation women’s leadership conference call yesterday with Obama during which he spoke about pay equity and other issues many consider “women’s issues.” But supporting pay equity is a no brainer. Every father with a daughter and husband should pay attention to this ad. Women like Lilly Ledbetter are being paying paid less than their male counterparts even when they have the same qualifications and education level. And John McCain’s response? Women need more training and education. It’s a response that’s beyond insulting in an economy that makes two-income families a necessity. McCain too often sounds like he’s running for president in 1956–particularly on this issue.

[Contributing Editor Tracy Viselli also blogs at Reno and its Discontents]

[cross-posted at BlogHer Health and Wellness]

A new report is out about insurance and health care, and it’s not good. If you think the cost of health care is high now, just wait…It’s going to get even higher. Who would have thought that you could have insurance, and still not be able to afford healthcare? How is that possible? Only in America.

A few weeks ago I posted about the rising cost of prescription drugs, now it’s copays and premiums that will be increasing. Even people who have insurance and prescription drug plans, still can’t afford their medications. I thought insurance was suppose to “insure” we have quality and affordable health care? Not so much.

The United States spends more of its income on health care than any nation on earth, nearly $6,000 per person per year, more than 15 percent of our total income. In contrast, the countries of the European Monetary Union spend about $2,500 per person per year, less than 10 percent of their income.

The United States is very rich and we spend the most in the world on health care. We have a right to expect more for our money than a life expectancy outcome that places us thirtieth in the world, behind Singapore, Chile, and Costa Rica as well as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and every Western European nation.

Our health care system certainly delivers innovations in pharmaceutical and other technologies. It leads the world in Nobel Prizes for medicine and physiology. But it does not deliver medical care equitably to all Americans. Those who can pay have access to the best health care in the world. Those with good insurance plans—a decreasing fraction of the population—get good, life-extending health care. The rest must make do. And the result is that enough people fall through the cracks to place us at the bottom of the rich country life expectancy tables.

Here is some of what other women bloggers are saying about the rising cost of health care.

From Green LA Girl…

Our health care system’s so fucked up that people are getting married — and considering divorce! — simply due to health insurance issues. In the NY Times: “For today’s couples, “in sickness and in health” may seem less a lover’s troth than an actuarial contract. They marry for better or worse, for richer or poorer, for co-pays and deductibles.”

From MOMocrats…

• Under McCain’s Plan, Health Insurance Benefits Would be Taxed For The First Time, Resulting In A $3.6 Trillion Tax Increase On Working Families. McCain’s health care plan would eliminate the payroll deduction on health care benefits, which would have the effect of raising taxes on working families by $3.6 trillion. [New York Times, 5/1/08]
• The Health Care Tax Credit McCain Offers Would Cover Less Than Half The Cost Of An Average Health Care Plan. The McCain health plan would give families a $5,000 tax credit to purchase health insurance. However, in 2007, the average family health insurance plan cost $12,000 – more than double the value of McCain’s health care tax credit. [“Employer Health Benefits 2007 Annual Survey,” Kaiser Family Foundation, 9/11/07; “‘Call To Action’ On Health Care Reform,” John McCain 2008 press release, 4/29/08; Wall Street Journal, 10/11/07]

From Just Random’s presidential wish list…

Universal Health Care (or at least affordable health care) – Why is the United States the only modernized country with out some form of universal health care? I know an argument could be made for the U.S. having the best health care, but why can’t we have both, come on some one smarter than me make it happen. Every child in this country should have access to health care.

From Christian Liberal’s Weblog…

Whatever the case, it’s surprising that so many self-professed Christians, and especially the evangelical type, are so eager to maul, mangle and manipulate those words, those lessons, so that it comes out as “every man for himself”, which of course is the exact opposite of the meaning and spirit of those teachings.

They’ll use phrases like “self-determination” or “market forces”, but it’s really just code words for “you’re on your own” and “don’t expect any help from me.” Likewise, they will use negative words to describe the concept. It’s been found that a majority of Americans favors universal healthcare, but if you change the language to “socialized medicine” the approval rating drops below 50%. And the greed-oriented apologists are quite expert at word-smithing.

The point is, any good-hearted Christian would not begrudge the care given to a needy neighbor.

Are you having trouble affording health care? Are you hoping if Obama is elected, things might get a little better? Are you worried, that if McCain is elected, things will get worse? Let me know what you think in comments.

The Onion has made a video that takes a serious (yet satirical) look at the Bush presidency. It would be a lot more funny, if it wasn’t so true. But, I guess it is important to lighten things up from time to time. So, here goes.

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency


You can see more videos from The Onion here.

Jane Fonda on the Problem of Teen Pregnancy

I’m Voting Republican is a satirical look at the likely outcome of another four years of Republican government.

Here is a guest post from Penny Ronning at The Non Silent Majority.

(If you would like to be a guest blogger on this site, please join our community)

The day the world received the news that Senator Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumor, a fellow blogger I respect a great deal, Pamela Lyn, wrote an excellent piece that’s been in my mind ever since.

With yesterday marking the 40th anniversary of Robert Kennedy’s assassination, I have been reading a number of blog posts on the Kennedy family and their legacy.

Like Pamela Lyn, a Kennedy family member has served in a leadership role in the United States government for my entire life to date. One of my favorite and most memorable books as a child was one on President John F. Kennedy. It was a book focusing on the last 3 days of his life. I attribute that book and my parent’s respect for President Kennedy to my early childhood desire to serve my community and my desire as a teenager to serve in the Peace Corp.

At 14-years-old, I traveled with the All American Gymnastics Camp. While in the Salt Lake City airport, I was in a phone booth (remember those) talking on the phone with my mom. At one point, a large framed gentleman leaned back on my door and it began to open up on me while I was sitting on the little seat in the booth. The gentleman quickly turned around to excuse himself and apologize.

You can imagine my surprise when I found myself looking up into the face of Senator Ted Kennedy!

He was as kind and as gracious and as concerned as he could be. I’m sure he thought I didn’t have a clue as to who he was, but I did! It didn’t matter to him if I knew who he was or not. His only concern was that I was not hurt or scared. He was so incredibly kind.

I have never forgotten that moment.

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Are The World’s Women Part of the Political Agenda?

Watch Anika’s video, read what our party activists have to say and then log in to comment with your own thoughts and questions. Our participants will respond! Invite your friends and colleagues.

Introduction - Part One

On Tuesday, June 3, join RH Reality Check and Americans for UNFPA for an online forum on global women’s health in American politics.

Our forum begins with a video statement from Anika Rahman (below), President of Americans for UNFPA, and the insights of Democratic and Republican activists about their parties’ treatment of women’s issues. From 1pm to 4pm ET, Anika Rahman will be watching the comments section to follow the discussion and respond to your ideas on how to prioritize women’s health internationally.

Introduction - Part Two



Today, we have the insights of Darlee Crockett into the Republican Party and its recent struggles over women’s health and rights. Next week, we’ll hear from former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder on the Democratic Party and its struggles. Please feel free to share your thoughts on both parties in your comments.Darlee Crockett, national chair of Planned Parenthood Republicans for Choice, responds…

(read full post at RH Reality Check)

JOIN THE CONVERSATION TODAY — Respond to Anika and Darlee in the comments below, and Anika will answer your questions and engage your ideas from 1pm to 4pm EST on Tuesday, June 3. — Go to HR Reality Check to join the conversation.