The Political Voices of Women

Today history was made and my daughter wanted to see it. So I took her out of school for about an hour so she could watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama…

You can follow Jill on this historic speech at her blog Writes Like She Talks.

Link:  Barack Obama’s “Closing Arguments” Speech

SEE FULL VIDEO OF THIS OBAMA SPEECH HERE

Sarah Palin:  Role as VP will be to Ignore The Constitution.

How much Constitutional power does the vice president have?  It seems Sarah Palin is very confused regarding the position of Vice President…

From Think Progress…

Yesterday, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) sat for an interview with KUSA, an NBC affiliate in Colorado. In response to a question sent to the network by a third grader at a local elementary school about what the Vice President does, Palin erroneously argued that the Vice President is “in charge of the United States Senate“:

Q: Brandon Garcia wants to know, “What does the Vice President do?”

PALIN: That’s something that Piper would ask me! … [T]hey’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.

From Daily Kos…

Take a look at a clip from another typically vapid and disastrous Sarah Palin television interview and see what it looks like when the reporter is actually uninterested in clarifications or follow ups. I guess that’s what Palin has moved on to these days. Local affiliate interviews with reporters who won’t ask anything hard.

But that doesn’t actually mean Palin gives correct answers. Oh, no! Far from it! All it means is that the reporter asking the questions doesn’t give any indication of being aware that the answers are incorrect.

From Taylor Marsh Broadcasts…

If women are going to be taken seriously they need to be held to the same standards as men. A man who said something so incredibly ignorant would be pilloried.

This latest gaffe, actually implying that the vice president has legislative authority, makes what she said with Couric seem harmless. This woman has no business being anywhere near the White House. John McCain’s judgment is a joke. Making America pay for it through a possible Palin presidency is dangerous.

And, adding insult to injury…

Guess how much the RNC is shelling out during this economic crisis for Sara Palin’s wardrobe???

What do you think?  Should Sarah Palin understand what the “actual” job of the vice president is?  Or, do we just expect that if McCain is elected, Sarah Palin can do what ever she wants to do?

Personally, I don’t think she is stupid (at least on this issue).  I think, if elected, she plans on ignoring the constitution every bit as much as the Bush administration did.  Let me know what you think in comments.

Here is a guest post from community member Onedia Hayes Sylvest.

[If you would like to be a guest blogger on The Political Voices of Women, just join our community, and start posting.]

Last November 26 as the race for nomination began in earnest I posted an Open Letter to the Candidates. I think it relevant that I now post it again with a few additions highlighted in bold.

Well, since it is here and easy to step onto, I am pulling out the soapbox this morning. This is an open letter to all the presidential candidates about what I want from my next president. Here it is not in priority order since I don’t want to make this too hard:

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Here is a guest post from community member Marcia G. Yerman, who also blogs at The Huffington Post.

[If you would like to be a guest blogger on The Political Voices of Women, just join our community, and start posting.]

Like everyone else in America, I was waiting to see how the match up between Palin and Biden would transpire. Beyond the giddy atmosphere that was building (somewhat between a sporting event and a game show), was a deeper, darker space. It was a low, wide valley occupied by symbols and ambiguities of murky distinctions — the roles of gender and race in the 2008 election.

Those specific issues were discussed and debated at a two-day symposium at St. John’s University. As
I sat down to watch the two Vice-Presidential contenders, the presentations of the conference’s speakers reverberated in my head.

Presented by the university’s law school, there was a heavy representation of scholars focusing on media and law, election law, and legal theory. In addition to those emanating from the academic world, there was a cross section of journalists and activists.

Perspectives on Gender in the 2008 Elections; The Role of the Media in Shaping Perceptions of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the 2008 Elections; The Intersectionality of Race, Gender, Media, and the Political Process; A Dialogue on Legal Constructions of Race, Gender, and Identity in the 2008 Elections, were some of the panels which I attended.

The concerns that had been come up earlier in the election season got turned on their heads once again with the placement of Sarah Palin onto the McCain ticket. Charges of sexism, reverse sexism, populist feminism, anti-feminism — and permutations on the theme — were doled out in abundance. Prominent in the mix was the role of the media, both amplifying and exacerbating misconceptions to the public.

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Here is a post-debate roundup on last night’s presidential debate.  If you missed the debate, you can see the full video of presidential debate here.  So, what did you think?  Was there a winner?  Did you like what you heard?  Can one of these candidates fix our economy?  What about our healthcare system?  The war?  Let me know what you think in comments.

Reviews are in on the McCain vs. Obama Debate…

Obama strikes back on McCain’s Iraq policy…

Is Healthcare a Right or a Responsibility?

Read more »

This is beyond a MUST SEE. This is a MUST, MUST, MUST SEE.

See more from this young man here.

If we are going to spend this money anyway.  Why not give it to the people?  This would not be a trickle down affect, it would be an explosion from the bottom up affect…PROBLEM SOLVED.

Should we give the people’s money to the failed banks, and hope they don’t continue to fail?  Or, give the people’s money to the people, and know they will spend it, buy homes, pay off mortgages and debt?  Give the people the opportunity of really having the American dream.

This is from a comment on a post I did on the Bailout for The Care2 Election Blog.  It makes a lot more sense to me than what is being offered now.  What do you think?

From Care2 member Laura C…

Yes, we resent it and have good reason. Those in power taking high salaries from us are never made to pay. The following email some of you may have received. It is the best idea I’ve heard and should be sent to every congress person and the president.

Now here is the idea of how to save the economy ………

I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a ‘We Deserve It Dividend’.

To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000 bonifide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a ‘We Deserve It Dividend’.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage, housing crisis solved. Repay college loans, what a great boost to new grads Put away money for college, it’ll be there Save in a bank, create money to loan to entrepreneurs. Buy a new car, create jobs Invest in the market , capital drives growth.

Pay for your parent’s medical insurance, health care improves Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean, or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we’re going to re-distribute wealth let’s really do it…instead of trickling out puny rebates.

If we’re going to do an $85 billion bailout, let’s bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG liquidate it. Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here’s my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn’t.

Can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!
How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion ‘We Deserve It Dividend’ more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.
And all those who lost jobs when these companies folded will have a new financial beginning!!!!
Is there a better plan than this?????

And, this is what I think…

I was thinking the same thing. It not only would be better for the people of this country (both struggling and not)…But, it kick starts the economy almost immediately. It seems a total no brainer, AND it’s a guarantee election win for the person who suggests it. This money would trickle UP much faster than anything would ever trickle down (we know trickle down does not work).

There is no way the economy wouldn’t make a quick recovery with a plan like this. It’s a win win for the entire country. WHY DOESN’T ANYONE SEE THAT? Is it because of all the money given to politicians from financial institutions? That’s the only explanation I can think of. I’m so sick that our government is willing to use 800 Billion of our tax dollar for something that (I don’t care what they say) really doesn’t affect or help the average American. Invest in the people of this country.

This is the perfect opportunity for REAL CHANGE!!! Why is Obama not taking advantage of this opportunity to help the entire country? Why is he just following along with a Bush plan for the economy??? Why is he agreeing with McCain??? What kind of change is he really offering? I will vote for him…But, I am VERY disappointed in him.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  With all this money, why can’t we bail out the people first, and let the people bail out the banks?

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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