The Political Voices of Women

The most powerful woman in US politics for the past two years, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is a woman unafraid.

After becoming one of the most vilified women in history since Eve and demonized, even by members of her own party, during the 2010 midterm elections, Nancy Pelosi has announced that she will be running for the position of House Minority Leader. And whether you do or don’t like her style or agree with her political stances, women everywhere should applaud her courage and strength of conviction.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is not one to run from her accomplishments or it seems, a good political fight. In her letter to house Democrats she wrote:

Dear Democratic Colleague:

Over the past several days, I have spoken with many Democratic colleagues about how to continue our fight to make our country more secure and strengthen the middle class, create jobs, protect Social Security and Medicare, and promote the innovation, technology and education to make America Number One in the world. As always, I am inspired by the fighting spirit of our Democratic Members.

As you know, Democrats have produced historic legislation in the area of health care, veterans’ benefits, women’s rights, Wall Street reform, and cutting taxes for 95 percent of the American people and millions of small businesses. And we have restored fiscal discipline to the Congress by making the deficit-cutting Pay As You Go rules the law of the land.

These accomplishments have begun the difficult work of recovering from the worst economic collapse since the 1930s and, according to independent reviews, prevented our country from plunging into another Great Depression. As a result, numerous congressional experts call this the most productive Congress in a half-century. This was only possible because our members had the courage of their convictions and put the interests of the country first.

Our work is far from finished. As a result of Tuesday’s election, the role of Democrats in the 112th Congress will change, but our commitment to serving the American people will not. We have no intention of allowing our great achievements to be rolled back. It is my hope that we can work in a bipartisan way to create jobs and strengthen the middle class.

Many of our colleagues have called with their recommendations on how to continue our fight for the middle class and have encouraged me to run for House Democratic Leader. Based on those discussions, and driven by the urgency of protecting health care reform, Wall Street reform, and Social Security and Medicare, I have decided to run.

I am writing to respectfully request your support and I look forward to hearing your views. Please let me know what you are thinking.

Thank you for your leadership and friendship.

Best wishes,

Nancy Pelos

As Russell Berman and Michael O’Brien reported for the blog The Hill:

“Though deeply unpopular with the broader public, Pelosi remains well-regarded in a caucus that will lean more liberal after the more conservative Blue Dog Coalition was decimated in the midterms.

Outside liberal groups are already organizing support for Pelosi. Americans United for Change launched an email campaign on Friday encouraging supporters to “send a personal note to Speaker Pelosi about how much you appreciate her leadership,” and to “make sure she knows that we still support her.”

The liberal website Daily Kos started a similar online petition.

‘Democrats lost because they didn’t fight hard enough for popular progressive reforms in the last two years. The Democratic leader least culpable of doing that is Nancy Pelosi,’ the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Adam Green, said in an interview before Pelosi’s announcement. ‘She’s the last person among Democratic Party leaders who should step down.’

After the Pelosi tweet, Green called her decision ‘the first bold move we’ve seen from Democrats since the election.‘”

And as Political Voices of Women Contributing Editor, Jill Miller Zimon wrote on her blog “Writes Like She Talks“:

“There is a serious backlash about to be felt if those on the Hill do not realize that with women barely making gains, if any, at the federal level, and losing at the state legislatures, women will dig in and retrench and be back. And those who are already in positions that can be leveraged for leadership are seeking and should be expected to seek more and more visible roles to show that we don’t fade.”

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Nancy Pelosi has clearly demonstrated that she is not about to fade. After all, someone has to fight off all of those mama grizzlies

Kentuckians are sending Rand Paul to be their voice in federal government. Rand Paul—an unlicensed “doctor” who thinks the “freedom” of people who would discriminate means more than the civil rights of people of color or people with disabilities.

Florida now has a disgraced healthcare official as its governor. That would be Rick Scott, who, according to Huffington Post, “became notorious for buying up hospitals and downsizing them for profit. As Forbes reported in 2000, his company ‘increased Medicare billings by exaggerating the seriousness of the illnesses they were treating. It also granted doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. In addition, it gave doctors ‘loans’ that were never expected to be paid back, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies. […] Scott was forced to resign in the wake of the initial fraud charges in 1997.’

Democrat Harry Reid barely held his seat against the race-baiting Sharron Angle, who believes Sharia Law has taken hold in Michigan.

Worse, Republicans gained enough seats to take control of the House of Representatives and there is no doubt in my mind that they will gridlock our government and stand in the way of progress, as is their wont.

This morning, as I mentally survey the wreckage after the GOP storm, I find myself less angry at Republicans than I am at my own party—the Democrats whose message bungling, lack of boldness and base blaming allowed this to happen.

The best explanation of the conservative surge that I’ve read is in a post by Verbalpaintball on Daily Kos:

You lost because:

– You have been scared, indecisive little mice for the last four years.

– You have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how to craft a marketing message that is simple and strong, explains accomplishments in REAL PERSON, REAL ENVIRONMENT sort of way, and pushes buttons.

…

– You wasted time trying to compromise with republicans. They want nothing more than to see you destroyed.

– You mistook indecisiveness and half-wins as some kind of accomplishment. It’s not. The public wants strength and decisiveness in their party. How do you think Bush won a second term? It wasn’t because he was right on anything.

Read all of this. It’s good.

The more I observe my party, the less faith I have in them. The problem seems to be that the GOP message machine is so good—in an evil genius sort of way–that even the Democratic leadership believes its propaganda. They fall for the myth of the center right nation, they capitulate to the charges of “socialism” and “big government,” they cozy up to big business, they squirm away from the word “liberal” and they denigrate their base, sneering at “the professional left.” Rather than offer a real, strong alternative to the other major party, they represent a sort of a “GOP Lite.”

Another way the Republicans win the propaganda war is by controlling the message– which they do, every time, on every issue. That is why we spent 2009 talking about “death panels” rather than “Medicare for all.” The GOP plays the tune; Democrats dance.

And so, I have come to the conclusion that the Tea Partiers are right. Oh, not about the issues. Hell no. They are right about the need for strong alternatives to major parties, even if those alternatives simply exist to hold the larger parties accountable to their core values, forcing them away from the safe center line where career politicians like to hang out.

Progressives need a party that can smartly articulate our values, turn them into policy and sell both to an American public that responds better to easy talking points than wonky details. Simultaneously, we need to groom and run strong candidates locally and nationally. We need to, with or without the Democrats, because they can’t or won’t. I can’t be arsed to care which anymore.

We need to get our populist anger on. That used to be our thing, y’know? Now, the righteous anger of everyman (and woman) has been co-opted by a faux grassroots operation funded by billionaires. For two years, hard-right conservatives and Tea Partiers have controlled the message. Progressives will never change anything until we change that. 2012 will be a bloodbath is we don’t become proactive, rather than reactive.

Of course, the danger in the third party idea is that it can backfire and give you something worse than you hoped for. (Hello, 2000 election.) There are many places this year where intervention by Tea Party candidates helped ensure a Democratic win. And our friends across the pond are suffering now from third party fallout. It is the fear of losing that has made me a critic of the third party solution in the past. But this morning…I don’t know.

Maybe we are too focused on short term gains. Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats may have lost this time in Britain, but his gains could lead to lasting success in the future if his party stays visible and continues to hammer their message in the face of the unholy ConDem alliance. The same could be true in this country. A lot of Tea Party candidates were defeated this time around. But what about next time? There will be a next time, you know. The Tea party isn’t going away any time soon. (Lord, help us!)

Where will progressives be then? Will we still be waiting on the Democratic Party? Should we? Or should we make like those folks with the crazy signs and funny hats and make our party and the country listen?

Political Wire has two teases.  The first highlights new poll results indicating that, “Sarah Palin is viewed unfavorably by 48% of Americans. She is viewed favorably by just 22% — including just 44% of Republicans, 21% of independents and 6% of Democrats.”

The second reports on new Pew information: “Fully 46% say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supported government loans to banks during the financial crisis two years ago, while nearly as many (42%) say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate backed by Sarah Palin.” [bold not in original]

On top of that information, Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina and Linda McMahon are all struggling of late too. A poll out today from California says that the Palin support is more likely to hurt Whitman and Fiorina than help (Independents do not see Palin favorably). Those three candidates already are trying to fight the odds of self-funders (that they rarely get far). Nikki Haley just torpedoed herself by saying that she supports drug tests for all unemployment recipients (imagine losing your job because a plant shuts down – so you have to take a drug test to get benefits from a system you paid into and otherwise have no record?). And polls indicate that Christine O’Donnell is getting no traction while Sharon Angle is also having a rough time, although appears to have the most chance right now against a weak and targeted Harry Reid. And Democrat  Diane Denish is picking up steam against Palin-backed Susanna Martinez in New Mexico.  So far, Kelly Ayotte, whom Palin before her primary though in a state well-known for wanting to go its own way, really seems to be one of the few high profile, high level female candidates connected at all to Palin who is doing well.

What’s going on and what does it mean?  Read the rest of this post at Writes Like She Talks.

This is very sad news…

From Reuters – Senator Edward Kennedy Dies at 77…

U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, a towering figure in the Democratic Party who took the helm of one of America’s most fabled political families after two older brothers were assassinated, has died at age 77, his family said on Wednesday.

Hi everyone.  I’ve been off the political blogging grid for awhile now.  But I just had to speak up about this healthcare thing.

Below is a DNC video that I recently was sent a link to.  And this is some of how I feel about it…

I don’t claim to have any answers – just questions.  So, here goes.

I could understand the Republicans being against Obama’s healthcare plan if they at least had a plan of their own.  Do they?

Sometimes I wonder if our elected government  has forgotten that they represent The “United” States of America…and that this issue is about LIVES not elections.

Okay, that wasn’t really a question, more like a statement.

And I’m totally NOT for taxing the top 2% of Americans to subsidize the 15% without insurance. But just out of curiosity…

Who are these people?  The top 2% people?  Are you one of them?

And how many of them would be totally against donating some of their wealth or business savvy (at least temporarily) to finding a way to help the uninsured of their own country?

Seriously. Did anyone think to ask? Maybe this population of our country isn’t as heartless and greedy as some people would like us to believe?

Anyway…Here’s the video from the DNC.  What do you think about all of this?  Dare I ask?

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…

Video: President Barack Obama Sworn Into Office

Here is the schedule for Barack Obama’s Inauguration…

Cameras will be following the president-elect and his family every step of the way during the day — and you’ll be able to watch it live streaming on MTV.com. Here’s a look at where they’ll be for the ceremony, the parades — and of course the Youth Inaugural Ball and other balls throughout the evening.

» 8:25 a.m.: Obamas leave Blair House for prayer service at St. John’s Episcopal Church

» 8:35 a.m.: Prayer service

» 9:45 a.m.: Church service ends; Obamas depart for the White House

» 10:05 a.m.: Obamas arrive at White House for coffee with the Bushes

» 11 a.m.: Motorcade departs for the Capitol

» 11:30 a.m.: Bushes and Obamas proceed to platform on the West Front; California Senator Dianne Feinstein will issue the call to order and deliver brief welcoming remarks, followed by an invocation from Dr. Rick Warren and a performance from Aretha Franklin (who also sang at Bill Clinton’s first inauguration)

» 11:50 a.m.: Joe Biden is sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court Justice John Stevens

» 12 p.m.: Barack Obama is sworn in as president by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Obama, with his hand on Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural Bible, will recite the same oath as his predecessors: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Musical performance from John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill, followed by “Hail to the Chief” and a 21-gun salute

» 12:05 p.m.: Inaugural address, followed by a poem written and recited by Elizabeth Alexander and a benediction from Dr. Joseph Lowery. The national anthem will be performed by the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters

» 12:30 p.m.: Ceremony concludes

» 12:35 p.m.: Bush departs via helicopter; Cheney departs by limo

» 12:45 p.m.: Obama signs inauguration papers in the President’s Room

» 1:00 p.m.: Obama attends congressional luncheon

» 2:15 p.m.: Obama and Biden review troops at Capitol

» 2:30 p.m.: President Obama leads the parade from the Capitol along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House

» 3:15 p.m.: Arrival at the White House

» 3:45 p.m.: Obamas and Bidens proceed to the reviewing stand; inaugural parade continues until 6 p.m.

» 7 p.m.: The official inaugural balls begin with the Neighborhood Ball at the Washington Convention Center, with performers scheduled to include Beyoncé. Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Stevie Wonder and others. Nick Cannon will DJ.

The event, expected to include the president and first lady’s first dance of the night, will be broadcast on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. From there, it’s on to other celebrations, including MTV’s Youth Ball.

Here is a video of Keith Olbermann’s Special comment on whether or not the Bush administration is guilty of war crimes and torture…

What do you think? Let me know in comments.

Here is a post from community member Pamela Lyn of Pam’s Coffee Conversation…

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King Jr.

Over the course of the next few days millions of people around the world will be celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. followed by the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. During this time there will be an untold number of references to the links between Dr. King’s dream, the civil rights movement, and the inauguration of the first African-American President of the US.

However what will often be left out of the discussions about “The Dream” and its fulfillment will be an acknowledgment that Dr. King’s vision was as much about the evolution of a non-violent society and the achievement socio-economic opportunity as it was about racial equality.

I am sure that if Dr. King were with us he would be as overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of Barack Obama taking the oath of office as many of us will be. Yet I feel confident that he would be equally moved and speaking out against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; the impact of the subprime mortgage crisis on the working class fighting, the crisis in healthcare, Guantanemo and torture.

Dr. King was against war, even retaliatory ones. He was against injustice in all forms and therefore, I am sure would have been against a suspension on habeas corpus, detention without trial, extraordinary rendition, torture, and illegally spying on private citizens. I also believe that while Dr. King would be calling the nation to unity, he would also be loudly speaking out about the police shooting of 22-year-old Oscar Grant while he laid handcuffed on a Bay area subway platform.

In his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Dr King stated:

“I refuse to accept the cynical notion that nation after nation must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of thermonuclear destruction. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.

I believe that even amid today’s motor bursts and whining bullets, there is still hope for a brighter tomorrow. I believe that wounded justice, lying prostrate on the blood-flowing streets of our nations, can be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men.

I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, men other-centered can build up. I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive goodwill will proclaim the rule of the land.”

Now many people would say that now is not the time to bring up these things. Now is a time for celebrating how far we, as Americans, have come. To them I reply, yes now is a time for celebrating but as Alice Walker once said, “No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow”. Now is precisely the time for the “friends” of Dr. King’s Dream and the new administration to break the silence.

As Marcia G. Yerman cited in her recent article “Obama and the Progressive Community” for The Huffington Post:

“A litmus test for many will be the stand that the Obama administration puts forth on accountability regarding the actions of Bush and his key players on the issue of torture and civil rights. The conversation is out there, and has been featured in numerous posts including a January 9th article at Talking Points Memo by Elana Schor. Jonathan Turley, Constitutional Law Professor at George Washington University, has been seen on both the Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow shows, where he has been explaining the high stakes for all Americans in getting this right.” Yerman later writes: ” As Amy Goodman said to me, referencing the election of Obama, ‘This is just an opportunity. The change hasn’t happened yet.’ Underscoring the need for each individual to be a part of the solution, she stressed, ‘The lesson is — it is completely up to you.’”

Yes, it is up to us speak out, to speak loudly and to speak often as the dream unfolds. In the months and years to come let us not be remembered for our silence.

I leave you with these thoughts from Dr. King.

READ FULL POST AT THE POLITICAL VOICES OF WOMEN COMMUNITY