McCain and women's issues: It's more than just Roe
By Steve Benen Friday Jun 06, 2008 7:30amObviously, John McCain’s intention to move the Supreme Court even further to the right and overturn Roe is high on the list of concerns regarding women's issues, but Scott Lemieux had a good item this week reminding us that Roe is just part of a bigger picture.
Yes, it’s true that replacing John Paul Stevens and/or Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a Republican appointee will be bad for abortion rights, although this is likely to occur by further draining content from Casey rather than overturning Roe outright.
But even when it comes to women’s rights, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The enforcement of civil rights protections for women is likely to be much less in a Republican administration, for example. The global gag order will remain firmly in place. And in general, four more years of a tax-cut-supporting, massive-defense-spending GOP president will not only make any kind of serious progressive reform (much of which disproportionately benefits women even if not specifically targeted to do so) virtually impossible for four more years but will also make it more difficult in the future. A McCain presidency would be very, very bad for women even if not a single Supreme Court vacancy opens up during his tenure.
Quite right. We’re not just talking about esoteric issues like Supreme Court cases and speculative high court retirements; this is about the kind of impact McCain policies can and would have on women’s lives every day.
As St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, an enthusiastic Clinton backer, said this week, “You don’t spend your life fighting for women’s rights and then vote for Sen. McCain.”
As it turns out, we can even go further on this point.
David Greenberg, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood in Oregon, had an especially good item this week on the subject.
John McCain is one of only a few Senators to earn a Zero percent lifetime rating from Planned Parenthood’s Action Fund, and he only scored that high because the organization doesn’t have a lower rating…. Let’s look at his record:
He voted against requiring health care plans to cover birth control (3/22/03).
He voted against comprehensive, medically accurate sex education (7/25/06).
He voted against international family planning funding (3/14/96).
He voted against funding to prevent teen and unintended pregnancies (3/17/05).
He voted against public education for emergency contraception (3/17/05).
And he voted against restoring Medicaid funding that could be used for family planning for low-income women (3/17/05).
NPR reported (2/2/08) that, “Many Republican voters seem to believe, incorrectly, that the current Republican front-runner, Arizona Senator John McCain, supports abortion rights.”
John McCain wants us to believe that he’s a moderate who supports improving the health of women in the United States, but in fact he’s among the most extreme members of Congress who voted against common sense measures on family planning, sex education and access to basic healthcare.
In contrast, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton agree on all of these issues.
Just sayin'.
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McCain - wrong generation for women's issues - or is that ageisim on my part?
Not good news for Hillary's Women supporters who are now threatening the Democrtaic party of defection to McCaine if Hillary is not placed on the ticket as VP.
To Hillary's women followers :
Please use your heads..there is nothing good for you in voting for McCain.
vote wisely...please.
Randy @ 2:
Couldn't agree more.....then we can examine McLame's environmental voting record, his support for vets, his support of the working class.....bomb, bomb Iran........and the hits just keep on coming.
For anyone who truly loves what their country claims to stand for, there's absolutely no other choice......Obama '08.
You can see McCain's deep and abiding respect for women here...http://www.tagg-theangrygayguy.com
McCain is the right man to lead us through the beginning of the Century - The 19th Century that is.
One small step for a man - One giant leap backwards for
mankindwomenkind.I'm sure McLame will flip-flop on all these issues during the general election.
Man...
Roe is gonna go right back on the books as soon as DC escort services hike up their rates to the point where even Republican wives start asking questions.
I honestly cannot believe that anyone in their right mind is actually considering "McBush" ! I mean lets be real here. Can we afford another 4 years of Bush? I think not.
Ultimate Anonymity
I honestly cannot believe that anyone in their right mind is actually considering "McBush" ! I mean lets be real here. Can we afford another 4 years of Bush? I think not.
Whats hiding on your PC?
Sad thing is too many women simply do not realize what the Court is doing to us.
It simply does me in to think a bunch of men ...basically old farts are constantly deciding what is allowed for women. Anybody else get upset when talking heads have a panel discussion on the rights of women and Roe and not a woman is to be seen or heard on the panel. All men...
I read about a womens rights group who are urging all their members to vote for McCain, because as their spokeswomen said "pay back is a bitch". My two granddaughters do not deserve their rights to be set back 100 years because Hillary didn't win. I understand that some people are mad, but this is plain crazy. This is like burning down the forest to save one tree.
The emphasis is important for men who supports women's rights, IMHO.
Maybe those women's groups are really 'right to life neocons', against women's rights, and using the 'If not Hillary then McCain ' as a subterfuge in order to hide their real intent.
TAGG @ 4:
If that doesn't show her supporters just how disgusting he is - nothing will. I do hope Obama uses this often to reinforce that message.
Maybe it was always about Hillary Uber Alles and not about Democratic Party victory. That's really a damned shame.
You forgot to include his vote on the recent Ledbetter case- he believes the reason women earn less than men9for comparable job) is because women need more job training!
diamondmc @ 10:
It would be a sad day if aging female baby boomers (who are past the need for Roe vs Wade protection) in their rage destroyed their daughters and grand daughters civil rights.
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory @ 14:
Maybe it's bullshit? Maybe they're not real Dems Cointel. And if it is true, screwum. Let them take their ball with them when they leave.
From a poster at Huffpo:(I)
abiodun @ 15:
Actually he said women needed more education - which is quite a mental disconnect from pay discrimination.
At this point, any Democrat who votes for McSame because Hillary lost has and always will be a Lieberman "Democrat". Quite fitting, considering Holy Joe is still pimping McSame.
Glidwrith @ 19:
job training and general OSHA compliancy in US industry is pretty lacking in this glorious Bushco world we inhabit.
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory @ 18:
I thought it wasn't about her anymore CoIntel. What purpose could this possibly serve?
mudshark @ 17:
I disagree on the screwum. Barack's people invited Hillary's people to an event on Wednesday exclusively for them. 20+ HRC campaign operatives got the agape love that all progressives should have for each other.
I want all of us to get past the anger and get with each other to get rid of the repugs.
I want Tyree and L.A.Confidential to vote for Obama because we're on the same side.
The anger and distrust will fade over time. I want it expunged.
We had coalitions in the 60s and 70s. That's how we won. righteous people of all stripes banded together to force a progressive agenda on this country. We can do it better, this time. We can't let them make us keep hate as a motivation.
Chicken Hussein Little - NOT!! @ 3:
Yeah, all the other good choices were "marginalized by mainstream media...Now we are left with Barak (I voted for the patriot act) Obama...change we have to wait for.
I truly love what my country used to stand for.
and I cant bring myself to vote for someone who voted for (patriot act).
if Obama wants my vote, he will have to apologise and renounce his support of the patriot act.
mudshark @ 22:
I thought it wasn't about her anymore CoIntel. What purpose could this possibly serve?
just to show that this is the kind of thinking on both sides that gets away from the focus on the Democratic victory. the infighting needs to end. I sincerely hope Hillary offers more than a tepid endorsement.
milquetoast @ 24:
so you're not voting?
ferrofluid (Obama 08) @ 21:
Intentionally so. Serfs don't need training or safety.
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory @ 23:
Well said CoIntel. And I couldn't agree with you more. tyree is on board now. and L.A. will come around.ya know he will. I think these guys were just frustrated with all the childish and petty bs that came with this primary. I think they were just raising questions about Sen Obama's viability as a candidate. Which we should do, no matter who the candidate is. But some of the people who start throwing insults around are not helping our cause. Your last sentence, that very well could be are own demise.
Let's hope not. Thanks for this letter. We need more like this one.
The 2 women who are most going to get screwed by a McCain presidency are Lady Liberty and Ms. Blind Justice.
WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton is ready to swing her full support behind Barack Obama and ask her backers to follow along,...
The former first lady was ending her historic quest to become the first female president with a speech Saturday at the National Building Museum. Her husband, former President Clinton, and other family members were expected to be at her side.
Here's a scenario: You know, the Clintons and the Bushes have been pretty close these past couple of years (especially Bill and the head of the Bush crime family - GHWB). I'm really thinking this whole election thing is one big set-up. The repug neo-cons really want Hillary because they can control her and, still, lots of people think they'll be getting a Dem and something different - wrong. So, they let little Johnny McCain have his one big wish and let him be the repug nominee, 'cause they think they've got it locked up for Hill. Unfortunately, Barack came along and has ruined their plans.
Our government is so corrupted at this point, I don't know if Obama (assuming he's not also part of the problem) can straighten it out. We need to go back to square one and change many parts of the system. For starters we could restrict the money in campaigns to only public funds, and we could eliminate the electoral college and make every vote count. Then all we'd need to do if develop a way to ensure the votes can be cast and counted in an appropriate way - maybe purple ink!
Final thought, any woman who is thinking about voting for McCain probably does need that education he was referring to!
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory @ 26:
I will be voting. ...there are other parties...independent, libertarian, green.
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory @ 30:
Of Course she would put all of her support behind Obama. Was there ever any doubt?
I swear Co, if people would just not form their opinions from the MSM, we'd all better off.
free thinking, It's Free! ok I gotta go to work now. Have a great day CoIntel. See ya later.
mudshark @ 28:
Many of us got heated in the exchanges, so any disagreement might boil down to simple anger and pride and not the issues. I'm all for taking the deep breath, collecting my thoughts, savoring the moment and it's overwhelming significance, then voting Democratic in November.
obama is not qualified. period.
hillary or mccain 2008!
milquetoast @ 32:
I've done that. I would just disagree that barack owes you an apology for the patRIOT extension vote. would you demand an apology for the ATUF from hillary?
Somebody tell that to the hardcore, batshit crazy, Hillary supporters who are threatening to vote for McCrazy because their girl lost the nomination. There must be some people like that because the media keeps talking about these Hillary "supporters" who are likely to vote for McCain. I mean, the media wouldn't make this up right?? Not the people who gave us such fictitious demographics such as "security moms" and "NASCAR" dads. Rght??
myshiba @ 35:
so you're republican. ok we get it!
geneHUSSEIN214 @ 37:
the media has one job from now until the election: sow division and support mcASSwipe. Example:
myshiba @ 35:
not qualified over insane or insane, I'll take not qualified anyday.
Paul @ 29:
after calling his wife a name like that, he probably ain't getting any there.
geneHUSSEIN214 @ 37:
It's the media gene, when there is no news, they create it.
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory @ 27:
The place where I work is a news story waiting to happen.
Ok I really gotta go now. Adios.
be well, muddy.
Everyone thinks McSame was a war hero. While I greatly respect his courage and fortitude as a PW, let's interrupt the narrative for a fact or two.
He was a pilot. He did his fighting from six miles up and slept in his own bed every night.
There's an old infantry joke about Air Force hardship: Why, one time, the poor boys didn't get their sheets changed for three days in a row.
So let's not confuse what he did with what Jim Webb did, or John Kerry, or even Al Gore.
And let's remember the culture in which he was raised. Everyone remembers that he hit on his second wife while still attached to his first. What no one seems to realize is that this is not exceptional behaviour for naval aviators. Naval aviation in the US is an extremely macho, excessively entitled, exclusionary culture that has complete and seamless disregard for women in any context. Latterly, it has been papered over with a vague awareness that some forms of activity, such as gang-raping serving officers, attract a mysterious negative response from civilians, soldiers and other lesser beings.
CAN YOU SAY TAILHOOK?
Why is anyone surprised that in his dotage, he is a foul-mouthed, misogynist creep? Was he ever going to be anything else?
He was immersed as a young man in a culture that taught him that women are not the legal, mental, spiritual or -- for that matter -- theological equal (or even equivalent) of men. In his world, they are useful, or they are not useful. They may be his ticket to respectability, or his ticket to wealth or just LBFMs, depending on context, but they are not, in any meaningful sense, people.
Once you get that hoisted in, his words and actions take on a simplicity and consistency that is wonderful to behold.
How could a kept man be so wrong on women's issues?
Blue Taliban Osama Buddha @ 20:
or a limbaugh democrat!
myshiba @ 35:
Please tell me how McCain will push for womens rights? Tell us how qualified McCain is on the issues that this country needs so bad after 8 years of bush screwing everything up? Show us were McCain has been so strong on equal pay for women, health care, roe, sex education for our kids? Please tell us why we would vote for a man who calls his wife a c--t in public and thinks calling Hillary a bitch is funny? Please tell us.
fiver @ 47:
do you know how badly the navy treats women? McBUllSHitArtist is third gen Navy. he called his wife a "c---" at a public event. the math and the path are simple.
Te irony of fem HRC supporters threatening to vote for McCain, or merely to not vote for Obama because they think Obama is sexist would be hilarious if it was so goddamn sad.
On the other hand I'm a man, so go ahead Hill supporters, enjoy those back-alley abortions, lower pay than men and no recourse to the law to rectify institutional sexism and discrimination!
McCain 08: Its a good time to be a Man!
McCain dumped his poor first wife for a 24 yr old with a beer fortune, while they were still married. What does that say about his views toward women? He admits to many affairs but the press never followed up on the Feb. revelations about the lobbyist. Trust is a character issue and middle aged women are not pleased about rewarding a trophy wife with her behavior pattern with the position of first lady. What would that say to our sons and daughters about marriage vows?
Here's a selling point to get the Hillgals on board - McCain would never appoint Hillary Clinton to anything. But can you imagine her on on the supreme court? Her star quality and connectedness alone might be enough to hasten one of the geezers to blow a vessel. Not that I'm wishing for it. You know who's going to win in a stare down between Mrs. Clinton and Clarence Thomas. Oh yeah. And as she's shown, no one's better at holding their breath until they turn blue and get their way.
He likes women as long as they are lobbyists
middle aged woman @ 52:
Well...
milquetoast @ 32:
In other words you're voting for McSame. Just be clear on the consequences of your actions. I started for Kucinich, moved to Edwards and now have no choice but to support Obama. He may not be just what I want, but McLame is precisely what i don't want.
By the way, your real name wouldn't happen to be Kyle would it?
Chicken Hussein Little - NOT!! @ 56:
Amitola @ 31:
At the risk of entering the tinfoil hat brigade, I agree with you on each and every point and theory. Occam strikes again.
It's pretty clear what needs to be done, if you are a Clinton supporter, and are seriously considering voting for McCain, you need to really consider the consequences of your possible actions, swallow your pride and get behind Obama!
Randy @ 2:
I really think most of the women/people who agitated this women for McCain garbage are dirty tricksters/Republican infiltrators to the pro Hillary Bloggers who have been agitating.
I do think there are very legitimate complaints from clinton supporters but this virulent support of McCain is too co-ordinated, too "forced" if you know what I mean.
I thought from the beginning of McCain winning the presumptive nominee title and Coulter and Limp paw started saying they would support Clinton that there was another Rovian tactic afoot.
As I heard Operation Chaos touted and then saw the fury against Clinton from the left becoming more and more frenzied all I could think of was this is brilliant. (and not in a good way.) The more they tout Clinton, the more pissed off the left gets. I read on HuffPo comments over and over that Clinton is a neo con because Coulter and Rush were supporting her!
The Repub operatives and pundits kept saying they wanted Clinton to win, easiest to beat. Then you would hsee all the comments going against her, they want her to win... blah blah blah.
It became pretty obvious to me that they were using kindergarten child psychology in whipping up anti Clinton frenzy.
Well, it worked.
Now we have a split, people are still blaming Clinton for the split instead of realizing we fell for the bait again, infighting, demonizing and not turning together against these bastards.
So now we have this stupid site Hillary supporters for McCain.
It is paid for by a republican group.
Its nuts.
Again the neocons pulled off their nefarious schemes with Machiavellian perfection.
Can't you just see Rove and the idiot king giggling maniacally.. heh heh .. we got her, we got her... hahahahha.
Lets hope we all wake up quickly enough to stop the hate fest and join up together.
just my opinion of course.
Attila the Appeaser @ 54:
or come complete with an inherited fortune. He sure knows how to pick them, that woman is just plain scary. Ever get a good look at her eyes? Like something out of a low budget horror flick.
Randy @ 2:
Lots of us do NOT want her as VP and I am hoping to hell he doesn't ask or she won't accept though that would be unlikely.
She is too powerful to be a VP.
I want her to go after the current criminals in this WH.administration.
There is a lot of things this woman can do. I wish people were more fully informed about her and the Clinton administration
.
The media say this crap... they really don't inform at all.
If you read books by people on the scene art the time (and not that ass Dick Morris) I mean different writers, historians etc there is so much info out there that gives insight to what really happened.
I've been demonizing the DLC just fbecause of what I'd heard, then I read some behind the scenes stuff and see what the reasoning and philosophy behind it was and it wasn't at all as it has been portrayed as far as I can see.
Anyway.
gonna go listen to the woman.
These women for McCain groups are neocon plots... now I have to go find some tinfoil.
geneHUSSEIN214 @ 37:
Hardcore, batshit crazy is what this comment makes the author appear to be. And those who make comments like this against Hillary supporters wonder why those Hillary supporters feel repelled from the "true" liberals?
Go figure.
Keep this up and you'll get McCain elected for sure.
diamondmc @ 10:
I keep trying to expplain to people that these women (and men) are NOT mad because she lost.
It is not about losing it is about the vicious vitriolic hatemongering they have been subjected to and the ugly misogyny that has been present and deemed either not important or not there... and the denigration that has come to them for saying it is there.
Plus the unprecedented media bias and the fact people deny that it was present even though credible unbiased sources have documented both the bias and the sexism.
tha hate talk toward Clinton, the resurrection of neocon lies and tactics by the left has been hurtful, wounding to those who would never have believed it possible that Progressives would behave this way. You may want to call it bitter, stereotype them as old bitter white women, insult them further (not you personally I mean)and minimize what they are feeling, what their anger is about you can put them down, insult them further and not listen to their grievances but that isn't going to do anything to help the situation.
In Couples therapy... and this can be said for rifts in business relationships, family relationships and business relationships as well.
if you vote for mccain you will jeopardize roe vs wade two to three u.s. supreme judges will retire or pass away while serving.......i hope this will rally hillary supporters to see the bigger picture
Roe vs. Wade scare is silly. Even if it is abolished, you still will be able to get an abortion at another state, since it will be left to the states. I actually think it may be better because we would stop discussing it, some state want it, some don't. I also don't think they will actually abolish is simply because men would have to be paying child support for kids they wouldn't want to have, so I am pretty sure men would not go for it. I am raging feminist in my early 30's PhD, East Coast latte liberal, but I think that 4 years of McCain are worth another shot for Clinton in 2012. Otherwise we will never have woman as president in our lifetime. I rather have 4 years of McCain, then 8 years of Clinton, rather than, 4 years of Obama, then 8 years of Romney and 8 years of Jeb Bush. Sorry....
I would argue that any Hillary supporter who is now voting for McCain in the general election was never a liberal at all.
accountability @ 65:
OOPS.
The speech came on and I clicked the submit button reflexively.
What I was going to say is that in relationship counseling you see that there are some main reasons for fissures that appear to be irreparable and threaten to split the relationship forever.
Basically it comes down to discounting, denying, minimizing, belittling not listening, or refusing to listen for any other reason to the grievance of the other.
The reasons for not listening or for the diminishing behavior are many but I think the main reasons are that obviously the one person just doesn't see the reality of what the other party is naming as a grievance and so flat out deny its existence and rather than listening to the other they minimize in various ways from teasing, cajoling, insultin, dismissing etc.
Another reason for not listening is that though the other party does admit there is a grievance they just don't give it any importance.. maybe equating it with not putting the cap back on the toothpaste. LOL Understandably the person who's grievance is being tossed out so cavalierly is hurt.
Then there are those who see the grievance but deny it anyway because it requires something out of them and they don't want to be bothered... or because to deny it gives them a certain benefit, usually the illusion of power.
Again, it is the not listening, the diminishing, the denial of the grievance, the lack of support for what is clear as a bell to the one by the other cuts, and in this case cuts thousands of times over and over.
So, as I said, it is not the losing, it is the constant cutting...death by a thousand cuts... and the obvious relish people have exhibited in the cutting that has pissed these people off beyond reason some would say.
but is it beyond reason if you think about it?
Have the ones doing the attacking and hatemongering and distortin acted within reason? Are they doing so now?
Of course that is only something they can answer but I would think about the last very big fight you've had with your partner or perhaps a breakup and remember what was said and how it was said, remember what was felt, how you felt if you were not understood and had your feelings minimized.
they say that politics is personal and the personal is political (whoever they are?) so it is not really trivial to think in these micro/personal terms. How we live with each other intimately is reflected in how we live in the world and vice versa.
Just soomething to think about.
Spite has never helped in any of my relationships, neither has demeaning.
If someone demeans me , I'm out the door. I don't try to get even, I just walk.
If someone acts spitefully I try to get it, what are they trying to get even about, with?
What did I do? If I can i do what I can to repair the damage I caused while knowing know I can't make it all better.
Everyone has a responsibility. We can stay hardened in our own self righteousness and not wanting to let go of the wonderful positions of our fabulous selves.
What gets the job done?
What makes us better as human beings?
I for one am sick to deat of the smallness.
Katharine @ 68:
Some might argue that any progressive who engaged in Hillary Hate, neocon smearing, distorting and malicious bashing of her and her supporters is not a progressive at all.
just sayin'