POLITICAL RANT TIME NOW
First, a warning. This next entry enters LIBERAL FEMINIST RAGE territory. If you don't want to read the rantings of an aggravated O'Biden 08 supporter, please pass this post by.
That said, here goes!
If you've been following the upcoming US presidential election in the aftermath of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's epic struggle for the Democratic Party nomination, I've noticed a disturbing and growing trend: PUMAs, PUMAs, PUMAs. "Party unity, my ass!" is their rallying cry. These women (well, they're primarily women but I suppose they have men too) have decided to vote for Senator John Sidney McCain from Arizona and his lovely mistress soulmate third wife running mate, Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska, out of spite.
But wait! How can I just assume it's out of spite? I thought John McCain was a MAVERICK! He won't be one of them there neocons, he's got CLAWS. He'll stop those neocons from going too far, yes he will! He's so centrist that we can vote for him with clean consciences! :D
This attitude seems rampant in my home state of Pennsylvania. I know, a swing state. McCain ads 24/7, lawn sign wars, pollsters, the whole shebang. McCain had a campaign event about an hour away from here a few days ago, and the news coverage was devoted to lifelong Democratic women who switched to McCain because---?
"There's just something I can't trust about Obama."
"Obama did a disservice to women by not picking Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential nominee."
"McCain will bring us REAL change! :D "
(Those aren't exact quotes, by the way---but the one about Hillary is definitely close. I remember it clearly.)
Sure he will! Real change---for the worse. Read on if you're interested.
First, let me introduce to you the Violence Against Women Act. It's an important piece of legislation that detains men accused of domestic violence against women longer for the safety of the woman, steps up punishment of these crimes, and allows women civil redress (compensation) if their case isn't prosecuted in court. In addition, it provided funding for womens' shelters and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
A funny little thing about this bill is that it was drafted by Joe Biden, and its reauthorization was cosponsored by Barack Obama. Now there's support women can believe in.
But guess who voted against it? Johnny Mac! This was the 1994 initial authorization of the act, by the way.
Also included in the bills in that vote was a measure that would provide federal funding for womens' rape kits. McCain and Palin are unified in their support for making women pay for their own rape kits, it seems.
But that's not all, not by a long shot. Our good friend McCain also opposes equal pay for equal work. In April 2008 at a campaign stop in Kentucky, he had this to say in reference to his position on the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007 that restores womens' ability to sue for compensation if they find they are not being paid equally:
"They need the education and training, particularly since more and more women are heads of their households, as much or more than anybody else. And it's hard for them to leave their families when they don't have somebody to take care of them." -John McCain
He skipped the vote, but said he would have voted against it. Lovely, thanks John! You've sure been a real pal.
Obama, on the other hand, has voted for the Equal Pay Act during his time in the Illinois State Senate, and has opposed the Supreme Court decision that said Lily Ledbetter could not sue for damages because she did not find out about the pay discrimination against her soon enough. She made a short speech about the issue at the Democratic National Convention this past August addressing the issue.
McCain supporters like to respond to this by saying that McCain's female staff is paid more, on average, than Obama's female staff. But this claim fails to take into account that the study cited was done by averaging (note the emphasis) the pay of all women averaged together versus the pay of all men averaged together---McCain has more female senior staff members (who get paid more and tilt the average upward) than Obama does.
I won't even delve into the abortion and birth control issue here, that'll probably require a whole separate post. Not to mention McCain's personal attitudes---dumping his first wife for a young hot thing, and then proceeding to call that wife a cunt in public. And that doesn't even include the gorilla rape joke...but it's okay, because he didn't have any women for...wait for it...wait for it...
FIVE YEARS IN A VIETNAMESE PRISON!!!
(and that's another rant entirely)
And in case any female Hillary--->McCain supporters are reading this? If you honestly believe John McCain has a better economic plan, will keep us safer, will be tougher on domestic issues, or will support your faith---that's fine. I don't agree in the slightest, but I can respect that difference. But if you switched your vote due to the fact that Joe Biden doesn't have two X chromosones and Sarah Palin does, or because Obama is a 'shady wimminz-oppressing thief' and McCain is suddenly some champion of womens rights, then I will feel no pity for you when he wins and all women face the consequences.
*phew* If only I could be that motivated to work on my schoolwork.
That said, here goes!
If you've been following the upcoming US presidential election in the aftermath of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's epic struggle for the Democratic Party nomination, I've noticed a disturbing and growing trend: PUMAs, PUMAs, PUMAs. "Party unity, my ass!" is their rallying cry. These women (well, they're primarily women but I suppose they have men too) have decided to vote for Senator John Sidney McCain from Arizona and his lovely mistress soulmate third wife running mate, Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska, out of spite.
But wait! How can I just assume it's out of spite? I thought John McCain was a MAVERICK! He won't be one of them there neocons, he's got CLAWS. He'll stop those neocons from going too far, yes he will! He's so centrist that we can vote for him with clean consciences! :D
This attitude seems rampant in my home state of Pennsylvania. I know, a swing state. McCain ads 24/7, lawn sign wars, pollsters, the whole shebang. McCain had a campaign event about an hour away from here a few days ago, and the news coverage was devoted to lifelong Democratic women who switched to McCain because---?
"There's just something I can't trust about Obama."
"Obama did a disservice to women by not picking Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential nominee."
"McCain will bring us REAL change! :D "
(Those aren't exact quotes, by the way---but the one about Hillary is definitely close. I remember it clearly.)
Sure he will! Real change---for the worse. Read on if you're interested.
First, let me introduce to you the Violence Against Women Act. It's an important piece of legislation that detains men accused of domestic violence against women longer for the safety of the woman, steps up punishment of these crimes, and allows women civil redress (compensation) if their case isn't prosecuted in court. In addition, it provided funding for womens' shelters and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
A funny little thing about this bill is that it was drafted by Joe Biden, and its reauthorization was cosponsored by Barack Obama. Now there's support women can believe in.
But guess who voted against it? Johnny Mac! This was the 1994 initial authorization of the act, by the way.
Also included in the bills in that vote was a measure that would provide federal funding for womens' rape kits. McCain and Palin are unified in their support for making women pay for their own rape kits, it seems.
But that's not all, not by a long shot. Our good friend McCain also opposes equal pay for equal work. In April 2008 at a campaign stop in Kentucky, he had this to say in reference to his position on the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007 that restores womens' ability to sue for compensation if they find they are not being paid equally:
"They need the education and training, particularly since more and more women are heads of their households, as much or more than anybody else. And it's hard for them to leave their families when they don't have somebody to take care of them." -John McCain
He skipped the vote, but said he would have voted against it. Lovely, thanks John! You've sure been a real pal.
Obama, on the other hand, has voted for the Equal Pay Act during his time in the Illinois State Senate, and has opposed the Supreme Court decision that said Lily Ledbetter could not sue for damages because she did not find out about the pay discrimination against her soon enough. She made a short speech about the issue at the Democratic National Convention this past August addressing the issue.
McCain supporters like to respond to this by saying that McCain's female staff is paid more, on average, than Obama's female staff. But this claim fails to take into account that the study cited was done by averaging (note the emphasis) the pay of all women averaged together versus the pay of all men averaged together---McCain has more female senior staff members (who get paid more and tilt the average upward) than Obama does.
I won't even delve into the abortion and birth control issue here, that'll probably require a whole separate post. Not to mention McCain's personal attitudes---dumping his first wife for a young hot thing, and then proceeding to call that wife a cunt in public. And that doesn't even include the gorilla rape joke...but it's okay, because he didn't have any women for...wait for it...wait for it...
FIVE YEARS IN A VIETNAMESE PRISON!!!
(and that's another rant entirely)
And in case any female Hillary--->McCain supporters are reading this? If you honestly believe John McCain has a better economic plan, will keep us safer, will be tougher on domestic issues, or will support your faith---that's fine. I don't agree in the slightest, but I can respect that difference. But if you switched your vote due to the fact that Joe Biden doesn't have two X chromosones and Sarah Palin does, or because Obama is a 'shady wimminz-oppressing thief' and McCain is suddenly some champion of womens rights, then I will feel no pity for you when he wins and all women face the consequences.
*phew* If only I could be that motivated to work on my schoolwork.