I’ve gone far too long recently without getting my political mojo on here. That ends now.
(Sorry in advance to apolitical readers who just like it when I’m funny. I promise more Rock of Love II commentary and the new Candy Land rules according to Thalia to come.)
This week I had an opportunity to do a little assignment for a publisher that wanted to create a basic chart for their readers on where each candidate stood on mom-centric issues. While I’m grateful for the project and really liked the people I was working with, I have to admit a bit of frustration about the nature of the assignment in the first place. Narrowing down a candidate’s sixteen page health care proposal to one easily digestible bullet point is akin to asking someone to buy a car based on a single attribute.
Shiny.
“I’ll take it!”
Oh, our poor no-attention-span society.
What the project forced me to do however was to really delve into the candidates’ websites – all of them – and get to understand their plans, their differences, their similarities, their fuzzy math, their rhetoric, and which ones are truly batshit crazy.
(Oh pleaseohpleaseohplease let Huckabee be the Republican nominee. Huckabee in ’08! Whoo!)
So in doing the research (and I swear I was totally objective and journalistic) here’s what I found on each of the Republican candidates’ websites regarding women and families and children:
Nothing.
Not a thing.
Unless you count fetuses which are apparently a very big deal.
There’s no Supporting Parents and Caring for Children category laid out with like 8 zillion super specific proposals as there is on Clinton’s site. There’s no comprehensive Working Families category as on Edwards’ site. Heck, Obama has a simple, all-encompassing category entitled Families. You’d think Romney, McCain, Guiliani, Huckabee, or Paul could manage that.
Goose egg.
Not one of them mentions affordable childcare. Not one of them mentions the Family Medical Leave Act. Not one of them mentions sizeable deductions for stay-at-home parents, the promotion of telecommuting, or preventing workplace discrimination against parents and caregivers. Of course there’s a bit here and there on education, most of which has to do with charter schools and voucher programs, often code for government-funded parochial schools. (I learned a whole lot about code this week.) And then there’s Huckabee, whose dedication to music and art programs I actually found admirable until he goes and calls them “Weapons of Mass Instruction.” Because dude, it’s awesome to take a phrase meaning “nukes that can destroy life as we know it in four seconds” and change one syllable to mean “hey kids, let’s play the recorder!”
(Whoo! Huckabee in ’08!)
Mitt Romney’s site was actually almost promising with a category called American Culture and Values. But apparently American values have more to do with “enforcing our nation’s obscenity laws” than supporting paid maternity leaves.
What the GOP candidates do seem to have instead of info on families is info on faith. Oh, there’s loooots of info on faith and how faithful and wonderfully God-fearing and pious and super-faithful they all are in their faithy-faithfulness.
Also gun owner rights. Because as we all know, Jesus said, “Ignore the mothers for they are not as important as the gun lobby.”
Or something like that.
Now I’m not saying that everyone is going to be pro-choice. But man, shouldn’t everyone be pro-family? I mean they didn’t even mention the FMLA. Try googling any GOP candidate with FMLA. Or take my word for it…don’t.
The way I see it, anyone with a “Women for McCain/Romney/Huckabee” t-shirt is just being used. Because clearly, McCain/Romney/Huckabee is not for women.
Okay, so now you know (with probably too much detail) who I don’t like. Who do I like?
I don’t know.
For once in my life, I am hopelessly on the fence. I think a President Clinton, a President Obama, or a President Edwards could each do outstanding things for our country.
But I will say this:
After really tearing into all of their websites, Senator Clinton absolutely blew me away with the comprehensiveness of her proposals, the detail of her plans, and her thorough understanding of the issues and how they play out within the political machine, and exactly how each plan could be paid for. Blew me away. Just read her agenda for working families if nothing else.
When she says she’s ready to hit the ground running, she’s not kidding.
Hm.
115 shards of brilliance… read them below or add one
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I have to agree that I’m impressed by how well-prepared she is, particularly where it comes to budgetary matters. And since the basis of my conservatism is fiscal, I can’t help but admire that aspect of her candidacy.So far I’ve only hit Thompson (gone) and Paul in my candidate profiles at The Parental is Political, but here’s how I boiled down their views re family:Thompson: Families and Children – Supports strengthening institutions of traditional marriage and family.Paul: Families and Children – Voted NO on establishment of AMBER alert system (2003). (odd sidenote – so did Kucinich)Those are the most lucid points I could gather from their statements on the topic of Families and Children.Edwards and Richardson, on the other hand…Edwards: Families and Children – Supports investment in programs to prevent teen pregnancy. Proposes a family leave tax credit.Richardson: Families and Children – Voted for FMLA while in Congress, supports paid family leave.I’ll get to the front-runners in the upcoming weeks, but I don’t expect to find anything different from what you have.
Okay. So there are tooooo many lines here to love you for, but this:“Jesus said, “Ignore the mothers for they are not as important as the gun lobby.”THAT is pure poetry.
You nailed it.
I really, really wish I could vote in your Yankee election. But then come and live in Canada. I am a hoser after all.
You seem well-informed – maybe you can tell me what GOP stands for. I’ve been trying to figure it out for YEARS. God’s Own Party?
I went through this heart-rendering analysis a few months ago..I made myself do it, ev en though I was a Sen. Clinton proponent. And she just has it going on..yeah, there are unlikeable things about her but I am voting for a President, not my BFF.But I am am totally on the Huckabee ’08 campaign ’cause it would cause the moderate Republicans to vote blue…NAVY blue.From the liberal upstater… (btw, my word verification is exyatic and you know, I am so damm exyatic and thrilled about the upcoming primaries that I can’t hold it all in…)
I am SO glad to hear this. I like her and want to LOVE her. Here’s a good place to start. I want to BELIEVE!Bonnie
Ok, I’m not as unbalanced as that last comment sounded…I was just carried away by my enthusiasm.It ends up being, let’s have a mother and a woman as President. No, she’s not perfect, but are any among us?
…yes, would love to know what GOP stands for. Great Offence Potential?
GOP = Grand Old PartyI have to ask: Why would a bunch of old white guys give a shit about young working families?They don’t, end of discussion. The old white guys who do care don’t run for republican president.
I soooo want to love her. I WILL support her if she gets the nomination, but I WANT to love her, believe her, trust her. Sigh, I’m not there yet.
I find myself a little upset that I’m not more thrilled about the possibility of being able to vote for a woman for President. A WOMAN! FOR PRESIDENT! I should be jumping for joy!But then – what if she gets the nomination and wins? For all her well laid out plans – will she actually execute them? Can she? It’s good to have plans. It is. And kudos to her for publishing them for all to see (and come back to hold her accountable to later.)I just wish, like many others, that I could get excited about her.
I want to like her. But boy howdy, much more of this politics as usual (and she seems to really like it when it’s like that) and I’m going to have a hard time stomaching voting for her if she gets the nomination. The best laid plans…and a ton of angry enemies that you want to get back at who hate you too? Not a recipe for success. Oh, and I appreciate the political moment — I’m such an obsessed geek that I wonder why all my fave blogs aren’t talking about it.
As a long term resident of Massachusetts and the head of a family living in poverty I can honestly say that Mitt Romney is about the worst thing to EVER happen to families in my state. He cut every social service agency to the bare core including DSS DYS and the Dept of Mental Health. Case workers are barely educated and have such high case loads due to Romney’s cuts that there really are no services available anymore.They actually CHARGE parents to go to court to try and file a Child in Need of Services petition. That is unheard of anywhere else. He is a disaster waiting to happen because he’s still got a ton of money and the other Repubs are running out of cash. Romney is going to purchase the presidency, just as our current president did. Danger will robinson.
thank you.
I love when you get your political on.My number one issue is health care, and then world peace. Because if we’re going to get the world peace thing going on, we have to be well enough to do it; not spending our time trying to figure out how to do our own at-home root canals.
Oh, Liz how I love thee. I’m proudly boasting the Hillary Clinton button on my blog. I was back and forth between Hillary and Obama (if only they could fuse to become Clibama! Oy!) for a while but now I’m 100% behind Hillary. Obama is brilliant, a true poet and I believe he will make an incredible president one day (maybe even the best?) but I think he needs to callous a little bit first, he seems almost too good to be true. Hillary may have enemies but she’s a bad-ass and I like that, not to mention the fact that she comes equipped with a serious hair-helmet (the ultimate thinking cap?)Regardless who wins the democratic candidacy I’m really excited about the candidates (I would be thrilled to have Obama represent this country as well, not too crazy about Edwards) and for the first time in a long time (maybe ever?) am proud to be an American. As far as Republican candidates go, well, you said it better than I. Thank you for this post.
Really informative, Liz. Please, please, no Huckabee. I think there are a lot of families that won’t survive another 4 years of business-only government.
Amazing how all that Republican lip service about family values is so utterly devoid of meaning, unless meaning means “put your boy in uniform and send him off to die” or “we control your reproductive rights”.It shouldn’t surprise me anymore, but yet somehow it always still does.And that Huckabee quote about changing the Constitution to better meet god’s unchanging law – that’s the stuff that nightmares are made of, not national policy!
This was a fantastic return to political commentary! I am forwarding it to lots of people I know.I think that democrats are stuck with the most delicious of tasks this year… choosing between three excellent candidates.I just sent in my absentee ballot yesterday. I voted for Hilary. But I have the audacity to hope that Obama will be her running mate.Here’s to radical change in 2008!
yay! I love mom-101-politico posts! Although I can’t vote, I rub my hands in glee over the impact of posts like these one. Wheeeee!!!!Now to work on Hubs and make him vote for Hillary. Or maybe Obama? Oh man! I am also on the fence of who I want to force my husband to vote for. Sheesh….
I’m telling you, Maya Angelou could run this country with one hand tied behind her back.
Lady M: that is absolutely eloquently and succinctly put. Jen: The notion of a vindictive woman with “a ton of angry enemies that you want to get back at” is the kind of stereotype thrown out there by the Limbaughs of the world. She’s been my Senator for seven years now and she’s demonstrated none of those traits. If anything, she’s too centrist for me, bridging both aisles rather well and working often in a bi-partisan fashion to effect change. I guess I prefer my lefties a bit lefty-er. But like I said, I may be coming around.
I’m so glad you posted this. I get the impression just from the debates and interviews that Clinton is most prepared for what she will do if she wins the presidency so it’s nice to hear that she actually does have plans to back her talk. As much as I like Obama, I can’t help but feel that he’s running on a feeling. I mean, who doesn’t love optimism? But our country can’t run on hope alone …I should do what you did and go through all the sites, but what you did sounds exhausting!
Eh, Ron Paul has some points that would stick in the craw of a lot of women. Like the fact that he thinks the states should decide on abortion. But having been a waitress and bartender long enough to make the perfect margarita in my sleep (and I have woken up with one in front of me and not known how it got there) I have to love that he says DON’T tax tips. He is pretty much a strict constitutionalist so he isn’t going to vote for lots of stuff that is good…but not in the constitution. He was an OB-GYN though…so he must like women at least.Hillary, I don’t think she likes women. But I’m from Upstate New York, and I still can’t see how she was elected senator in the first place. Plus she has that whole “Yes, I am possessed by Satan.” smile thing. The best thing I have heard about Clinton is: “You wouldn’t want the spouse of a brain surgeon operating on your head, how does being married to the President make her our best option?”As long as neither Clinton nor McCain end up leading the country, I will consider the election a success.
Kayleigh: you of course are entitled to vote your own conscience. But I must correct your assertion that Hillary is running as the former first lady. She’s running as a very effective two-term senator with a Yale Law degree (unusual for a woman of her generation) and 35 years of policy experience. One liners like that make fun sound bites but they don’t have much basis in reality.
You are a brave woman to take on that task! I had done a quick review of the GOP sites and had come to the same conclusion — yeah, why care about working moms and children — kids can’t vote and working moms probably don’t have time to. (Am I dripping enough sarcasm?)
“What the GOP candidates do seem to have instead of info on families is info on faith. Oh, there’s loooots of info on faith and how faithful and wonderfully God-fearing and pious and super-faithful they all are in their faithy-faithfulness.”Thanks for this. I am so sick of the Conservatives getting the “values voters” label. You better believe I have strong values and I vote my values. I have faith and my faith informs my values. But no way are my values anything like their values.Huckabee ’08!
I think the candidate who has the best chance is the one who not only can figure out the dilemma of flexibility, but can figure out the economics of affordability as well. Because it’s not only getting harder to balance it as an American family, but also just to afford the basic necessities. I hope Hillary’s plan sticks! (There, I spilled who I’m voting for)
While Hillary’s plans are comprehensive, I a more than slightly annoyed that she hasn’t done that much for women/families while a senator. I work in DC for a small women-focused policy group. Clinton sits on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. That Committee is charged with overseeing everything from NCLB to FMLA to the FDA to Social Security.While she and Patty Murray did oppose von Eschenbach’s nomination over Plan B emergency contraceptives, I just don’t see her as a leader on good, progressive family-friendly issues.Then again, neither was Edwards when he was a senator. Or Obama. Still, her expectation that women will support her because we share anatomical features is disturbing. I’d rather have a Senate full of the late Paul Wellstone than a Senate full of Kay Bailey Hutchison, y’know.And you’re so right about the GOP. They only care about family values before you’re born and when you’re on the way out. In between? You’re on you’re own.
Well said, Liz.
I am a conservative person. In my home growing up, conservative equaled Republican. Because of that, I think it’s easy to just vote Republican without looking too deeply at the candidates.I appreciate this post because it has really made me change my thinking about voting. Sure my single vote doesn’t really mean that much, but if 1000 other people vote the way I use to, that could make a difference.So thank you. This year I’m going to be more pro-active in finding out about the candidates and their issues. Then I’ll be more prepared to vote wisely instead of simply choosing a candidate based on their party.
Laura, you just made me cry. No kidding. Thank you so much for these words. And a single vote absolutely means everything.
Keep the political updates coming!!! As a non-mom obsessed with Mom Blogs, it’s nice to get a little adult talk sometimes…(but also, “the new Candy Land rules according to Thalia” sounds fun)
Mom-101 in 2012! WOOOOOO!(Ow. Liz, stop hitting me!)
I love when you get your political on.On paper Clinton is a no-brainer. But wow, she’s just not easy to like.
So a GOP sticker on my SUV would not be shocking, but you are very correct.
Very nice essay. I too am undecided, though I have been leaning toward Hillary since, oh, I don’t know, the 90s? What I like about her is what most people don’t.The thing is that if she does get elected, she will have two years to get things done. Two years before the Grand Outrage Party gets their base in high dudgeon enough to flip the Senate or the House or both.I can’t tell which I’d rather have, McCain and a Dem house or Hillary and a GOP house.
Liz, if you’d like some help on that project, my husband has been doing a lot of research on the Democratic candidates’ stances on various topics and has been posting the info on his blog in a handy chart format. It’s not specifically focused on issues important to parents, but you can bet I’ve been giving him an earful regarding what blogging moms would like to know. He’s at http://johnsmentaldetrtus.blogspot.com
Sorry– typo in the URL. It should be:http://johnsmentaldetritus.blogspot.comRemind me to triple-check for typos on days when I spent the previous evening staying up until three in the morning grouting a floor.
Excellent points, Liz. I haven’t paid any attention to what the Republicans are doing, so convinced am I that the American people have finally figured out we need a Democrat in the White House to recover from our Bush/Cheney PTSD.Goooooo, Huckabee!
You took the words right out of my mouth. This is exactly how I came to be won over by Clinton when I was on the fence between her and Obama. Obama’s lovely and all but it will take him at least a year before he knows what he’s doing and can effect real change and get the policies passed. Clinton will just walk up in there and get shit done on the first day. Obama wants to buy the world a Coke…Hillary will actually go out and get it for them. I don’t care if I wouldn’t necessarily want to have a drink with her or be her best bud (though I do). She’s running for President, not prom queen.
Actually, I am quite glad you went all political. I like substantive posts that also happen to be quite funny.Emily
While I have been totally prepared to vote for whatever Democrat wins, your post made me care a little. I’ve voted 2 times now and not once has my guy won, lol! I really hope Hilary takes it all now. Which sucks cause I hate being emotionally invested in ANYTHING!!Jessica
I think you’ve done something that if most of the voting population did they wouldn’t ever be able to elect another Bush. Ever.I spent a lot of time distrusting the Clintons, even though I voted for Bill both times. I was angry their health care initiatives seemingly went nowhere after his first year in office.But really? Bottom line: Hillary does her homework. She knows what she’s talking about and she looks into issues that matter to the consituents she addresses. She’s a good politician, perhaps too good.She doesn’t make a lot of mistakes in the political arena. And that is considered suspect by some.My guess is that if you were to poll people who have dealt with these hard social issues — lobbyists and the like who are trying to get more for people in need — you will find that the Clintons have done a lot more than they are credited for in popular opinion.I think you are right, she’d be a stunning president. But I kind of like the sound of GGC’s offering: Clibama ’08Of course I should note the GOP philosphy on supporting families and children is ‘Moms should stay home. Period.’
<>Not one of them mentions affordable childcare. Not one of them mentions the Family Medical Leave Act…<>Well, you know those are just entitlement programs and how DARE all those commie liberal middle-class family types expect that their hard-earned tax dollars might be used in a manner that actually benefits them!!!
without getting into political or party jargon–this is the point i’ve been trying to make in my own posts over and over and over again. women and children don’t amount to a pile of shit in this country–the end.i don’t know that i will truly be able to support any candidate 100% until s/he stands up in a public forum and admits that–then proposes what we collectively do about it.
I’m not a mom yet, but I completely agree with many of the points you made. People forget to research a candidates position on issues that affect their daily lives. I’m totally uncertain as to who to vote for, but I really feel Hilary has it together. She has plans and outlines, and basically has her sh*t together! And like one of the previous posts says “we’re voting for a president, not a bff!”
Hillary is saying all the right things to get elected, and then will do what she wants once she and her husband get to the Whilte House. Who wants four more years of “slick Willy,” and really, what did he accomplish for families anyway. A lot of talk, not much action. Remember all those cuts for child-care for poor families? What this country needs — in terms of children’s issues and overall national and international interests– is a smart, visionary leader who will make some significant changes in the way politics works and who will engage people who’ve been asleep at the wheel.That’s why Obama is generating such excitement among young people. It’s contagious. Barrack Obama is getting my vote!.
Mary513, I do recall that a Gingrich-led republican congress went after every bit of good that Clinton tried to do, every step of the way. Personally, I’d take another 600 years as him for President. Damn term limits. Was he perfect? Nah. Were the 90s an awesome time to be an American? Totally. And of course Obama is entirely smart, visionary, and engaging. Lurve the guy. Thanks for your perspective.
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