Moms and the election...
In about 3 weeks we will be electing a new president. I would not describe myself as political although I always vote and I have strong opinions about how things should be. This is my blog and I'm allowed to express my opinions here. But I won't. I'm not interested in getting into some heated debate about who should be the next president.
However, I'm very uninspired by the current way things are running in this election. The American people...for the most part...are not morons. On the other hand we are busy and can't waste our time trying to decipher what the heck they are saying. Here are my personal opinions of how things should be handled.
1) There should be a handout at debates...download online. My guess is that even when they contradict each other, they are both right. They skew the numbers and information to suit their side. Bush talks about No Child Left Behind but didn't fund it. Yet he says he has more money going education than previous years. A hand out would let us see this. As a mom, I want to know about this stuff. Same with health care. They each have ideas on how to improve it but how will it really work...in the real world? Hand outs would help with this.
2) Abortion. Every election is about abortion. But what neither of the candidates seem to realize is that abortions can be decreased without legislation. (This is the social worker in me talking). Abortions, despite what people think, are usually not done on a whim. The exact a toll on women and are often seen as an only option. Adoption you say? Are you aware that the CPC's (crisis pregnancy centers) don't encourage adoption with any gusto? A report put out by the Family Research Council called "The Missing Piece" found that counselors were resistant to discuss adoption if there was any hint that the pregnant woman was resistant to hear it. There are so many awful stories and rumors about adoption as it relates to birth mothers that no wonder they don't want to consider it. Of course, like everything in life, the more info you have the better decision you can make.
The real issue here is totally missed (probably because its effects women not men who often ... are not held accountable for their part...) . Could it be she chose abortion because she is broke? Could it be because her parents will through them out of the house? Maybe her boyfriend told her it wasn't his problem, he wouldn't help so she better get an abortion (see ... its not just the women). There was a great Ann Landers or Dear Abby article once that asked why anti-abortionists harassed clinics instead of helping women with unplanned pregnancies. Why not offer to babysit so the woman can finish school or go to work. Pay for health care? Take her in when her parents through her out? Etc. So, the answer lies not in whether its legal or not...because it will happen no matter what. The answer is providing solutions to women. If it is illegal, then I think the dads should be hunted down and made to pay for helping raise the baby. Of course, that will never happen. I met a woman with 5 kids whose ex-husband only has to pay $50 per month in child support. Only in a man's world!
3) Women. I read an article that said women vote in higher ratios than men. The Census Bureau reported that 61% of eligible women voted in 2000 versus 58% of men. So why doesn't any body talk about women's issues with any real substance? Its more than just education and health care. Its doing something about deadbeat dads. Its about providing affordable child care and equal pay. It is possible that women can decide the election. Maybe we need to be more vocal but either way, we can determine the leader of this country.
4) Wishy-washy. As far as I'm concerned they both are. Bush said he'd help the environment and now we are logging on once protected land. He said support education but didn't fund No Child Left Behind. He said we are safer but won't set in motion to continue the assault weapons ban and cut law enforcement. Kerry votes one way then another on several issues. It all comes out the same in the end. I understand that they can't always do what they say...other people are involved in the decisions. And often, the decision to not support is based on a single line in the law they don't like even if they like the concept over all. But this whole back and forth "he said this", "he said that" is getting old. I hear it enough with my children!
Of course with all this said, I will vote. I don't always get my way when I vote but like my opinion of public school (see previous blogs), I think if you don't vote then you are unpatriotic. Voting is your duty to keep a free democracy. People like the freedoms and we are so free we are often lazy, inappreciative, and apathetic. If you love America and its freedoms, you must vote and participate in democracy even if it doesn't turn out the way you want.
So, make sure you are registered and vote!!!!
Leslie
However, I'm very uninspired by the current way things are running in this election. The American people...for the most part...are not morons. On the other hand we are busy and can't waste our time trying to decipher what the heck they are saying. Here are my personal opinions of how things should be handled.
1) There should be a handout at debates...download online. My guess is that even when they contradict each other, they are both right. They skew the numbers and information to suit their side. Bush talks about No Child Left Behind but didn't fund it. Yet he says he has more money going education than previous years. A hand out would let us see this. As a mom, I want to know about this stuff. Same with health care. They each have ideas on how to improve it but how will it really work...in the real world? Hand outs would help with this.
2) Abortion. Every election is about abortion. But what neither of the candidates seem to realize is that abortions can be decreased without legislation. (This is the social worker in me talking). Abortions, despite what people think, are usually not done on a whim. The exact a toll on women and are often seen as an only option. Adoption you say? Are you aware that the CPC's (crisis pregnancy centers) don't encourage adoption with any gusto? A report put out by the Family Research Council called "The Missing Piece" found that counselors were resistant to discuss adoption if there was any hint that the pregnant woman was resistant to hear it. There are so many awful stories and rumors about adoption as it relates to birth mothers that no wonder they don't want to consider it. Of course, like everything in life, the more info you have the better decision you can make.
The real issue here is totally missed (probably because its effects women not men who often ... are not held accountable for their part...) . Could it be she chose abortion because she is broke? Could it be because her parents will through them out of the house? Maybe her boyfriend told her it wasn't his problem, he wouldn't help so she better get an abortion (see ... its not just the women). There was a great Ann Landers or Dear Abby article once that asked why anti-abortionists harassed clinics instead of helping women with unplanned pregnancies. Why not offer to babysit so the woman can finish school or go to work. Pay for health care? Take her in when her parents through her out? Etc. So, the answer lies not in whether its legal or not...because it will happen no matter what. The answer is providing solutions to women. If it is illegal, then I think the dads should be hunted down and made to pay for helping raise the baby. Of course, that will never happen. I met a woman with 5 kids whose ex-husband only has to pay $50 per month in child support. Only in a man's world!
3) Women. I read an article that said women vote in higher ratios than men. The Census Bureau reported that 61% of eligible women voted in 2000 versus 58% of men. So why doesn't any body talk about women's issues with any real substance? Its more than just education and health care. Its doing something about deadbeat dads. Its about providing affordable child care and equal pay. It is possible that women can decide the election. Maybe we need to be more vocal but either way, we can determine the leader of this country.
4) Wishy-washy. As far as I'm concerned they both are. Bush said he'd help the environment and now we are logging on once protected land. He said support education but didn't fund No Child Left Behind. He said we are safer but won't set in motion to continue the assault weapons ban and cut law enforcement. Kerry votes one way then another on several issues. It all comes out the same in the end. I understand that they can't always do what they say...other people are involved in the decisions. And often, the decision to not support is based on a single line in the law they don't like even if they like the concept over all. But this whole back and forth "he said this", "he said that" is getting old. I hear it enough with my children!
Of course with all this said, I will vote. I don't always get my way when I vote but like my opinion of public school (see previous blogs), I think if you don't vote then you are unpatriotic. Voting is your duty to keep a free democracy. People like the freedoms and we are so free we are often lazy, inappreciative, and apathetic. If you love America and its freedoms, you must vote and participate in democracy even if it doesn't turn out the way you want.
So, make sure you are registered and vote!!!!
Leslie
posted by Leslie Truex at 11:54 AM
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