The Battle Over Women Voters
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-03-12/battle-over-women-voters
Women cast nearly ten million more votes than men in the last presidential race. Their traditional preference for Democrats helped put President Obama in the White House. but the female vote swung to the GOP in 2010, giving Republicans congrol of the House. Now there are signs of another shift. Recent polls show Republicans have been hurt by the current focus on contraception, abortion and women’s health issues. This week the President’s re-election campaign plans to launch an intensified effort to mobilize female voters. Karen Tumulty of the Washington Post, Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women and Phyllis Schlafly, founder and president of the eagle forum, join Diane to discuss the battle for and about women.
Guests
Terry O'Neill
president, National Organization for Women.
Phyllis Schlafly
founder and president, Eagle Forum
Karen Tumulty
national political reporter, The Washington Post.
Comments
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Is this woman, Phyllis serious? This is so typical of these ignorant fools. Single mothers want the government to take care of them? Really? And Obama wants more single mothers to take care of? Really? Where is she getting her stellar facts? This woman is a moron and an affront to woman everywhere. Can we at least have an intelligent voice on the other side, this lady is just spouting vitriolic rhetoric.
Scott Brown's campaign is heavily funded by the Big Banks that are partly the cause of the global recession. They do not like Elizabeth Warren because she supported regulations that protect the consumer that the Big Banks.
Elizabeth Warren was not confirmed by the Senate and House specifically because the Big Banks didn't want her confirmed. It has nothing to do with her competency.
Scott Brown's campaign is heavily funded by the Big Banks that are partly the cause of the global recession. They do not like Elizabeth Warren because she supported regulations that protect the consumer that the Big Banks.
Elizabeth Warren was not confirmed by the Senate and House specifically because the Big Banks didn't want her confirmed. It has nothing to do with her competency.
I agree with 98% of this. If you are willing to cover erection dysfunction medication and in-vitro fertilization, you must also cover the birth control. The only part you lost me on what letting males vote on this. I understand your reasons for saying this, but I bristle at excluding any group from voting on any issue. It sets a bad precedent. Yes as a male, I have the option of walking away, but I didn't but I have been painted with the same brush as those that do. Should I be punished for this?
It is extremely unfortunate that Ms. Rehm has given Phyllis Schlaffley a forum to spew her hatred and unsubstantiated accusations at the President, feminists, and single women. What she is really saying is that all of you bad girls out there who want to control your reproductive rights and engage in pleasurable sex are worthless drains on the country.
Except single women who are pro-choice and doing their own thing - pay taxes too!!!
I think thatthe whole thing would be taken care of if this health care bill adress the consumers cost.
Thanks Jeff
I think thatthe whole thing would be taken care of if this health care bill adress the consumers cost.
Thanks Jeff
The argument that providing birth control in the health plan provided by one's employer means that other people are paying for something they may not believe in is a specious one.
Health benefits are part of an employee's overall compensation, and employees have a right to spend their compensation as they wish. Would we support a decision to reduce an employee's salary because the employer is offended that the employee buys alcohol or donates to Planned Parenthood with the salary she receives? Health benefits, similarly, should not be based on whether the employer disapproves of specific elements. Health benefits are not a gift from the employer, but a part of compensation for the work that employees do.
Time goes by and we forget.Not long ago,a husband could legally rape his wife. Access to contraceptives will not result in sexual gratification for that raped wife,no matter what these radical right wingers say. It`s all about the right wing white man`s ego.
Ms. Schlafly, you are appalling. Women without husbands do not rely on government handouts to get by. We work outside the home these days, you know, or maybe you haven't been paying attention since the 1950s . . .
Furthermore, feminists are not man-haters. I'm a feminist with a beloved husband and many close male friends. What we hate is being disenfranchised and demeaned. You know, like being told that we rely on the government if we don't have a husband to support us.
You should be ashamed of yourself. As a woman, I'm ashamed to have you among us.
Phyllis is saying contraception is a non-issue, and that economic issues are what's important. 1) The "pill" is a central health issue for almost all women of reproductive age --- and not just for preventing pregnancies: I myself was on the pill for a decade after having a tubal ligation because of heavy, painful periods. 2) This essential health care product is indeed economic: for many, many women working and struggling to make ends meet, to suggest that they not only pay their share of health insurance premiums but then in addition pay fully for their contraception prescription is patently unfair as well as an economic hardship. And, may I add, my understanding is that the same insurance companies would be offering coverage for Viagara --- even when it's not necessary for procreation. I smell a double standard in the religious community.
Diane, is anyone going to confront Phyllis about her comments that unmarried women need men to take care of them? And that if they don't, they need "big brother government" to take care of them? I am struggling with her being given the opportunity to repeat these comments without them being challenged. Since when do women need someone to take care of them? And unmarried women are a very diverse group of intelligent, independent, and thoughtful women, not the needy, dependent group that Phyllis is making them out to be. Please either challenge her or avoid having people on the show that can be this demeaning.
Feminists want women to have a CHOICE to stay at home if they want, not be forced to do so because men said so. I have many friends who are stay at home mom's who are Democrats...they want birth control...they want to control their bodies... Feminists gave us equality in the workplace so I can raise my children away from a deadbeat father who hasn't seen them in 2 1/2 years and makes no effort to be engaged in their lives. I would NEVER have been able to do that without the role of feminists. I never chose to be a single mom, but he was sitting at home, doing nothing and not even acting as a caregiver to his kids.
I am floored by Ms. Shafley's comments about feminism. I am a feminist, and according to her definition, I can't possibly be a feminist and a stay-at-home mom! What a laugh! Does she know what feminism means? I am for women! I am for equality, and we sure aren't there yet!
I think Terry O'Neil should be receive an award for diplomacy, tact and restraint for not calling out Phyllis Schlafly as someone who is clearly out of touch. Phyllis Schlafly appears to be one of those individuals who has created an image of another group, that is not remotely based in fact, but she will state it as fact. No wonder she is defending Sarah Palin - they are cut of the same cloth. Unbelievable - and again, kudos to Terry O'Neil to stick to the subject.
Please ask Phyllis Schafley to clarify how providing birth control to prevent pregnancy is causing women to become single mothers and then be dependent on women. Providing birth control would seem to prevent this problem.
Please keep her honest. No one believe allowing women to avoid becoming pregnant before they are ready contributes to dependency. It's just the opposite.
OMG...my head is going to explode listening to Phyllis Schlafly...
I can barely listen to Phylis.... she is from a generation gone by.
I really want to dig into the facts regarding Phyliss' assertion that because 70% of single women voted for nonprofit there is a co-relation to Obama "creating a society supported by big brother." I think there is a falsity to this argument. I just don't believe from anything I have read that the stats bear out that these same voters, as was implied, are using medicaid or medicare ---just doesn't add up to me.
Wow! I can hardly believe what Phyllis Schlafly said about women needing a husband or the government to support them and their children. I thought I misunderstood her the first time, but then she repeated it. I know many professional unmarried women with children, none of whom receive government support. I made 3 times the money of my ex-husband, so I actually supported him. This is the most offensive thing I have heard from anyone, much less a woman, in a long time.
BTW....why is it fine for insurance companies to pay for Viagra but not birth control?
Can we at least have a good discussion without the name calling such as Feminist, Left Winger, and Liberal? And "Obamacare" seems to be the term used by those that simply don't like President Obama. What is bad with the idea of universal healthcare and having all pay for it anyway? The hate and divisiveness from one guest is good example the very bitterness we see in Washington D.C. by some politicians. We should be speaking better about our fellow Americans, even when we disagree with them.
Please ask MS. Shaffly to answer a question
Why are you afraid of telling that awful woman (you know who I'm referring to) to STOP using the pejorative "Obamacare" and call it what it IS-?? You are willingly participating in propaganda when you FAIL to do your duty as a journalist by allowing those on the right to misname the HCR action by our president.
Contraception is not just a women's issue. Women have the primary concern, certainly, but men who do not want to have children for whatever reason should also be concerned with the Republican intent to supress it's availabilty. The Republican position is clear that they are doubling down on the older, married population that is likely to 1) be more affluent and 2) have less of a stake in this issue.
Here is a perfect example of the war on women and old fashioned thinking.
For Phyllis to say that "single mothers look to big government to fulfill the role of a missing husband" is in itself sexist. This sort of thinking propagates the thinking that women are unable to provide for themselves or their families without a male figure.
Further, she also said that "republicans are good for women because wages go up and jobs are available which enables the male to provide for a full-time homemaker" {sic}
There are sexist undercurrents here which we should not accept.
Ms. Shlaffly is espousing a paternalistic view of women but she contradicts herself. If women cannot get access to birth control, they will be more under the control of men since she assumes they should simply get married. Her attitude is then juxtaposed against her statement about President Obama wanting to exert control over women by enslaving them with government welfare programs once they are pregnant or become mothers. Yet, she states her preference to let another group of (mostly) men in Congress determine what is appropriate for women and their very personal reproductive choices. Control is control whether by Democrats or Republicans.
Please ask Ms. Schlafly to answer a question with a fair answer
I can no longer listen to this show today. Ms. Shafly's unsubstantiated commentary is not helpful to this dialogue. To say something is fact because "it stands to reason" is not enough. I think she needed to be held to a higher level of accountability.
Pretty hard to listen to this show with uber-hypocrite Phylis Schlaffley commenting. Really? This independent woman has made a fortune with her job blaming other women trying to make a life for themselves. I am listening, because I believe that the only way to fight the good fight is to know your enemy.
Diane, really? Phyllis Schlafly? First, she's not playing by the civility rules you usually invoke (her most recent comment about the Georgetown law student is clearly out of line); Second, she's so out of touch, she's still talking about Betty Friedan and issues that might have been part of the feminist movement in the 1960s, but are really not part of it now (this whole idea that feminists hate stay at home mothers is ABSURD.)