Archive for Women’s Issues
Moral Monday
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Growing numbers of people are gathering on Mondays in Raleigh to voice their strong support for the things that keep our society and economy ticking – Education, Health Care, and Voting Rights among them. The weekly gatherings are called Moral Mondays. Supporters have gathered outside and inside, and many have been arrested for refusing to end their peaceful occupation of public buildings. NC Policy Watch has a statistical list up today regarding the NC Senate budget. Excerpt:
Thousands and thousands – Number of low-income, pregnant women who will be kicked off of the state Medicaid plan and forced into the private insurance market under the Senate budget plan (“Senate budget plan kicks pregnant women off of Medicaid,” The Progressive Pulse, May 23, 2013)
25 – Years since former Republican Governor Jim Martin helped launch a major statewide effort to reduce North Carolina’s infant mortality rate (which was then highest in the nation) by expanding eligibility to Medicaid for low-income pregnant women (Ibid)
185% of the federal poverty level (or about $20,000 per year for a single person) – Income eligibility threshold for Medicaid health insurance for pregnant women that was ultimately enacted as part of that successful effort (Ibid)
From 13 per 1,000 to 7.2 per 1,000 – Amount infant mortality rate has fallen in North Carolina during that period (Tom Vitaglione, Senior Fellow for Health and Safety at Action for Children N.C)
133% of the federal poverty level (or about $15,000 per year for a single person) – Income threshold under the budget adopted by the North Carolina Senate (The Progressive Pulse, May 23, 2013)
It’s this kind of thing that has prompted the Moral Monday demonstrations that have grown week after week. Below you’ll find a video with lots of excerpts from previous events. There’s a big demonstration scheduled for today.
War Zone/Comfort Zone
Posted by: | CommentsHomelessness, unemployment and PTSD among women veterans. In the last decade, the USA went into wars with no plan for the aftermath. The armed services recruited women to serve in those wars with no plan for their aftermaths. America can and must do better.
A documentary by Squidface Films.
Kicking Poor Pregnant Women Off Medicaid
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Just when you thought you couldn’t be shocked by the North Carolina General Assembly’s radical lurch out of the mainstream, they go and do something that leaves you slackjawed again. This edition – kicking poor, pregnant women off of Medicaid months after rejecting billions of dollars offered via the federal Medicaid expansion. Adam Linker:
One of the Senate budget provisions moves Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women down from 185 percent of federal poverty level to 133 percent of federal poverty level (about $15,000 in annual income). The rest of the provision is a poorly constructed attempt to provide political cover for this mean spirited move.
Why Society Still Needs Feminism
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Someone linked this on Facebook yesterday, and I thought it was an incisive, compelling piece about why feminism has a long way to go. Go read the whole thing, written by Caitlin O’Donnell of Drake University. Here are some excerpts:
Because to men, a key is a device to open something. For women, it’s a weapon we hold between our fingers when we’re walking alone at night.
[...]
Because last month, my politics professor asked the class if women should have equal representation in the Supreme Court, and only three out of 42 people raised their hands.
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Because it’s assumed that if you are nice to a girl, she owes you sex — therefore, if she turns you down, she’s a bitch who’s put you in the “friend zone.” Sorry, bro, women are not machines you put kindness coins into until sex falls out.
[...]
Because 138 House Republicans voted against the Violence Against Women Act.
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Because a girl was roofied last semester at a local campus bar, and I heard someone say they think she should have been more careful. Being drugged is her fault, not the fault of the person who put drugs in her drink?Because Chris Brown beat Rihanna so badly she was hospitalized, yet he still has fans and bestselling songs and a tattoo of an abused woman on his neck.
[...]
Because feminism is for everybody, and this is your official invitation.
Creating Their Own Enemies
Posted by: | CommentsDid they really think only old white men would hear the dogwhistles?
– David Atkins, Hullabaloo, offering a four-year litany of Republican insults to non-white, non-male Americans
In last week’s election, the 47% spoke.
Matt Taibbi listened to Rush Limbaugh the morning after so you didn’t have to. Limbaugh blathered on about how Republicans might win back the votes of women and minorities, and like most on the right, without “even a hint of self-examination, self-criticism.” Taibbi concludes, “[T]he Rushes of the world are too clueless to realize that it’s their attitude, not their policies, that is screwing them most with minority voters.” By that Taibbi means the relentless sarcasm and condescension towards women, minorities and the poor that Rush’s listeners tune in for each day. That attitude drives his ratings up with conservative white men and drives other voters away. Gosh, wonder why?
Rush: Let’s start our own abortion industry. Let’s go out and get the women’s vote. I just want you to think, would that work?
Friday Open Thread
Posted by: | CommentsBiden Time – With the Presidential race tied in NC and amazing Dem turnout in early voting, Jill and Beau Biden are coming to AVL.
Nathan Ramsey sent out a mailer touting his opposition to marriage equality, and a Ramsey advisor used an anti-gay slur against Ramsey’s opponent.
Buncombe women running for office threw a press conference:
recent communications coming out of the Buncombe County GOP have gone from heated to downright degrading, despicable, and unethical. It is one thing to oppose someone’s policy, it is quite another for an official political organization to release photo-shopped filth and false insinuations of phony scandals through their official Facebook and Twitter pages.
Donate to the Power of 5 campaign today to support these outstanding female candidates! They need one last financial push to get across the finish line.
UNC-Asheville hosted a Food Day event on Wednesday that was packed! I had the opportunity to appear as a panelist.
I voted six days ago, and I’ve been wearing an I Voted Early sticker every day.
The Pumpkin Pedaller is Saturday. Come ride the city with us.
What’s happening with y’all?
Step Up For Jane Whilden
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Jane Whilden is a candidate who’s running to represent all of the district’s voters. She believes in funding public education, standing up for womens’ rights, protecting our clean air and water, and working together with people. This is in stark contrast to the divisive incumbent, who has demonstrated an active disdain for collaboration and a willingness to underfund education, second guess womens’ choices, and hack away at environmental protections.
With under 50 days to go until the final day of voting, Jane needs your help if she’s going to unseat the incumbent. Hers is a grassroots campaign. Tim Moffitt’s outsider interests are bankrolling tv ads among other things. Mull that over.
Jane’s asking for your help, and it’s time we all stepped up to do our part. From an email:
Dear Friends,We knew the day would come where Moffitt’s massive funding from outside interests would pay off… Spending sprees on TV ads and misleading mailers from my opponent are just the beginning, but with your help we are ready to fight back!
I need your help to stop this bully – and I need your help today. Opportunities this week:
Phone-banking this Thursday;
Canvassing on Saturday;
Invite your friends to visit my website and subscribe to my Facebook page
Host a meet-and-greet;
Contact the campaign if you can put up a Jane Whilden sign on your property.
DNC2012: Women’s Caucus
Posted by: | CommentsIt started out slowly and built into a revival meeting. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar took the podium and delivered a barn-burner speech about where the women’s movement has been, what has been accomplished under the Obama administration, and how women’s rights are under assault from the right.
Donna Brazile followed with a tent-revival speech, bouncing up and down, hands in the air.
DNC chair, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20), explained the impact breast cancer had on her life, and what access to affordable health care means, not just for her, but for her daughters who now know, as she explained, that they “have the gene.” She urged these party activists to give all they have and then some to ensuring that they have no regrets on November 7.
The media was already packing up when Sandra Fluke took the stage to urge women in the room to take on the fight.
(Apologies for the delay. The Internet crashed at the convention center, and then WordPress after that.)
Do you suffer from Sexually Liberated Uterine Tendencies?
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More effective than the rhythm method!
(Damn, Joel!)
