The Rachel Maddow Show - Where that whole 'war on women' idea came from

[Galraedia]

[Tx4obama]

1. K&R n/t

[ffr]

2. a n d soooo 40% of women in swing states are voting against their own best interests.

Yup. That about sums up the people I know who are Reps.

What does it take to break through to these people!!!?

[Skittles]

3. "Mainstream Media" = everything but FOX NEWS

[Mc Mike]

4. +1 Thanks. Nt.

[malthaussen]

5. Tactically unsound

The entire segment refers to anti-abortion legislation, and makes this equivalent to a "war on women." This is handing the opposing argument straight to the Republicans: it's not a "war on women," but a "war against abortion." "We're fighting to save unborn lives," is the meme they could use -- and are using.

The WoW comprises many more elements besides the war on abortion. By limiting her comment to the latter, I think Miss Maddow weakens her argument.

-- Mal

[fasttense]

6. RepubliCONS will say what ever they want to say.

But it does NOT mean their meme will win out. A war against abortion really? Then why restrict birth control? Why cut funding for breast cancer screening? Why prevent teenage girls from learning about contraceptives? Why prevent women from getting health insurance for their female bodies?

A war against a perfectly legal, perfectly safe, perfectly doable medical procedure for women is an attack on women. Let them scream about unborn fetuses and spilled sperm, so what? They have been screaming this stuff for decades. But it fools no one except brain washed Fox viewers. Those fetuses will never ever get born if not for a woman. It's not like women are going around hunting down wild fetuses and killing them. Those little globs of cells are attached to a woman. RepubliCONS seem to forget that women are the other half of the fetus growing. So when you restrict a perfectly normal procedure because some wild eyed murdering zombie religious nut claims it might just one day be a baby, it is an attack on women.

[malthaussen]

7. I don't dispute the war on women

I say that Miss Maddow's argument is weak. You, apparently, are saying that it's fine, since she is just preaching to the converted. Those who agree with her do not need her argument; those who disagree will not be listening. Thus, all that is left is the excluded middle -- and I do not believe that by handing the counter-argument ready-made to the Republicans, her spot is tactically sound.

-- Mal

[fasttense]

13. No I say Rachel's arguments is stronger than the RepubliCON arguments you used.

So "war on abortion", "saving fetuses" is a more cogent and intelligent meme than stopping the war on women?

I disagree. Only the crazy wing of the RepubliCON party that goes around murdering doctors buys into that meme of saving fetuses that you seem to think is such a powerful argument.

The middle is more likely to want to stop a war on women than they are likely to want to take up a war against a medical procedure that murderers of doctors are so rabid about.

[malthaussen]

14. You really should stop this putting of words into someone else's mouth.

It's unsanitary. As to your first point, I didn't make those arguments, but I'll answer for the nonce: "war on abortion" and "saving fetuses" are not more cogent and intelligent memes, they are more emotional ones. Therein lies their power.

If legislation and elections were the result of intelligent discourse, then Arizona wouldn't be declaring that life begins two weeks before conception, now would they?

A further reason why Miss Maddow's spot is not well-written is that she avoided a valuable teaching moment. When presenting her laundry list of recent anti-abortion legislation, she mentioned Governor Brewer de-funding Planned Parenthood, but did not take the opportunity to remind her viewers that abortion provision is only 3% of PP's work. The result? Taken in context, it reinforces the Republican meme that PP is all about abortion.

-- Mal

[Galraedia]

8. It's anti-women's health legislation.

Republicans have tried to defund Planned Parenthood, which provides health services for women; Republicans have tried to prevent women from having access to the birth control pill, which has many other medical uses outside of contraception such as treating ovarian cysts; and Republicans in Kansas have introduced a bill to require doctors to lie to their female patients.

Abortion itself is a women's health issue both mentally and physically. It is an issue that should be left between a woman and her doctor and not between a woman's doctor and state legislator.

[malthaussen]

9. All of these points are true, none of them is made in this segment

Last edited Tue May 15, 2012, 12:31 PM - Edit history (1)

Nowhere do I claim there is no war on women, nowhere do I claim that anti-abortion is not part of it. My comment is limited to a critique of this specific spot, and does not stray into larger concerns.

-- Mal

[duhneece]

10. Reasoned, rational responses.

I admire the tone to your responses as well as the information you shared. Honestly, I want to respond that way more often & I want to critique more honestly. You gave me a 'star' to shoot for. Thanks.

[malthaussen]

11. It is good of you to say so.

Remind yourself: courtesy is not dead unless we make it so ourselves.

-- Mal

[duhneece]

12. I'll put it on post-its, memorize & hopefully remember in time

Eventually, I will get better. Again, thanks.