A Women's Questionnaire for Democratic Candidates

[niyad]

A Women's Questionnaire for Democratic Candidates
Run Date: 04/18/08
By WeNews Staff

Through the Democratic primaries, women have been divided between supporting Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Women's eNews readers, correspondents and editors submitted questions they'd like to ask the candidates to help decide how to vote.

Obama and Clinton

(WOMENSENEWS)--Women's individual life journeys refract our view of what constitutes "women's issues." As a voting bloc, women will determine who will be the next president. Women usually vote in higher numbers than their male counterparts--in the 2004 election, women were 60 percent of voter turnout--and to date, record numbers of women of all ages have voted in the primaries.

Breadwinners might dwell on the unmet need for high-quality affordable child care. Caregivers might talk about their social contributions being undervalued and having no safety net. Women in every walk of life who are not safe at home might focus on the failure of the legal system to offer better protection.


Power of the Women's Vote Forum, Bryn Mawr College
April 20, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Power of the Women's Vote Forum - Bryn Mawr College, Thomas Great Hall

WVPA is proud to co-sponsor this event. Speakers participating in the forum include: Liz Abzug, Founder of the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute for Disadvantaged Women; Judge Ann Butchart, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; Joanne Epps, Professor of Law, Temple University; Risa Vetri Ferman, District Attorney, Ontgomery County Rita Henley Jensen, Foundation andamp; Editor-in-Chief of Women's eNews; Carol Tracy Executive Director, Women's Law Project; Senator Connie Williams, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and Lynn Yeakel, Chair of Women's Health andamp; Leadership, Drexel University. Refreshments will be provided. Register by contacting [e-mail].

How will such concerns be met by the next president?

That's the big question behind all the following queries from readers, staffers and advocates gathered by Women's eNews.

This Sunday, April 20, two days before the Pennsylvania primary, Women's eNews will co-sponsor a nonpartisan forum on the power of the women's vote at Bryn Mawr College, just outside Philadelphia. Editor in chief Rita Henley Jensen will moderate the discussion among a family court judge, a law professor, a district attorney, a former member of Congress and the head of a women's legal rights organization. Representatives of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are expected to make appearances as well.

. . . . .

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/3567

[guyanakoolaid]

1. Will it be followed by a men's questionnaire?

:eyes:

[niyad]

2. you know, just once, when something like this is posted, I would like to see something other

than snark as a reply to some very serious issues.

[guyanakoolaid]

3. Sorry, there are legitimate women's issues, I've just been beaten down unfairly as a "sexist"

too often for me not to be a little jaded about the women's movement right now.

But I certainly support many of your issues, including affordable day care and equal pay. Good luck.

[niyad]

4. "every issue is a women's issue". I am sorry you have been beaten down

unfairly as sexist (although your reply didn't help you any). I look forward to the day when such discussions will no longer be necessary.

[Texas Hill Country]

15. "Women's Rights are Human Rights"

[LisaM]

7. I'm curious about your remark about "support many of your issues"

Not all? Were there issues raised in the questionnaire that you don't support? I'm actually just trying to seek clarification, not accuse you of anything (at least you bothered to read and respond to the thread, unlike many who seem to be ignoring it).

This was the question that caught my eye:

"As president, would you sign a budget bill that included substantial federal funds for abstinence-only education, although it has been proven to be medically inaccurate?"

When I watched the faith conversation or whatever you want to call it the other night, it caught my attention when Senator Obama (in a question regarding abortion rights) said that we should focus on abstinence education as a means to prevent unwanted pregnancy. That was a huge red flag for me, because it sounds a lot like Bush's policy. The remark glided by the media; no one commented on it.

[guyanakoolaid]

9. OK probably most all

I'm hugely pro-choice, anti-abstinence education, pro-government funded day care

What exactly did Obama say? I doubt he will put abstinence-only very high on his priorities, certainly not as Bush has. He is far too common-sense for that. There is no way Obama will continue Bush's plan of denying health care and AIDS prevention (condoms, for chrissakes) to Africa if the program even counsels about abortion, for instance.

[LisaM]

13. Here is the exact quote.

"And we’ve actually made progress over the last several years in reducing teen pregnancies, for example. And what I have consistently talked about is to take a comprehensive approach where we focus on abstinence, where we are teaching the sacredness of sexuality to our children."

Granted, this was in front of a panel of religious figures, but nevertheless, it caught my ear.

I hadn't heard the "prayerfully" remark. Ye gods.

[guyanakoolaid]

14. I disagree with him about a "focus" on abstinence

if that's what he said. It surely should play a part, there's no denying it is the only way to guarantee no pregnancy or disease. But surely you can't think Obama's not smart enough to include contraception and health-care funding which is pro-choice in his plan?

[LisaM]

16. Of course they are included. He's not Bush!

If you ask me, Bush has a kind of 'hope for the best' philosophy about everything. But I do note that Obama said he wanted to focus on abstinence. I strongly disagree with that approach. Of course, both candidates were walking a tightrope, given the forum they were in. I'm not saying that the questions on choice were easy to answer. But that was his answer.

[niyad]

10. thank you for pointing out that "abstinence education" remark of his. I didn't watch that

faith thing, so I missed that. that, along with his remarks a while back about women "prayerfully" deciding on abortion, are serious red flags for me.

[LisaM]

5. Good luck on that.

And thank you for posting this.

I think when you take a look at those poor women in Texas who have been held in virtual slavery (and this has been well known for years) it should give people pause.

[niyad]

6. indeed. I have been hearing from people that we shouldn't be interfering,

that all these people are happppppy, and we should just leave them alone. I have given up trying to explain.

[guyanakoolaid]

11. Hillary supporters have done a lot of damage to femininism, they are not blameless

for muddying the discourse.

[LisaM]

8. Kick

:kick:

[butterfly77]

12. I believe that once Obama wins ...

the Hillary supporters will begin coming up with every issue under the sun to try to prove that Obama is not strong on women's issues. If they do they will begin to look stupid because of all of the women he has in his life...I know this may sound silly but look at Bittergate,fingergate etc..