President Obama, by the conventional wisdom, ought to be vulnerable this November. The economy is getting better, but more slowly than almost everyone had hoped. While we have left Iraq, our forces remain in Afghanistan and developments there seem to get messier and more complicated all the time. The deficit remains high and most of the Bush tax policy is still in place. Gas prices have been going up. None of these goings on are particularly advantageous for an incumbent seeking a second term. Never mind that all of these problems either began on his opponents' watch or have been made worse by their obstruction during his tenure. The top dog tends to suffer the blame when things are not going as folks would wish.
So as if to make the point that they really don't want to win this year, the Republicans have chosen this time to try to infuriate women on health issues. The Republican House doesn't want contraception to be covered in health plans even when insurance companies offer to provide it for free. Their Presidential candidates want to end Planned Parenthood entirely, even though hundreds of thousands depend on it for regular checkups. The GOP legislature and governor of Arizona want women to have to prove that if they are taking birth control pills it is not for contraceptive purposes. Otherwise their employer would be able to fire them. The GOP legislature of Virginia passed a provision mandating vaginally invasive procedures for women considering abortions. Republican governments in Texas and Pennsylvania similarly want to get out the shaming sticks to try to control women's behavior. Republican chairmen hold congressional hearings on women's health and bar any women from testifying. When a woman complained about this Rush Limbaugh called her a "slut" and a "prostitute." Without commenting on the sentiment behind them, the Republican presidential front runner said only that he "would not have chosen those words."
In 2008 women supported Obama over McCain by 13 points--56% to 43% while men only preferred Obama by 1%--49% to 48% (source). Instead of working to improve on that deficiency, Republicans seem intent on exacerbating it. A Washington Post survey now shows Democrats with a 25-point lead in "caring about issues that are important to women." There are various explanatory theories for the current Republican thrust. The motive could be to respond to the zeal of the conservative fundamentalist wing of their Party. It might spring from an irresistible streak of innate sexism they can no longer discipline themselves to suppress. It has even been suggested it could be some sort of political death wish by which they are intent on permanently alienating the 53% of the electorate that is female. It's not as though much male support is engendered by these positions. The Post poll shows the requirement to include contraception in health insurance is supported by all respondents 61% to 33%, nearly two to one.
Whatever the intent, Republicans have resurrected issues thought settled for 50 years that enjoy overwhelming public support. (They also look to be writing off the Hispanic vote. A Fox poll released last week shows Obama beating Romney 70% to 14% among Latinos.) If a drastic course correction is not made soon, the approach bears all the signs of political suicide.
To sign Senator Dianne Feinstein's petition against these regressive attitudes and policies click here.
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