Shame on me for neglecting my inbox. In just 7 days I have received 9 emails from the Obama campaign, most directed at fundraising. It’s the usual crap, but I am sharing them anyways. 

 
Although they have quite a bit of catching up to do, the Romney campaign seems to be making a valiant effort in the email deluge. Here are the last 6 emails I received over 8 days

 
I am tired of people who wish to argue or debate but cannot make the effort to support their viewpoints with unbiased evidence. They simply regurgitate information that they hear on radio and television or read on the internet and in newspapers without looking for bias and bothering to educate themselves or understand the issues further. The irony is that as we grow up, we make every effort to provide strong, well-substantiated arguments to our parents and others as to why we should be able to do certain things like drive the car. We struggle against their viewpoints so that we may develop our own. But as adults, many of us are simply willing to adopt someone else’s argument as our own rather than expend the energy- either because we don’t have it or we choose not to use it.  

If you want to present a valid argument, you should be able to do two things:

1. Prove that you understand the issue AND
2. Be able to use or apply supporting points/ evidence in ways that go beyond what you read or hear.

Politicians and campaigns are very good at suppressing and manipulating information to serve their purposes. That is where the individual must be responsible for sorting through evidence to come to a fair and objective conclusion. Unfortunately, it is time-consuming and tiring to do so. Sometimes it is downright confusing. Nevertheless, the individual who does not truly understand the issues (beyond reciting information from the media) easily falls victim to logical fallacies and misdirection- a tactic widely used in campaigns. To complicate matters, individuals have a tendency to identify with a person or “team” (ie. democrat, republican), and they then take cues on their positions from someone influential in that team. Some become extremely loyal and refuse to entertain anything outside of that circle. This leads the individual to accept arguments and evidence consistent with the position without being critical and to reject opposing arguments and evidence without understanding them.  Even the wisest individuals are susceptible to this. 

The key is to THINK for yourself. Resist the urge to side with the “team.” Be aware of tricks. Understand and consider the evidence. Come to your own conclusion. In order to do all of this, educate yourself about the claims that anyone makes, no matter what side of the issue. Ask yourself: How much of it is biased? Is there any missing or misdirected information? Question everything and learn as much as possible before coming to a conclusion.

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Image from Haley's Comic by Haley Wolfe http://www.haleyscomic.com/2012/01/race.html
I don’t care which side of the issue you take as long as you can have an educated and passionate discussion that is devoid of insults and epithets. Be reasonable and civil. Prove to me that you can think beyond what others say. Show me that you care enough to understand and know the issues, making the argument your own rather than a recitation of someone else’s talking points. If you can do those things, you may very well bring something new to light that I hadn’t known. You may even succeed in convincing me to consider more or think differently.
 
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I am an American woman, and there is a war being waged against me, at least according to many liberals, feminists, and democrats. According to them I should be outraged that the GOP, and any republican or conservative for that matter, is trying to revoke my rights. So I am left wondering whether or not I should be worried. I mean, after all, are we talking about women in America being subjected to many of the horrors of women in the Middle East such as Sharia Law? Are we in danger of becoming indentured servants to our fathers and husbands, being required to have four male witnesses for rape, or being stoned to death? Now that would be a true war on women, one that I would fight wholeheartedly. 

As usual, I have sought to find a more clear and accurate definition that goes beyond the slogan. According to Karen Teegarden women should, "Watch TV news coverage. Read news stories in your morning paper. The War on Women is a war on reproductive rights. The evidence is clear" (1).  Dave Helfert defines it as, "... what Democrats call an onslaught of legislation in state capitals across the country and in Congress aimed at limiting women's health and family planning services, curtailing women's access to contraceptives and legal abortions, even restricting women's ability to fight employment discrimination" (2). After reading these articles as well as many others, the main conclusion that I can draw is that the "War on Women" is supposedly a war being waged by republicans in controlling women through legislation- the majority of which focuses on contraception and abortion. There are also allegations that republicans are trying to dismantle equal pay laws and stand in the way of violence against women legislation. All of these anti-women measures are surely an attempt to strip American women of their rights and freedoms- rights to access birth control, receive equal pay, and escape from domestic violence.

Wait a minute....can they do that? Is this really what is happening?  

No.

You see, part of the problem in our society, and part of the reason that these types of attacks are so successful, is that many people cannot or do not read between the lines. They hear something and latch on rather than understanding the details and issues. Nothing is ever black and white, but many like to present it as such.

More appropriate would be a title such as the War on Abortion, but you will never hear that because it changes the game. Not all women support all types of abortion.  We are not talking about going back to an age where it is illegal to use birth control or an attack on women's health services. Is it a stripping away of women's access to health services if republicans argue that Planned Parenthood, who does provide abortion, should not receive taxpayer dollars to fund those services? It is a grey area. One side argues that the majority of Planned Parenthood's services are for non-abortion things such as well-woman exams and counseling, and PP does not use federal funds for abortions. The other side argues that cutting off funding from America's largest abortion provider would stop its ability to perform abortions. In my opinion, if Planned Parenthood is such a huge advocate for women's health services, then it could easily find a way to separate tax-payer funded services from abortion- even breaking into two different groups. Maybe they could call it Planned Parenthood and Prevented Parenthood. That would quickly resolve the issue. 
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And what about contraception? I mean, it is clear that republicans and conservatives want American women to be pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen, right? After all, if there is not mandated contraceptive coverage- free contraception that is- then women will not be able to avoid getting pregnant. According to Sandra Fluke, "...[women] have suffered financially and emotionally and medically because of this lack of coverage...contraception can cost a woman over $3,000...Women like her have no choice but to go without contraception...." (3). She said all of this and more in her testimony before Congress. Granted, she was specifically talking about women attending law school at Georgetown University. Yet, she never mentions the availability of free or low-cost options such as Planned Parenthood clinics and Walmart, who offers birth control prescriptions for as low as $9 per month. Maybe those options aren't good enough for the Georgetown crowd or maybe they just don't have access to Walmart. Even so, in the early 90's when I was working for around $5.00 an hour as a fast food manager at McDonalds, I could afford my monthly prescriptions of birth control pills without insurance coverage or government intervention. The argument continues that it is not just about birth control but also about women who need the pills to help with medical problems such as PCOS and endometriosis. However, if you read the PPACA closely, free contraceptive coverage includes ALL US FDA approved methods and sterilization procedures: Male Condom, Female condom, Diaphragm with Spermicide, Sponge with Spermicide, Cervical Cap with Spermicide, Spermicide Alone, Oral Contraceptives (progestin-only) "The Minipill", Combined Oral Contraceptives (Extended/Continuous Use)(estrogen and progestin) "The Pill", Patch (estrogen and progestin), Vaginal Contraceptive Ring (estrogen and progestin), DMPA Shot/Injection (progestin), Emergency Contraceptives “The Morning After Pill”, Copper IUD, IUD with Progestin, Implantable Rod (progestin). The majority of these methods have nothing to do with medical necessity, and some are much more expensive than others. But anyone who pays taxes and insurance premiums will be footing the bill for women to have access to contraception because $9 per month is just too much of a burden to bear to avoid becoming pregnant. It is obvious that republicans, conservatives, and religious organizations are determined to strip all women of control over their reproductive rights by not supporting this legislation- isn't it?

So the war on women's health care access is really a war about the funding of Planned Parenthood and abortion. The war on reproductive rights is really a war on mandated coverage, or free, birth control. 

What about equal pay for women?  The White House and democrats tout statistics that state women earn 77 cents for every dollar that a man earns.  However, many of the articles I have read point out that these numbers are not necessarily accurate as they are based on a broad range of data. There are indications that there is still a gap in pay, but it may not be as large as some purport. Personally, I have never encountered discriminatory pay. I admit that I often feel like I am living on a different planet because my experiences must not be typical considering the issues at hand. Nonetheless, when I was a public high school teacher, my salary was set by the county and published for all to see. My salary was based on my level of education and years of experience. It was the same for my male counterparts, and the only way we received a pay increase was through step (year of teaching), cost of living, or contract negotiation with the union. I find this ironic as some of the articles I read claimed that female teachers earned less than their male counterparts, which leads me to believe that some of the data is definitely misleading or faulty. Or maybe they were just referencing teachers in private institutions. Even though The Equal Pay Act, which clearly prohibits pay discrimination, was enacted in 1963, many claim that it is not enough to fight wage disparity between men and women. A new law has been proposed, the Paycheck Fairness Act, that will supposedly give the original act more strength. The law has not passed the Senate because of those nasty, women-hating republicans. Unfortunately, there are many hidden facets in the PFA that make it excessive and burdensome to business. For example, The EPA already prohibits discrimination, but there are some elements that could be used as loopholes in lawsuits. Supposedly, the PFA remedies this. However, it also would make it extremely difficult for businesses and HR departments to use their professional judgments to make salary offers and pay decisions. It also would make it easier for lawsuits (including class action) against employers with no limit on punitive damages (except for the federal government) and would require businesses to disclose detailed salary information to the government. As with anything, there are obvious pros and cons to the act. Nevertheless, I do not believe that it is a war on women because some republicans and conservatives do not support it. Rather than trying to find a compromise and rewrite the act so that it truly helps women and businesses, it has become a rallying cry for democrats and liberals.

So the war on women's equality in pay is really a war about playing politics for women's votes. 
What about the Violence Against Women Act? Are republicans holding it hostage as another attack on women? The act originated in 1994 and provides assistance to victims of domestic violence. It has been renewed twice before and is up for renewal again. This should be a no-brainer, right? So why is that republicans are holding out? It is not as simple as republicans refusing to support the law. In reality, the original law has had strong support from both sides of the aisle. The real debate involves two different versions, a republican bill that the house passed and an expanded version passed by the senate. The battle is not over the basics in the original law but rather the expanded provisions in the senate version. The new items in the senate version are as follows: "One would subject non-Indian suspects of domestic violence to prosecution before tribal courts for crimes allegedly committed on reservations. Another would expand the number of temporary visas for illegal immigrant victims of domestic violence [from 10,000 to 15,000]. The last would expand Violence Against Women Act protections to gay, bisexual or transgender victims of domestic abuse" (4). There are plenty of arguments for and against the new additions, which I would expect on any piece of legislation. The problem here is not that those nasty, evil, women-hating republicans want to eliminate assistance for victims of domestic violence. It is that they do not all agree with the new provisions that democrats are pushing. So, once again, instead of Congress working together to find compromises in a bill that all can agree upon, they are turning it into a bitter debate. To make matters worse, democrats are using it as another example of the republican war on women.

So the war on stopping violence against women is really a war between political parties over the fine print.

I am deeply offended by the gross rhetoric being spewed forth. The War on Women is nothing more than political propaganda geared at gaining women's support by using misleading phrases. Women such as Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Nancy Pelosi, Sandra Fluke, Andrea Mitchell, Rachel Maddow, and others in the group of liberal women and leftist media infuriate me. They believe they can speak for ALL women. They have no idea what I want or think. Me, the suburban mom who is literate, educated, professional, and American. I don't give two flips about free birth control, funding for Planned Parenthood, more legislation to allow the government to regulate business and encourage litigation, or adding provisions to the VAWA. What I care about is the future of this country- economically. I care about my husband and I having jobs, paying the bills, my children's futures. I care about being able to afford the gasoline that we need to get to our jobs and school while still keeping the lights on and buying groceries. I care about the housing market and how we are so upside down in our mortgage that there is no way we will be able to sell and move for years, even though the jobs we now have require longer commutes, and more gas.  I care about personal freedom being protected and personal responsibility being endorsed. Those are the issues that are important to me, and none of them exist in the supposed War on Women.

My extensive reading list...(yes, I read all of these) 

(1) The War on Women: Why We're Fighting
(2) From the Frontlines of the War on Women
(3) Transcript of testimony by Sandra Fluke
(4) Senate Votes to Reauthorize Domestic Violence ActThe Campaign Against Women
 
Seems the Romney campaign is picking up the pace.

 
This one is just a little too cheesy and informal for my stomach.

 
I found email 19 to be very interesting. It poses the question of Marco Rubio as VP choice, then it asks for people to go to the Obama campaign's website to share "what you think the rest of the country should know about what Rubio's really done in Florida...and why he's be a disaster as next vp." Seems pretty suspicious if they are asking citizens to dig up dirt on Rubio. Makes me wonder if the campaign is having a difficult time finding any on its own. 


 
I received my first email from the Romney campaign, so I was finally able to compare the two campaigns. I would give the Romney Campaign a B and the Obama Campaign a D.
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Obama- Biden






Began receiving emails after signing president's b-day card

17 emails in 2 1/2 weeks

Every email addressed to "Friend"

Almost every email asks directly for a donation. Some of the emails ask for volunteer support.

Some emails provide simple update and unsubscribe links at the bottom. In some one has to read the fine print to find the links. Clicking the unsubscribe button leads to another webpage that states at the top "I’m voting for the President in 2012—I just get too many emails." It has a 4 minute campaign video and allows the individual to either receive fewer emails (in general- no choice of what kind) or stop receiving emails.

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Romney






Received email as a result of "entering" meet VP contest

1 email in 2 weeks

Email addressed to my first name

Clicking on video link leads to a short (30 second) campaign video with a donation page.

Links at the bottom to manage email subscriptions or unsubscribe with one click. Clicking "manage subscriptions" leads to a webpage that allows the individual to select what types of email to receive (endorsements, events, finance, etc...) or unsubscribe from all. 



To read the Romney email, click here.

 
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Panhandling for boobs...
"The 37-year-old single mother and college student, who dons a bikini, sits on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and holds up a sign that reads 'Not homeless. Need boobs,' told the Akron Beacon Journal that she hopes to raise $5,000 for the surgery to 'help improve her self-esteem' " (1)

Breaking into jail isn't easy...
"Hurd allegedly refused multiple orders to leave the property and attempted to climb the fence in front of the deputies, who then arrested her on charges of criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct.

On-duty jail staff members could not remember anyone attempting to climb the fence into the jail, but deputies set a precedent Sunday that anyone who tries to trespass into the jail might succeed -- with some help." (2)

So what is the blue-book value for a newborn...
"Kaminksy was wanted for trading her newborn son for a 1999 Dodge Dakota pickup truck shortly after his birth in January, officials said.

Investigators said she then sold the truck for $800 and methamphetamine." (3)


Looking to put a little spice back into the relationship?....
"Talk about hot and bothered. A Kansas couple is accused of stealing lubricant from a local Walmart and fondling each other in front of fellow shoppers." (4)

Sorry precious, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings...
A 7-Eleven customer angry that the clerk called him "honey" reached over the counter and punched her in the face, Connecticut police said Wednesday." (5)

Stupid People This section is dedicated to the stupidity of people everywhere.  



 
This one is not a solicitation for money but rather one for volunteering for the campaign. Interesting considering I never signed up for information or expressed any interest in volunteering.


    Me

    Who am I? Just an average woman living an average life. There are many labels I would use to define myself: mom, wife, daughter, student, educator, American, etc. I have no professional experience nor am I claiming to be a writer. Sometimes I am brushing up on some skills I will need when I return to academia, and sometimes I am just sharing or venting.  



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