WOMEN, the long seige is over....

[BlancheSplanchnik]

well, the armies of the right are still massed against us, but the Obama administration knows we matter! I feel a great surge of relief....

here are snips from www.WHITEHOUSE.gov

WOMEN

"From the first moment a woman dared to speak that hope -- dared to believe that the American Dream was meant for her too -- ordinary women have taken on extraordinary odds to give their daughters the chance for something else; for a life more equal, more free, and filled with more opportunity than they ever had. In so many ways we have succeeded, but in so many areas we have much work left to do."

-- Barack Obama, Speech in Washington, DC
November 10, 2005

President Obama has a long record of standing up for women. In Illinois, he passed the Equal Pay Act to give 330,000 more women protection from pay discrimination and passed another law that ensured victims of domestic violence could seek treatment without losing their jobs. In the U.S. Senate, he introduced and sponsored legislation to reduce unintended teen pregnancy, strengthen families by supporting fathers who are doing the right thing and cracking down on those who are not, guarantee workers paid sick leave, and ensure that women are not receiving less pay than men for comparable work. And throughout his career, in the Illinois Senate, the U.S. Senate, and the White House, Obama has stood up for a woman’s right to choose.

Health Care

* Fixing the Nation's Health Care System: More than 19 million women are uninsured in this country, and women are more likely than men to delay or not get medical care because of high costs. President Obama and Vice President Biden are committed to ensuring that all Americans have health care coverage by the end of their first term in office.

Health Care

* Fixing the Nation's Health Care System: More than 19 million women are uninsured in this country, and women are more likely than men to delay or not get medical care because of high costs. President Obama and Vice President Biden are committed to ensuring that all Americans have health care coverage by the end of their first term in office. ....... In the Senate, he introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS.

*Supporting Research into Women's Health: Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, accounting for nearly 39 percent of all female deaths. Studies show that after a first heart attack, women are less likely than men to receive diagnostic, therapeutic, and cardiac rehabilitation procedures, and are more likely to die or have a second heart attack. Women are also more likely than men to report having arthritis, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and depression. Health care disparities among minority and poor women are especially pervasive. Supporting Research into Women's Health: Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, accounting for nearly 39 percent of all female deaths. Studies show that after a first heart attack, women are less likely than men to receive diagnostic, therapeutic, and cardiac rehabilitation procedures, and are more likely to die or have a second heart attack. Women are also more likely than men to report having arthritis, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and depression. Health care disparities among minority and poor women are especially pervasive......

*Fighting Cancer: Ovarian cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States......

Reproductive Choice

* Supports a Woman's Right to Choose: President Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Adminstration. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case.
* Preventing Unintended Pregnancy: President Obama was an original co-sponsor of legislation to expand access to contraception, health information, and preventive services to help reduce unintended pregnancies. Introduced in January 2007, the Prevention First Act will increase funding for family planning and comprehensive sex education that teaches both abstinence and safe sex methods. The Act will also end insurance discrimination against contraception, improve awareness about emergency contraception, and provide compassionate assistance to rape victims.

Preventing Violence Against Women

* Reducing Domestic Violence: One in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Family violence accounted for 11 percent of all violence between 1998 and 2002. As a member of the Senate, President Obama introduced legislation to combat domestic violence .........

*Strengthening Domestic Violence Laws: Approximately 1,400 women a year -- four every day -- die in the United States as a result of domestic violence. And 132,000 women report that they have been victims of a rape or attempted rape, and it is estimated that an even greater number have been raped but do not report it. In the Senate, President Obama co-sponsored and helped reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act,.........

*Fighting Gender Violence Abroad: The genocide in Darfur has had particularly devastating consequences for women. Tens of thousands of women have been killed, raped, and displaced since the conflict began in 2003. President Obama has been a leading voice in Washington urging the end of genocide in Sudan. He worked with Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) on the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act,........

Economic Issues

*Fighting for Pay Equity: Despite decades of progress, women still make only 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. Throughout their careers, President Obama and Vice President Biden have championed the right of women to receive equal pay for equal work. In the Illinois State Senate, President Obama cosponsored and voted for the Illinois Equal Pay Act, which provided 330,000 more women protection from pay discrimination. In the U.S. Senate, Obama joined a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce the Fair Pay Restoration Act, a bill to overturn the Supreme Court's recent 5-4 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company........

*Expanding Paid Sick Days: Today, three-out-of-four low-wage workers have no paid sick leave. It is fundamentally unfair that a single mom playing by the rules can get fired or lose wages because her child gets sick........

*Investing in Women-Owned Small Businesses: Women are majority owners of more than 28 percent of U.S. businesses, but head less than 4 percent of venture-capital-backed firms. Women business owners are more likely than white male business owners to have their loan applications denied. President Obama and Vice President Biden will encourage investing in women-owned businesses, providing more support to women business owners, and reducing discrimination in lending......

-----------------

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

There is more--MUCH MORE...

WOMEN!! When was the last time you felt someone in power cared about your life?

[seabeyond]

1. 8 yrs of the macho male has done a lot of harm. a long way to go. n/t

[BlancheSplanchnik]

4. yes, now you mention it...

I remember the big macho male appeal of commander crotch and how it swept the media!!

see how that worked out.....

[midnight]

2. If life will be better, let's address

the pharmaceuticals, and insurance co. who tell young women they must be immunized for HPV and if they aren't, and they come down with the virus HPV then they"the insurance co." will not cover treatment for the disease? This is just a tiny matter with huge implications. But these practices against women need to end.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

5. didn't know about that part

hmmmm....wow now you've got the gears turning.... mull mull, ponder ponder

I'm thinking how women are so commodified, so targeted in our role as consumers--that we need consumer protections. I mean, yes we all do, but again, as women are so particularly targeted for our pockets, and used for sex appeal, and seen as big profit opportunities for pharma.....seems an array of protections, perhaps such as info clearing houses to provide honest consumer information, etc. would be useful within a wider plan to empower women.

[Strong Atheist]

3. This is all good, but we STILL need the

E.R.A. ...

[BlancheSplanchnik]

6. no argument here..... n/t

[jwirr]

7. We need to secure the Supreme Court. I am hoping that the left leaning

judges who are going to resign do it as soon as possible so we can get our younger judges in. After his performance yesterday I think Roberts should also resign.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

8. I'd rather see the right leaning judges resign.....

:)

[jwirr]

9. Sure but I think that is wishful thinking - they are probably going to

try to hang on for as long as they can just like our judges did waiting until there was a Democrat in the WH.

[Captain Hilts]

11. Hmmm....

FDR: Let's see, I could...add a few justices...
ER: If you'd added just two you might have gotten away with it...

[Orsino]

10. ...although it may be a few more years before we get around to unlocking your cells.

:mad:

[deaniac21]

12. I have tears in my eyes.