Presidential Race: Article on Women's Issues

Presidential Campaign Veers Back To Women's Issues, Mass. Health Law

Topics: Politics, Health Reform

Apr 13, 2012

Obama and Romney campaigns are getting tangled in questions about women's life choices. But at the same time, Democrats are seeking to use the sixth anniversary of Romney's Massachusetts health law signing to remind voters about its similarities to the federal health overhaul.
The Associated Press/Washington Post: The Race: War Fever Over Religion, Women And The High Court Enlivens U.S. Presidential Race
Everywhere you turn in politics a war is raging -- at least of words. Republicans say President Barack Obama is pursuing wars on religion and the Supreme Court. Democrats counter that Republicans are waging a war on women. And now Republicans are accusing Democrats of mounting an offensive against women (4/12).
Los Angeles Times: Larger Women's Issues Loom Over Romney Campaign
While the campaigns tangled this week over ancillary issues like whether Romney was using a fair statistic to describe job losses among women during Obama's presidency, or the stances of several of his female surrogates on controversial issues like transvaginal ultrasounds for women seeking abortions, the more crucial question is what the toll has been of his sometimes harsh rhetoric on issues of concern to moderate women, like budget priorities, immigration and the nation's social safety net (Reston, 4/12).
National Journal: Romney's Successor Ties Him To Health Care Law On Signing Anniversary
On the sixth anniversary of the signing of Massachusetts's health care reform law, Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick did not pass up an opportunity to tie Mitt Romney's name to the controversial measure. Patrick said on Thursday that Romney, who was governor when the law passed, played an important role in its development and should be "proud" of the large coalition of Democratic, labor and business leaders that made the legislation a reality. But more than just signing the bill, Patrick said Romney created one of the law's key tenants: the now-infamous mandate (Vasilogambros, 4/12).
The Hill (Video): Gov. Patrick: Romney's Contribution To Mass. Health Care Law Was 'Individual Mandate'
The Obama team attempted to use the anniversary of Massachusetts' healthcare reform law to link Mitt Romney to President Obama's controversial legislation. Obama's reelection campaign released a three-minute video Thursday portraying Romney as the inspiration behind the president's health care law. And Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) joined MSNBC's "Morning Joe" to tout the success of the state's legislation, which contains an individual mandate provision similar to Obama's national law (Sands, 4/12).
Boston Globe: Obama Campaign Video Accuses Mitt Romney Of Health Care Backtracking On Sixth Anniversary Of Massachusetts Law's Signing
Six years to the day after Mitt Romney signed Massachusetts' health care law, the Obama campaign released a video that serves as a sort of backhanded compliment, chiding the former governor for inconsistent statements about health care reform, even as it praises his work on the state law. The three-minute video features two men who helped craft both Romney's law and Obama's law vouching for similarities between the two and affirming Romney's belief in 2006 that Massachusetts' version could serve as a national model (Borchers, 4/12).
The Hill: Anti-Abortion Rights Groups Rally Behind Romney's Campaign
Two of the nation's leading anti-abortion-rights groups rallied behind Mitt Romney on Thursday following the exit of Rick Santorum from the presidential race. The Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List and the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) both endorsed Romney's candidacy, burnishing the former governor's credentials with conservatives. SBA had previously endorsed Santorum, while the NRLC had taken a wait-and-see approach out of fear of weakening the eventual nominee. Romney supported abortion rights during his 2002 campaign for governor, but has worked to convince Republicans he had a genuine change of heart in 2004 (Pecquet, 4/12).
And one Democrat says passing the health law -- politically, at least -- was probably not worth it --
Roll Call: Kentucky: John Yarmuth Says Health Care Law Probably Wasn't Worth Political Cost
Publicly meditating on the past is not a normal activity for vulnerable Members looking to get re-elected. But from his safe Louisville-based district, Kentucky Rep. John Yarmuth (D) has the luxury of mulling about what could have been. In an interview with Roll Call on Wednesday, the three-term lawmaker was asked whether the Affordable Care Act — which will be a burden to Democrats for the second consecutive cycle — was worth the political cost. "Oh, politically? Politically?" Yarmuth paused for a moment. "Big picture, politically, it probably wasn't worth it. Policy-wise, it was worth it because it's going to move the country dramatically in the right direction," he said. "Even if it were to fail [at the Supreme Court], it's going to move the country dramatically in the right direction" (Miller, 4/12).

Women of the Arab Springs

(CNN) -- Last month, a delegation of members from the U.S. House of Representatives, which I was honored to lead, met with inspiring women of North Africa who are helping to change the world.

In Cairo, Egypt; Tunis, Tunisia; and Tripoli, Libya, we held discussions with women who are committed to ensuring that women have a seat at the table and are able to succeed in this rapidly changing and strategically important region. It is an uphill climb, but there is no better time than the present.

The women we met were outspoken in their belief that the new governments must be truly democratic, and that longstanding biases against full participation by women in their society must be abolished. These women came from many different backgrounds and viewpoints, yet they are aware that while their moment is now, the obstacles are great.

Nancy Pelosi

Some had participated in the massive Arab Spring demonstrations that challenged decades of autocratic rule. Others had studied in the United States and other countries and then returned to build a future where women's voices are equal to those of men. Some are already serving in government but spoke about a need for more women to serve and to lead in forming new democracies in the Middle East.

One message came through clearly in every discussion: They look to the United States as an essential partner in their efforts to build democratic societies.

Women journalists played a crucial role in the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Women are already deeply involved in rebuilding the political and economic systems of their country. Although just 10 of more than 500 members of the new parliament are women, the signal we received is that Egyptian women are committed to expanding their influence and their ranks, and to ensuring that the constitution under development will fully protect the rights of women in Egypt.

Similarly in Tunisia, Deputy Speaker Mehrezia Labidi pledged to lead the effort for women's rights and secular law in her nation. Women already hold 26% of the seats in the Constituent Assembly, which is responsible for drafting Tunisia's Constitution.

The determination of Tunisian women has been demonstrated outside the legislative chambers as well. In the midst of unrest at the University of Manouba, a young woman watched outraged as a zealot tore down her country's flag, and she then courageously climbed the flagpole to restore the flag to its rightful place, winning the plaudits of her countrymen.

Fundamental to opening opportunities to women in public and private life is expanding their access to education. The young women with whom we met in Tripoli were unanimous in their belief that improving the quality of education for all Libyans is essential to the success of their revolution and the modernization of their country, particularly in light of the utter failure of the nation's secondary schools and universities under Moammar Gadhafi.

What I heard from the women of North Africa was a refrain I have also heard in Iraq and Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East: Women and young people are weary of war. They are fed up with leaders who use ideology, religion and war to distract from the real challenges to peace, prosperity and democracy: a lack of education, a failure to provide jobs and economic opportunity, and the subjugation of women. They employed social media such as Facebook and Twitter to circumvent the repression imposed for decades by autocratic regimes and demonstrated astonishing bravery to liberate their countries from tyranny.

They have succeeded in that first phase: Gadhafi, Mubarak and Tunisia's Zine el Abidine Ben Ali are gone. These young women are under no illusions about the challenges they face. They are deeply committed to building democratic societies, and they are looking to us. We cannot fail them.

Leaders throughout North Africa and the Middle East must honor the role women played in freeing their countries: All their citizens -- including women -- have important contributions to make at this historic moment. That is a lesson it has taken the United States many generations to learn, but it is surely one of the most important pieces of wisdom we can share with developing democracies around the world.