Why I’m a bread and butter voter
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote this in the Guardian: “For American women now, money is the ultimate women’s issue. Not choice.”
“The way Washington, DC non-profit organisations, political campaigns and especially the media package the interests of women voters is a case in micro-inequities, those little acts of discrimination and stereotyping that add up to a lot. It’s years of campaigns telling us that single women don’t vote much, and when they do, they care only about sexual politics, education and kid issues (in reality, they don’t even make the top five). It’s the incomprehensible recasting of the 2008 Hillary Clinton campaign as being about gender dynamics, when in fact she spent of most of her time talking about the economy.
Women control 84 cents of every household dollar spent, and we earn about 43% of a two-partner household income. Which makes us anxious. Which means that many of us will vote on the economy in November. But we will vote on our economy – responsible governance and helpful public policy that allows us to do what we want and need to do: work. I feel it’s safe to say most women would pay higher taxes for a more effective government. We won’t pay to support interest payments on the Iraq war. Women are traditionally more open to an active government, and we believe government can do good, according to a 2004 Women’s Voices, Women’s Vote poll.”
If the candidates want to win women’s votes, they need to address women’s economic concerns in a meaningful and consistent way.”
I miss Hillary Clinton’s economic voice in this presidential race. I don’t want McCain to run away with economy voters just because he sounds more in touch on the economy. And so I read this article from the AP on Obama’s tour through Virginia today with great interest (and AP, I hope I am within your character limit when quoting):
Obama said it was wrong that the Iraqi government has been sitting on billions of dollars in oil revenue while the U.S. spends billions to rebuild the country.
“We should be using some of that money to rebuild Virginia, laying roads, building broadband lines and putting people back to work,” Obama said.
“If you give me that opportunity, if you give me that chance, I will fight for you every single day,” he pledged. “I’ll wake up every day in that White House thinking about those people in Martinsville.”
I believe women voters see through McCain’s posturing on economic policy, despite some Republican memes that Obama has “declared war on highly motivated working women.” This is code for GOP claims that since Obama will raise taxes on very high-earners, the women among them will just “choose to stay home” instead of earning (especially when you figure in child care costs- well here’s an idea- let’s make child care more affordable and supported in this country!). This is specious in the extreme. In fact, McCain fares worse among women than any presidential candidate since Bob Dole in 1996. In the August 13 Pew Poll, Obama holds a 51-38 lead among women over McCain.
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About Me
Morra Aarons-Mele utilizes social media strategies to help employers, employees and communities connect. She also consults with leading organizations on how women can use the internet for professional and personal development. In her spare time, Morra enjoys blogging about women and politics. Read her full bio >>
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