Calling All Women….”We Need YOUR Support!” (no.2)
Posted by Michelle Moquin on October 22nd, 2010
Good morning!
I call this title “no.2″ because I used this same title in my write almost two and a half years ago when I needed women to stand up and support women. This was when Madaline first began giving her rants on the stupidity of white women. So…just for fun this morning, I reread my rant to Madaline, and wow, it almost gets me all riled up again.
Anyway, well this time girls I am asking for your support again. Not necessarily just in support of women, although there are definitely some Democratic women candidates to support, and I hope that you will. But in order to support our Democratic candidates, women and men, you must do one simple thing if nothing else, you must vote.
So…I am asking for your support by taking your little booty (or big booty, if you will:) down to the polls this November 2nd and vote. Now how difficult is that? And I don’t want to hear about voter suppression. It is time to woman up. You have the right to vote – do it. Follow Lorri’s lead and go to the polls and vote Democratic. Thanks Lorri!
Let’s not be stupid. And I’m not speaking to just white women, but ALL women, especially Democrat women as we have been informed by Jerome, that the Republicans are really working on the white woman vote in Washington. Meaning the Republicans are counting on their typical brainwashing when it comes to their women standing by their side. Oh, I can just hear them now. By the way I could care less if you are a Republican sitting this one out, and in fact I encourage it: Stay home. Do it.
So getting back to women and voting…I heard on the news last night and I also read on the Huff Po, that women voters, whose usually reliable support appears to have softened. Wha’at?? Women are 51% of the voting population and we’re going soft?! What is going on? C’mon Democrat girls – You have a date on November 2nd, and a no-show is not acceptable.
Dems Get In Touch With Their Feminine Side
Seattle – In a last-ditch effort to prevent electoral disaster, President Barack Obama and Democratic allies are vigorously wooing women voters, whose usually reliable support appears to have softened.
From blunt TV ads to friendlier backyard chats, they’re straining to persuade women that it’s the Democrats who are on their side and it’s in women’s vital interest to turn out and vote in the Nov. 2 elections that could give Republicans control of one or both houses of Congress.
In Seattle on Thursday, Obama told local women and others that “how well women do will help determine how well our families are doing as a whole.” Accompanied by women who own businesses, he spoke in a family’s backyard about the economy’s effects on women and outlined ways he said his policies have helped them.
Later, trying to rekindle the enthusiasm of his presidential race, he all but ordered thousands of cheering supporters at a packed University of Washington arena to get out and vote, even though he’s not on the ballot. Hoarsely shouting over the applause, he said, “If everybody that voted in 2008 shows up in 2010, we will win this election. We will win this election. But you’ve got to come out and vote.”
Campaigning for one of the Democrats’ female senators, Patty Murray, who is in a tight re-election fight, Obama attracted a bigger crowd than the 10,000 who could fit into the arena. The others moved to an overflow area set up in the university’s football stadium, and the president ran through the stadium tunnel onto the field to greet them.
With the elections less than two weeks away and Democrats fearing big losses, candidates, party allies and others are joining Obama in seeking women’s votes by hitting Republican opponents – in ads, mailings and speeches – on issues such as abortion rights. In every corner of the country, they are arguing that the GOP would erase progress American women have made under Democratic control of the White House and Congress.
The latest Associated Press-GfK poll underscores the Democrats’ concern: Women long have leaned toward Democrats but, at a time of great economic unrest, those who are likely to vote now split fairly evenly between the two parties, 49 percent favoring Democrats, 45 percent Republicans. That’s a significant drop from 2006 when Democrats had a double-digit edge. The current margin mirrors 1994, the year of a Republican wave that swept Congress.
Men usually break for Republicans, and they broadly favor the GOP this year, too.
Women could hold the key for Obama and his party as Democrats look to minimize expected widespread losses at all levels of government in a year when, particularly on the Republican side, female candidates top ballots in statewide races in Connecticut, South Carolina, California, New Hampshire, New Mexico and elsewhere.
Hope for the Democrats: A lot of women are undecided, and more than a third who are likely to vote say they could still change their minds before the election.
With that in mind, the White House, Democratic candidates and outside groups are reaching out to female voters.
Making it personal, Obama told the backyard group on Thursday he’s determined to make sure that girls get as good an education as boys, particularly in math and science.
“As a father of two daughters, this is something that I spend a lot of time thinking about,” he said.
He presented two women – Christina Lomasney, a physicist and president of a local metals company, and Jody Hall, who has five cupcake shops in the Seattle area – who praised the government for business help.
Besides the president, first lady Michelle Obama has campaigned on Democrats’ behalf with a particular focus on women. She recently pleaded for their votes during a New York fundraiser that partly benefited the Women’s Leadership Forum. She was flanked by Vice President Joe Biden’s wife, Jill, and actress Sarah Jessica Parker of “Sex and the City.”
Mrs. Obama reminded the crowd that her husband had named two women to the Supreme Court and that the first piece of legislation he signed as president was the Lilly Ledbetter Act to help women achieve equal pay.
Across the country, Democratic candidates and their allies are reaching out to women, mostly by casting their Republican opponents – some of them women as well – as out-of-step with their concerns.
The head of EMILY’s List, Stephanie Schriock, recently warned voters in a speech that a Republican takeover of Congress – and Republican John Boehner as House speaker – would mean “a dangerous world.” The organization, dedicated to electing women who favor abortion rights, had hundreds of female volunteers calling women in California urging them to vote for Sen. Barbara Boxer.
In Nevada, a new ad by the Service Employees International Union assails Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid’s GOP challenger, saying Sharron Angle would force a rape victim who was impregnated to have the baby, and her ideas would hurt women’s ability to get college loans, find jobs and have Social Security.
Elsewhere, Democrats have hammered Republican Ken Buck in Colorado’s Senate race over claims of a woman who says Buck once refused to prosecute a case in which she said she had been raped. In Kentucky’s Senate race, Democrat Jack Conway, trailing his GOP opponent in the polls, has an ad running that asks: “Why did Rand Paul once tie a woman up?” – a reference to an allegation of a college prank. And Washington Sen. Murray is assailing Republican Dino Rossi with an ad that accuses him of wanting to “turn back the clock” on abortion rights.
On Election Day a week from Tuesday, women could make the difference in a couple of dozen extraordinarily close congressional races scattered across the nation, and in a half dozen neck-and-neck Senate contests that could determine whether Republicans rise to power, among them Washington state, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Women also could affect governors’ races from coast to coast, including the biggest prizes of the year in Ohio, California and Florida.
Top Democrats publicly shrug off the notion that women are fleeing the party, but the intense focus by the White House and candidates on this generally reliable constituency shows a concern.
“One of the issues that separates us from the Republican Party is our advocacy on these issues,” said White House senior adviser David Axelrod. “There is a very strong case to be made for the advocacy that we’ve shown and for our belief that getting fair treatment for women, whether it’s in the workplace, in the health care system, in obtaining capital in order to start or expand businesses.”
To promote that position, Obama’s National Economic Council released a report on “Jobs and Economic Security for America’s Women” – detailing small-business loans, child care tax credits and other programs aimed at women – and top aide Valerie Jarrett made the rounds on morning talk shows to promote his policies.
“Strengthening opportunities for women in our economy is a key focus of the presidents economic agenda,” Jarrett wrote the White House blog.
For Democrats, the challenge over the next days is great.
Women are less tuned into the election than men, with just 54 percent of women who are likely to vote saying they have a great deal of interest compared with 67 percent of men, according to the AP-GfK poll.
Still, nearly half of women say they want to see Democrats retain control of Congress, compared with 41 percent who would prefer the GOP. Men are the reverse.
Women likely to vote also are more apt than men to say they trust Democrats more than Republicans – or they trust the two parties the same – on most issues tested, including creating jobs.
And 54 percent of women likely to vote say they’d like to see their own House member re-elected. It’s a good sign for Democrats in a Congress where they outnumber Republicans.
Readers: Comments? Suggestions? Rants? Questions? Blog this BABE.
Dahlia: So…what are you going to do about it?
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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October 22nd, 2010 at 9:16 am
Hi Mischa,
I read Dahlia’s comment and thought her and I probably know some of the same peeps : ) what do you do about it? Well, I received one of those email’s and bc I have been in techno hell over here I didn’t have time to politely rant back so someone else did it, she sent her two about scare tactics and you don’t have to like my politics but check out this site – all very nice – I shot a reply to all saying ‘yes, what she said…’ then I added my amen, cheers and thanks to her for spending the time – but a lot of repugs as well as dems like to call each other names, I’m not into it, we can all just do some fact checking and then vote accordingly. You cannot make people see your light and I hate conversion convos, be it politics or religion, they go nowhere….not really…
Here is my only religious commentary:
‘God…a being whose only definition is that he is beyond man’s power to conceive.’ – Ayn Rand
Caio for now, Luv, Zen Lill
October 22nd, 2010 at 10:25 am
Stop That Car!
William Van Tassel, PhD
American Automobile Association
Tragically, runaway vehicles have been in the news in recent months, as a series of crashes caused by stuck accelerator pedals has led to several deaths in the US and to the recall of millions of vehicles.
Runaway vehicles are relatively rare, but they are possible with any vehicle make and model. They may occur because parts fail or wear out, especially if vehicles are not properly maintained.
If you find yourself behind the wheel of a runaway car, you must act quickly and wisely to avoid a crash. The two most common reactions are to immediately slam on the brakes or repeatedly pump the brakes, but these measures could be ineffective or even detrimental.
The proper response to a runaway vehicle depends on why the vehicle has gone out of control.
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION
Your foot is off the accelerator, yet your speed continues to climb. You hear the engine working harder and feel pushed back into your seat.
1. Shift into neutral. This is easy to accomplish with a manual transmission, but it might be a little tricky with certain automatic transmissions. All automatic transmissions allow drivers to shift from drive to neutral while moving (and you don’t need to depress the brake as you do this). But some automatic transmission shift mechanisms have “gates,” or grooves in the gearshift box designed to help drivers access special transmission modes, such as upshifting and downshifting. Unfortunately, these gates can make it more challenging to locate neutral in an emergency. If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, practice shifting into neutral with the car parked and running so that you’ll be familiar with how it feels in an emergency.
Shifting to neutral disengages the engine from the transmission, preventing further acceleration, but does not slow the engine itself. Even with the car in neutral, you likely will continue to hear the engine revving.
Warning: Some news reports have suggested turning the key in the ignition of a runaway vehicle to the “off” position if finding neutral proves difficult.
(Note that this is not an option in vehicles equipped with keyless start/stop systems.)Do this only as a last resort and only after several attempts to shift into neutral have failed.
Turning the ignition off will rob most vehicles of their power steering and much of their braking power.
Under no circumstances should you ever remove the key from the ignition while the vehicle is in motion, because this locks the steering wheel.
2. Step on the brake pedal as hard as you can. Do this while you are putting the car into neutral — or as soon as you can after putting the car into neutral.
Put all of your weight into it, and keep your weight on the brake. The braking systems of modern vehicles depend on a vacuum created by the engine to generate much of their stopping power.
This vacuum largely disappears when the accelerator is stuck and the engine is revving, which means extra force may be required from the driver.
Do not pump the brakes. Pumping will not enable you to build up the vacuum you need to slow the car.
3. If the first two steps bring no signs of slowing the vehicle, try to work your toe under the accelerator pedal and lift it up.
4. If you are unable to stop the car after trying the first three steps and are faced with a dangerous situation (such as heavy traffic or a busy intersection), gently guide the side of your vehicle up against a guardrail or other barrier that runs along the side of the road.
The friction should slow down your vehicle. Your car will sustain considerable damage, but that’s better than plowing headlong into something at full speed.
Many people ask about using the parking brake (once commonly known as the emergency brake).
It is not recommended in this situation, because this brake is weaker and more difficult to control than a standard braking system.
5. No matter what method stopped your vehicle, do not attempt to drive it afterward. Turn off the ignition, then call a tow truck.
BRAKE FAILURE
You step on the brakes, but your vehicle does not slow or slows less rapidly than usual… and the resistance of the brake pedal feels either much harder or softer than normal under your foot.
Brake failure typically is caused by either a hydraulic fluid leak in the brake line or by badly worn brake pads.
(If your vehicle has been recalled because of brake failure problems, check to see whether brake failure instructions have been issued for your specific vehicle.)
1. Tap the brakes a few times. In the case of brake failure, tapping the brake pedal could build up any hydraulic pressure that remains in the vehicle’s hydraulic line, increasing the brakes’ stopping power.
Even drivers with vehicles that have antilock brakes should tap a few times.
2. Engage the parking brake as slowly and gently as circumstances permit. If tapping the brakes does not bring the vehicle to a halt, the parking brake is your best bet.
Engaging this brake slowly reduces the odds that the vehicle will go into a difficult-to-control skid.
If you don’t engage your parking brake often, practice reaching for it while the car is parked so that you can familiarize yourself with its position.
3. If it appears that you won’t be able to stop before colliding with another car or running off the road in a curve, gently guide the side of your car up against a guardrail or other barrier that runs along the side of the roadway.
4. Attempt to coast to a stop on the shoulder or some other safe spot. Then call a tow truck.
TIRE BLOW-OUT
You feel a jolt and hear a loud noise … and instantly your vehicle becomes difficult to handle. This often indicates that a tire has blown out.
1. Grip the steering wheel firmly with both hands. It usually will take some effort to keep your car in its lane.
2. Lift your foot off the gas. Resist the urge to brake unless you are in a situation where you absolutely must stop quickly.
If a tire has blown out, braking is likely to make your vehicle very difficult to control. It could even put the vehicle into a dangerous skid.
3. Gently apply the brakes only when you think you have the vehicle largely back under control, when there is no longer a sensation of skidding or zigzagging.
4. Guide the vehicle onto the shoulder or some other safe spot, then change the tire or call for help.
HEADLIGHT FAILURE
You’re driving at night when suddenly everything goes dark. Headlight failure could be caused by an electrical problem or simply a burned-out bulb.
1. Turn on your high beams. The high beams usually are on a different circuit than the regular headlights and may work even when the regular ones fail.
2. Turn on your parking and/or hazard lights (which are on a different circuit than the headlights in most vehicles).
If the high beams don’t work, the parking and hazard lights can provide at least enough illumination for you to see the road immediately ahead and to help other drivers see you.
3. Slow your vehicle and come to a stop in a safe spot, such as the shoulder, as soon as possible. Turn on your hazard lights (if they are not already on), then turn off the ignition and call for help.
Personal interviewed William Van Tassel, PhD, manager of driver training operations at AAA’s national office in Heathrow, Florida. http://www.AAA.com.
He is a member of the Transportation Research Board’s Committee on Operative Regulation and Education and a sports car racer with the Sports Car Club of America.
October 22nd, 2010 at 10:32 am
With time, women gainweight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room,
it distributes out to the rest of our bodies.
So we aren’t heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.
Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think.
Good grief, look how smart I am!
Must be where the term ‘Smart Ass’came from!
October 24th, 2010 at 6:26 am
Why It Pays to Use Your Credit Card
Curtis Arnold
US Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc.
It is not always best to pay in cash. Putting a purchase on a credit card may help you if a service dispute arises, because the Fair Credit Billing Act allows consumers to dispute card-billing problems.
This includes items that arrive damaged… items that are never delivered… overbilling… double billing… and phantom or fraudulent charges.
For the quickest, fairest resolution when you dispute a credit card charge…
GET DETAILS IN WRITING
Insist on getting documentation from the merchant if an item is going to be delivered to you… or promises are made about an item’s condition or quality.
Ask for written confirmation at the time of purchase stating when the item will be delivered… when the services will be provided… what services will be provided (in detail)… and what condition any items purchased will be in.
Save your receipts. These could help resolve your claim. True, your card statement should document the transaction, but receipts often include additional details, such as the formal name and contact information for the company, that can make all the difference in a dispute.
COMPLAIN TO THE MERCHANT
Your credit card issuer will not investigate your disputed charge unless you can show that you already have made a “good faith effort” to work out the problem with the merchant.
If possible, make a face-to-face visit and take any defective merchandise back to the store from which you bought it. If you talk in person or on the telephone, keep a detailed record of each conversation that includes times, dates, names and any promises made to you… or explanations of why your request for a refund is being denied.
CONTACT THE CARD ISSUER NEXT
Call the customer service number on the back of your credit card, and tell the phone rep that you wish to dispute a charge.
Explain that you already tried to get the merchant to resolve the problem and that you want payment withheld if it hasn’t been made already.
By law, card issuers are required to investigate only disputes of $50 or more and only those that took place within the buyer’s home state or 100 miles of his/her home — but in practice, especially in the case of outright fraud, card issuers rarely invoke the distance requirement and sometimes they try to resolve disputes on charges that are below $50 as well.
If you buy online or by phone: That purchase is considered to have been made at home.
Card issuers often let customers file disputes over the phone — particularly when the dispute involves unauthorized use of a credit card — but in some cases, you will be sent a form and asked to file your claim in writing.
(Many card issuers also let customers file claims online. Ask the phone rep how to do this.) Disputes typically must be filed within 60 days of receiving the bill.
Exception: There is no time limit for filing disputes over unauthorized use of a credit card.
The issuer must respond to your claim within 90 days or two billing cycles, whichever comes first. Until the matter is resolved, you won’t have to pay the amount in dispute — and you won’t accrue any interest. However, if your claim ends up being denied, the issuer can charge you interest going back to the date you filed the claim.
If you’re unhappy with the dispute’s outcome, your best bet is to file a complaint with your state attorney general, the Better Business Bureau and/or the Federal Trade Commission.
Personal interviewed Curtis Arnold, founder and CEO of US Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc., based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The company educates consumers about credit cards, and its Web site, CardRatings.com, features consumer reviews of credit cards. Arnold is author of How You Can Profit from Credit Cards (FT Press).
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