Archive for the 'Political Powwow' Category

Flap Your Lips Friday

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 19th July 2013

Good morning!

I am home and ready to get back to blogging. I enjoyed myself immensely and…I have missed being here with all of you. Although I have to admit, not posting daily was a nice break and one that I most certainly needed, not just from the blog but from my normal daily life. However, I am fully rested and rejuvenated, inspired, and exhilarated, and ready to begin again.

For those of you curious to where I was, and I see that many of you were, I was in Italy and around Europe (places that are best not to be disclosed). Thanks to those of you, who saw me or even thought you saw me, for not disclosing my whereabouts. I am grateful that you honored my anonymity.

As much as I want to just dive in, and get back into my routine, I have to admit that although I did what was needed to get back into this time zone, I am not quite here yet. So please be patient with me.

First of all, thanks to all of you for sending anniversary wishes, and congratulatory sentiments! It has been a long ride – 6 years – one that I never thought would last this long. But without all of you, I would not be here, so a huge thanks goes to all my dedicated and loyal readers, and yes even the newbies – you know who you are. I HOPE you’ll all be here with me as long as I continue.

Onto today’s blog…

I found this write on Think Progress. It backs up what I heard on the news this morning. If the media would stop focusing on the problems in Washington and focus on what good Obamacare is doing for all, we would all learn that health premiums are due to drop fifty percent (!) as a result of the Affordable Care Act, not to mention a lot more about the good the ACA is bringing to millions of Americans.

I don’t know about you, but that certainly makes me happy. It even makes some republicans happy, but of course, you won’t hear them giving kudos to Obama – all they seem to want to do is make noise about wanting to repeal it. I think it is time they shut their traps and be grateful for what they will surely benefit from – don’t you?

Here’s the write:

Most Media Coverage Ignores Premium Drop, Focuses On GOP Effort To Undermine Obamacare

Early on Wednesday, as House Republicans prepared to vote for adelay of the Affordable Care Act’s employer and individual mandates, New York state officials announced that health care premiums in the new exchange will plummet by at least 50 percent as a result of the law.

For reform advocates, the story represented a reprieve from the constant drum beat of media coverage about implementation delays, predictions of rate shock, and employers dropping coverage. But a ThinkProgress analysis of television reports about the health care law for Wednesday, July 18th, confirms that even with good news to report, bookers and segment producers are still far more interested in broadcasting stories about the political brinkmanship in Washington, DC than the actual, tangible progress of implementation. New York joined Oregon, Montana, California, and Louisiana in reporting lower than expected rates in the law’s new health care marketplaces.

ThinkProgress’ review of all national and local news segments containing the term “Obamacare” from 9:00 A.M. on Wednesday to 11:00 P.M., found that Americans were far more likely to hear about the GOP’s 38th and 39th efforts to legislatively slow down the law — bills that the Senate has pledged not to take-up and President Obama said he would not sign — that learn about lower insurance rates for New Yorkers. Of the 147 segments identified by media program Critical Mention to include “Obamacare,” almost all or 120 mentioned the House vote, while just 71 — or less than half — discussed the lower premium rates:

The results signal that administration officials will have an uphill battle spreading the word about the law and its implementation and will have to to break through the clutter of negative news and the millions in negative advertising to convince Americans to enroll.

As it already stands, 40 percent of Americans don’t know whether the Affordable Care Act is actually law, and for that, the media may be at least partly to blame.

ThinkProgress intern Joseph Diebold conducted the research for this post.

*******

Readers: Thoughts? What’s on your mind? Blog me.

Demarco: I wanted to single your comment out because your mother leaving your father was such a big deal. I HOPE that your mother is enjoying her new life. Big hugs to her.

Eveleen: I know exactly who you are referring to and I know your mother. I would just like to know if you have you discussed this with her. It gives me an idea of the maturity of thought that went into your decision. Please get back to me and let me know what she said. Love to you.

Tabasum: To hear you say those words brings a smile to my face. I think it is the first time I have heard an arab woman say that being an arabic woman today is exciting. My biggest wish is for freedom for all women around the globe. Thank you too for the kind words. Sending my love.

Nathan: When I am on the dance floor with my “posse” it is a bit intimidating to break in. :) However, I enjoy dancing with anyone who likes to get down on the dance floor like I do, as long as they are a gentleman abut it. Please do ask the next time you are there.

Rick: You were perfectly clear. Nothing more needs to be said.

Lea: I watched that video – thanks for the beauty and the beach. I do LOVE hanging at the beach and I promise Guam is on my list to visit. Who can miss an opportunity to spend time with the Girlz of Guam? Love the way that sounds. Hafa adai.

As good as this feel to write again, I have go to go now. Yes, this girl is back to work. Happy Friday everyone!

Peace & Love…it feels good to be back.

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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Thank you for your loyal support!

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Posted in Health & Well Being, Political Powwow | 20 Comments »

Wonderful Women Of The World*

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 22nd June 2013

Good morning!

Here is an update on the female teacher who was fired from her job because of her abusive husband. Little did I know that in all but 6 states you can be fired from your job for being a victim of domestic violence. And shockingly California is not one of the 6 states.

Isn’t that crazy? Really…we need to be so much more involved when we punch that ticket at the voting booth. Just who are the representatives that passed this sort of bill? I have no idea, but I can tell you that the only party that is fighting to bar employment discrimination and protect employment rights of victims who have survived domestic violence, etc., are…guess who? The Democrats. No surprise there that the repubs aren’t supporting women.

Thank you to *WWOW, Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA-40) for getting something going in California. Jackson introduced SB 400, a bill to protect the employment rights of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. And Roybal-Allard, introduced H.R.1229 – Security and Financial Empowerment Act.

Let’s HOPE these pass (write to them if you care about this), and more Senators from other states will join in and introduce similar bills.

Here’s the write:

In All But Six States, You Can Be Fired For Being A Victim Of Domestic Violence

By Bryce Covert on Jun 20, 2013 at 5:00 pm

Last week, Carie Charlesworth, a teacher in California and a victim of domestic violence, was fired from her job because her abusive husband invaded the school parking lot and put the school on lockdown. While her abuser was sent to prison, she was also punished for his crime by losing her employment.

The school’s action -– firing her because she is a victim of domestic abuse –- is sadly legal in most states. Just six, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island, have laws on the books that bar employment discrimination against victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault, according to an up-to-date document tracking these laws from Legal Momentum. State Senators in California introduced a non-discrimination bill in February, which has been referred to committee.

Illinois and Hawaii, as well as New York City and Westchester County, go further to mandate that employers offer victims reasonable accommodations so that they can stay at work: “things like allowing you to change your work telephone number or changing a shift so someone can’t stalk you and find you,” Michelle Caiola, a senior staff attorney at Legal Momentum, told ThinkProgress. Fourteen states protect victims who need to take time off of work to go to counseling, court, or seek medical attention due to their abuse.

For their part, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that only about 15 percent of employers have a workplace policy that specifically addresses domestic violence.

The laws are sparse, but the abuse at work is not. One study found that nearly three-quarters of abused women were harassed by their partner while at work. Homicide is a leading cause of workplace deaths for women, second only to roadway incidents.

But discrimination like the kind that Charlesworth experienced can lead victims to shy away from reporting. Of the 4 million workplace crimes committed against women from 1993-1990, less than half were reported to the police.

The loss of a job thanks to abuse can end up cutting off a lifeline to end that abuse. Three-quarters of women report staying with their abuser longer because of economic reasons. “We know that economic abuse is frequent in these situations, and abusers often try to get the victim fired in order to increase her financial dependency on him,” Kim Gandy, president and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, told ThinkProgress. By showing up at a partner’s workplace, in many states an abuser can put her job at risk, potentially driving her back into his arms.

Beyond the patchwork of state laws, “there is no real protection at the federal level for this,” Caiola said, although bills to provide employment protection are introduced “in every session.” In fact, the Security and Financial Empowerment Act was introduced in the house on March 15, which would bar employers from discriminating against domestic violence or sexual assault victims. The bill has been referred to committee and doesn’t have a vote scheduled.

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Readers: What are you thinking? Blog me.

Social Butterfly: Your comment made me laugh, because I have noticed the same thing with comments in past articles I have posted.

Peace out.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Posted in Health & Well Being, Human Rights and Equality, Political Powwow | 1 Comment »

Senate Makes Major Move on Immigration Reform

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 19th June 2013

Good morning!

Yes, I’ve been watching the news and hearing all about this waste-of-a-time-far-reaching-anti-abortion-bill that the repubs are so focused on when it has been said that it will no way pass the Senate and Obama will veto it. Do we women need to be concerned? I don’t think so but one never knows. The politics are pretty crazy lately.

There are so many important things to be concerned about – legislation that needs their time…jobs…immigration…and as usual the sick repubs just can’t seem to keep their business out of our vaginas, with so much time spent trying limit our rights and freedoms. These are same repubs that claim to defend the constitution, yet they want to take away our constitutional right to choose.

And did you hear what Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) said on Monday? He stated that abortion should be banned as early as 15 weeks after conception because he has witnessed male fetuses masturbate at that stage.

OMG, if you didn’t think that men (s0me, not all) only cared about themselves and their sexual needs and self-preservation, this is a perfect example for you to take notice and go “hmmm.” If it wasn’t a crazy and true statement made by someone that represents a part of our country – Texas (ahh..that makes sense)…someone who was voted in by the people (of Texas), it would be funny.

Let’s not forget this when the mid-term elections roll around again in 2014. If Burgess is up for re-election, vote the man out, with all of the rest who are trying to take away our rights and freedoms.

I’m not going to give them any more time this morning – I’ve given it enough.

Let’s focus on something important…something that deserves time. How about “immigration?” I think this is the latest from ThinkProgress. If not, please enlighten me.

84 Votes

Jun 11, 2013 | By ThinkProgress War Room

Senate Makes Major Move on Immigration Reform

Immigration reform including a pathway to earned citizenship moved one step closer to reality today as the Senate voted overwhelmingly, 84-15, to began debating and amending the bipartisan bill that passed the Judiciary Committee last month. Unsurprisingly, all of today’s no votes came from Republicans, including those leading the opposition to the bill: Sens. Jeff Sessions (AL), Mike Lee (UT), and Ted Cruz (TX).

While many of those who voted to take up the bill today are expected to oppose it in the end, today’s vote is the latest sign of strong momentum. By contrast, the vote to take up the 2007 immigration reform effort, which ultimately failed, was a much narrower 64-35.

Good news also came from the other side of the Capitol today, with Speaker Boehner (R-OH) predicting that the bill will become law before the end of the year. In another positive sign, Boehner also refused to rule out passing a bill through the House with mostly Democratic votes.

Finally, the president also held an event today with DREAMers and a bipartisan group of others who support reform with a pathway to earned citizenship.

The only unfortunate news on the immigration front today came from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who appears to want to have it both ways once again. Rubio was reportedly asking his Republican colleagues to refrain from coming out in support of the bill so he could use the appearance of a lack support among Republicans as an excuse to drag the bill to the right. Discouraging fellow senators from supporting one’s own legislation is a relatively unheard of move.

A new poll out today shows that 81 percent of Latinos polled reject the notion of the “border-security first” approach that Rubio is inching toward. That includes 76 percent of Latinos who have voted for a GOP candidate in the past. Instead, Latinos want to see the pathway to citizenship and border security implemented concurrently, just as it is in the Gang of 8 bill Rubio himself helped author.

*****

Yw: I HOPE you and Ym will get together soon, if you haven’t already.

Zen Lill: Thanks for your comment. In my opinion, killing is never simple, even in theory. Just to be clear, I am not condoning murdering one’s husband for no reason. Nor do I agree to make it “look” very self defense to condone murder. I won’t go down that path of thinking. I am not saying you are either. However yes, I agree with you, about killing him. If you are protecting yourself and you do get the opportunity to shoot him before he tries to kill you, make sure you kill him, with one shot or many if necessary.

Readers: If I was not clear, let me get clear now. If you are being physically abused, or even threatened to the point where you fear your life, and the hairs on the back of your neck get raised, most likely your life is in dire danger. Listen to your gut. Make sure that you protect yourself, and if necessary kill the man before he kills you. By not having a gun and leveling the playing field, you could be endangering your life, and your children’s lives. In my opinion the best way to protect your children is to keep them away from the abuser/perpetrator. If you’re dead, you can’t exactly do that.

Madeline: I used to go the movies all of the time. I can’t even remember the last movie I went to. I have no idea what is even out there. Your comment filled with conviction leads me to believe you are correct. And if so, we need more women writers. Speaking of…

Wendy: With your experience in the film industry, I think you have a new career in film writing waiting for you. Go for it.

Kady: Interesting. Thanks for enlightening me.

Peace out.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Posted in Health & Well Being, Human Rights and Equality, Love, Sex & Relationships, Political Powwow | 8 Comments »

Wonderful Women Of The World

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 8th June 2013

Good morning!

As many of us know, and if you don’t, you should know by now because it is being reported and I have personally blogged about it, women are being raped in the military. Last year, there were 26,000 assaults in the Military. That is a HUGE problem. The men that were put in positions to support our women in the military have turned from “protector” to perpetrator.”

It is time for the girls to step up and do what should’ve been done a long time ago – and they are doing just that. HUGE kudos go to Senator Claire McCaskill, (Thankfully she beat deadbeat Todd Akin), and other Senators who are making sure that our military girls are being seen and heard and justice is being done.

A write from the NY Times:

Women in the Senate Confront the Military on Sex Assaults

WASHINGTON — Senator Claire McCaskill wandered down the dais at the Senate Armed Services Committee’s first hearing of the year and noticed a startling tableau: women to the left, women to the right.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a veteran Republican member of one of the Senate’s most testosterone-driven panels, was now flanked by them on both sides, including by two Republican colleagues, Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska.

“You’re toast, Graham,” cracked Ms. McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat.

Ms. McCaskill’s joke reflected the seven women now on the Armed Services Committee, a high, and the role that a record 20 female senators are playing on powerful committees. Of the four most prestigious Senate panels — Appropriations, Armed Services, Finance and Foreign Relations — women now hold 18 spots, an increase of nearly 65 percent over the last decade.

But nowhere is the presence of so many women more pronounced than on the Senate Armed Services Committee, where the women on the 26-member panel have forced the long-simmering issue of sexual assault in the military to the forefront on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers have tried to pursue the sexual assault problem for years, with little impact. But now a slew of attention-grabbing bills — most written by women — are intended to end what senior military officials say is a crisis and President Obama has called a disgrace.

“When I raised the issue of rape in the military seven years ago, there was dead silence,” said Senator Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat and member of the committee. “Clearly they are changing things around here.”

At a widely watched committee hearing last month, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, narrowed her eyes with disdain as Michael B. Donley, the secretary of the Air Force, expressed regret about recent assault cases. She thenexcoriated him and Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, the chief of staff of the Air Force, when they suggested that they were making progress on the problem.

“I do not think you should pat yourself on the back,” Ms. Gillibrand admonished them. Sexual assault, she said, is “undermining the credibility of the greatest military force in the world.” She has since introduced legislation that would give military prosecutors rather than commanders the power to decide which sexual assault cases to try. Her goal is to increase the number of people who report sex crimes without fear of retaliation.

The sexual assault issue has caught the attention of the women on the committee in part because some have law enforcement backgrounds. Ms. McCaskill is a former prosecutor who handled sex crimes and homicides, and Ms. Ayotte was the head of the homicide division in the New Hampshire attorney general’s office.

“When I saw how the military was dealing with this problem, I realized how out of step they were with the criminal justice system,” Ms. McCaskill said. Although the sexual assault issue had been brought before the committee over the years, she said, “the main people asking questions during the hearings are women. That has never really happened on this committee before.”

The women do not dominate the panel on more traditional military issues — the defense budget, the future of the Army, weapons procurement and nuclear policy, to name a few. In those cases, Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat who is the chairman of the committee, and Senator John McCain, the highest-profile Republican member, have the most powerful voices. Other forceful members include Mr. Graham and Senator Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat.

The men lead on those issues in large part because of their longevity on the committee or because they have the kind of military experience not historically open to women. Mr. Levin has served on the committee for more than three decades, Mr. McCain is a former Navy pilot, Mr. Reed is a former Army Ranger, and Mr. Graham is in the Air Force Reserves.

Ms. Gillibrand said there was a similar male-female pattern when she served on the House Armed Services Committee. “The men asked all the questions about ships, hardware, that sort of thing,” she said. “We asked why divorce and suicide rates were so high.”

But Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, said she saw that dynamic changing. “Women have started to challenge many of the assumptions in the department,” she said, referring to the Pentagon. For example, Ms. McCaskill, a former Missouri state auditor, has repeatedly questioned waste in defense contracting and has made war profiteering one of her signature issues.

Like many of the men, a number of the women are on the committee because of the military bases or shipbuilding concerns in their states, including Senator Kay Hagan, Democrat of North Carolina; Senator Mazie K. Hirono, Democrat of Hawaii; Ms. Gillibrand; Ms. Ayotte; and Ms. Shaheen.

If there is one thing that unifies the women on the committee — five Democrats and two Republicans — it is support for a robust American military.

“These are post-9/11 moms who care about foreign policy because they want our nation to be safe,” said Mr. Graham, who has traveled extensively in Pakistan and Israel with Ms. Gillibrand on trips related to antiterrorism efforts. “They want to make sure our military families are doing well because that means they are ready for the fight.”

The history of women on the Senate Armed Services Committee mirrors women’s general rise in the Senate — slow and plodding — and their history within the military.

The first woman on the committee was Senator Margaret Chase Smith, a Maine Republican who served in both the House and the Senate in the mid-20th century. Ms. Smith, who crusaded during her House career for sexual equality in the military, continued that path when she joined the Senate committee in 1953.

“Women in the military today owe a debt to her getting veterans’ benefits, when the male senators on the committee never gave it a thought,” said Betty Koed, the associate Senate historian.

Women have been in the armed forces since they were nurses, cooks and the occasional saboteur in the American Revolution, but it was not until World War II that large numbers served. Their numbers grew significantly after 1973, when the end of the draft created a need for more women. The huge deployment of troops in the 1991 Persian Gulf war validated the integration of women and emboldened them to seek previously restricted jobs, like flying attack planes.

In the wars of the past 12 years, when more than 280,000 women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, women served in combat in all but name. Reflecting the change, the number of women on the Armed Services Committee began to creep up. In 2001, women made up 10 percent of the committee, compared with nearly 30 percent today.

Women on the committee have included former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, a Republican who focused on military family issues, and Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican and an early voice on the sexual assault issue, although she was largely dismissed at the time by military brass.

In 2001, Hillary Rodham Clinton, then the new junior senator from New York, sought a seat on the Armed Services Committee rather than the Foreign Relations Committee in part to establish her national security credentials. She traveled frequently to Iraq and Afghanistan and built such strong relationships with top generals that she was mentioned — after her 2008 presidential campaign and while still serving as secretary of state — as a possible successor to Robert M. Gates as defense secretary. Her tenure on the committee became a model of how female senators could be as influential on the panel as the men.

Military families remain a priority of many women on the committee, who have focused in particular on legislation to ease debt and financial concerns. “I think women on this committee bring the perspective of family life back home, getting bills paid, that sort of thing,” Ms. Hagan said.

The women have also added a dimension to Congressional delegation trips overseas. In meetings in the Middle East and parts of South Asia, female senators are often the only women present. Mr. McCain, Ms. Ayotte said, makes an effort to let them speak first to establish their equality in the delegation.

“When we travel to Afghanistan and the Middle East and there are women senators there,” Ms. Ayotte said, “it really sends a strong message to the world that this is what we stand for. This is what we have.”

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Readers: I am not able to post the video from this article, which is worth a watch. Click here to view. Also perusing the net, I came across this recent video of McCaskill giving the military brass a piece of her mind. You go girl!

And if that isn’t enough, here’s a write about McCaskill, that I couldn’t resist posting as well, and you’ll see why.

Sen. Claire McCaskill blocks promotion of Air Force general over military sexual-assault case

A one-on-one meeting with an angry McCaskill must be rough.

If there was any doubt about how focused Sen. Claire McCaskill is on changing the way the military handles sexual-assault cases, take a look at Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan J. Helms’ résumé. The Obama administration nominated Helms to be promoted to the position of vice commander of the Air Force’s Space Command. But in April, McCaskill put a temporary hold on Helms’ nomination citing a sexual-assault case Helms ruled on. This week, McCaskill made her hold on the nomination permanent.

The Washington Post reports that last year, Helms granted clemency to an Air Force captain at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California who had been convicted of sexual assault. Helms didn’t attend the captain’s trial and ignored the advice of her legal adviser in granting clemency. She never publicly explained her decision. McCaskill and Helms had a meeting last month. Looks like their chat didn’t go so well for Helms.

In a statement released Thursday, McCaskill said Helms’ career should be lauded. (Helms was the first female member of the military to go to space.) But then the senator lowered the boom: “With her action, Lt. Gen. Helms sent a damaging message to survivors of sexual assault. They can take the difficult and painful step of reporting the crime, they can endure the agony involved in being subjected to intense questioning often aimed at putting the blame on them, and they can experience a momentary sense of justice in knowing that they were believed when their attacker is convicted and sentenced, only to have that justice ripped away with the stroke of a pen.”

The Post reports that Helms wrote a memo for her personal files that said she found the defendant more credible than the victim.

******

This girl is on a roll. I can’t wait to see what more she’s got planned to stop military abuse.

Blog me.

Kentucky: I had never heard about Estelle Griswold. That would’ve been a good write for “Wonderful Women Of The World.” Thanks for sharing.

TGIF: There is a part of me that thinks that is too cool for chocolate, and another side of me that is feeling pretty prudish over the idea. Possibly because of the added commentary: “Luckily, no one has thought about putting crisped rice in the center.” That is a visual I could live without. What could possibly come after that? I think that is about as far as you can go with chocolate.

Speaking of edible body parts, I’ve always said that raspberries look like little Lucy’s vagina. Too cute. Is that TMI? Well…blame it on TGIF – you got me started.

Blog me.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

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Posted in Bitch Badinage, Human Rights and Equality, Love, Sex & Relationships, Political Powwow | 4 Comments »

Flap Your Lips Friday

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 7th June 2013

Good morning!

Well, It seems the hot topic today is about Verizon Wireless collecting millions of phone logs. And now from the heading on the front page of the Huff Post, it looks like many more companies are going to be privy to private information through a program called PRISM.

My hot topic today is about neither, although feel free to comment on whatever you wish on this “Flap your lips Friday.”

I want to respond to Social Butterfly’s comment from yesterday. It too blew me away, but then, I am not one bit surprised. Shocked because it is another horrific happening, but not surprised, because unfortunately women get the short end of the stick from the short sticks of the world.

This is just another horrific example of the plight of women…how women are abused by men, by the system, when it allows men to can get away with murder, even when the act they are about to perform is illegal.

I found this write. In my opinion “Just us” is in play here too….”just us” meaning “just men.” And just as sickening as the above mentioned story.

Florida Judge Rejected Stand Your Ground Defense For Black Woman Who Fired Warning Shot During Domestic Violence

In the months leading up to the trial of the Florida man who sparked national controversy over state Stand Your Ground laws when he shot dead 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, several defendants have escaped criminal liability for deadly shootings under the law. Just last week, a Florida jury acquitted a man who killed his wife’s lover in his home after firing three shots into his head and back. But just months after Trayvon’s death, Florida’s notorious Stand Your Ground law did not spare Marissa Alexander, who fired a mere warning shot into the wall during a violent incident with her husband.

Alexander was sentenced to 20 years in prison last year, after a judge rejected her Stand Your Ground defense and a jury convicted her on three counts of aggravated assault. Alexander’s husband was arrested twice before on misdemeanor battery charges against other women. But authorities said Alexander initiated the 2010 incident and pointed the gun at her husband and two step-sons before firing the warning shot into the ceiling.

Alexander would not have needed a Stand Your Ground law to defend her action. While that law goes so far as to authorize unfettered deadly force in self-defense without a duty to retreat, Alexander used significantly lesser force that would fall under a typical self-defense claim. But the judge’s failure to allow the claim comports with studies that have shown the ALEC and NRA-backed laws are discriminatory and applied arbitrarily. Last week, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission voted to undertake an in-depth investigation into racial bias in Stand Your Ground laws, the first such investigation by the agency in decades.

In the meantime, laws that allow deadly force without any duty to retreat remain the law in at least 21 states, and efforts to repeal or alter the laws have failed thus far. And in spite of outcry from the NAACP and others, Alexander remains in prison.

******

Readers: Stories like these really do need to be heard. They need to be constantly in our faces when abuse toward women is constantly being acted out, and the victim is blamed. And in this case the victim, the woman, goes to prison for 20 years for firing a warning shot. Can you imagine this happening? She should’ve just shot her husband.

And yes this is racial bias but I also see this as sex discrimination too. We cannot forget women such as Alexander whose lives are treated as worthless. We need to stand up and support these women, because we never know if something like this will happen to us or someone we care about.

I realize that there is so much to be concerned with in the world and that you can’t do everything to help everyone. But what you can do is focus on one story or one event or one cause that has more meaning for you…pulls more at your heart strings for whatever reason, and dedicate some time to helping that person or that cause. It could be the greatest gift you give to someone, and no doubt it will be a gift to yourself as well.

Thoughts? Blog me. Thanks for being here with me.

Peace & Love: “Live it, Give it”

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Posted in Human Rights and Equality, Political Powwow | 6 Comments »

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Archive for the 'Political Powwow' Category

Flap Your Lips Friday

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Flap Your Lips Friday

Florida Judge Rejected Stand Your Ground Defense For Black Woman Who Fired Warning Shot During Domestic Violence