WOMEN VOTE! and Planned Parenthood: On the Air for Suzanne Bonamici

By Ryan Sims on 01/03/2012 @ 05:35 PM

Tags: Why Women, GOP Opponents, Suzanne Bonamici

It's not just a typical Tuesday, what with Iowa caucusing and all. And we've got another exciting piece of news to pass along. Oregon WOMEN VOTE! has partnered with Planned Parenthood and is on the air, supporting Suzanne Bonamici in her special election against a vocally anti-choice, Tea Party Republican opponent Rob Cornilles.

EMILY's List's Oregon WOMEN VOTE! project and Planned Parenthood are working to educate and mobilize independent women voters across Oregon's first congressional district, making sure they know the facts about Rob Cornilles' far-right positions on issues of women's health -- that he's flat out of touch with the views of the first district, welcoming the endorsement of Oregon Right to Life.

We know that Suzanne Bonamici is the pro-choice candidate Oregon's first district voters want, and we're excited to have WOMEN VOTE! on the air, educating voters -- just like they were during Suzanne's primary this past fall.

Check out the ad here:

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On GOP Caucus Day in Iowa, know the field

By Ryan Sims on 01/03/2012 @ 02:35 PM

Tags: Why Women, GOP Opponents

It's caucus day in Iowa for the Republican Presidential field. That means they've got only hours left to make their case to caucus-goers throughout the state in hopes of coming out on top.

We couldn't let these candidates go unwatched as they traipse about the country, and especially not now that the Iowa caucuses have arrived. We've cataloged what they've said, what they've done, what they've voted for, and whether they've remained consistent on the issues that matter to women and families -- and compiled it all right here at our Republican Presidential Scorecard.

The field scores, well, about as you'd expect. Sure, somebody had to take home the lowest number. But it's hardly a title I'd brandish with any sort of pride. Check out the results here.

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By Karyn Bruggeman on 12/23/2011 @ 11:35 AM

Tags: Why Women, Choice, Reproductive Rights, Sexism

1. The War on Women
From the very first day of the 112th Congress in January of this year, House Republicans made it clear that their #1 priority was not to address joblessness or the economy, but to launch an all out assault on women’s rights. Beginning with HR 3 all the way to HR 358, it was as though not a bill could pass unless it included a measure to cut funding to providers of women’s health care, redefine rape, restrict access to abortion even in the most dire of cases, or slash and burn programs like Medicaid or Head Start that help elderly women, low-income women and families. Not even the threat of a government shutdown would stop them-- proving to women and men alike that they weren’t there to govern, simply to prove a point. Thankfully, our Democratic majority in the Senate prevented these bills from progressing. The members of the House GOP kept us on our toes right up until the very end, jeopardizing the extension of critical unemployment benefits and temporary tax-cuts for middle-class families. We’ve already put a handful of House GOP freshman ‘On Notice’ and can’t wait to kick into high gear to get our amazing class of strong, pro-choice women candidates elected in 2012.

2. Personhood Amendments
Mississippi voters spoke up and overwhelmingly shot down a Personhood Amendment this November that would have criminalized all forms of abortion, most forms of hormonal birth control, and possibly in-vitro fertilization. Unfortunately, similar measures have now popped up in Wisconsin, Virginia, and Colorado with more to come. We can only hope that voters in these states will follow the path of Mississippians and knock back these blatant assaults on women’s rights.

3. The 2012 GOP Presidential Field
Oh, where to begin on the GOP Presidential field. Well, for starters the majority of the candidates proudly touted their anti-choice positions by signing the Susan B. Anthony Pledge. Then there’s the stirring up of controversy over the HPV vaccination, the sexual harassment allegations against one time frontrunner Herman Cain, and, well, pretty much anything Rick Santorum says. With nearly every word the GOP Presidential primary candidates have made it clear where they stand : on the side of big business and misinformation and against women.

4. The Death of Truth
Whether we were listening to Senator Jon Kyl bumble and grumble that abortions make up "well over 90% of what Planned Parenthood does" (that number is only about thirty times too high, for the record) or watching Rep. Michele Bachmann state on national television that HPV vaccinations cause mental retardation, we couldn’t help but be depressed at this new normal, in which assertions about women’s health care are tossed around without regard for that little thing we call “the truth.” It’s pretty clear that this trend isn’t good for democracy, and it’s certainly not good for women.

5. Representative Allen West (FL-22)
Take your pick, because Rep. Allen West does a fine job of not only saying, but proclaiming nearly anything and everything that crosses his mind, no matter how vile or un-ladylike. To kick off the year he sent an e-mail to DNC Chairwoman, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz in which he stated that she was "vile...despicable,” and "not a Lady.” He supported the Ryan plan and complained that women are trying to neuter men in Congress. He voted to defund Planned Parenthood, cut nutrition programs for pregnant women, and eliminate local funding for Title IX programs. To close out the year Rep. West was making headlines again, this time for comparing Democrats to Nazis. You just can’t make this stuff up. What we can do, however, is help elect Lois Frankel and other strong women candidates to the House in 2012.

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By Karyn Bruggeman on 12/22/2011 @ 12:42 PM

Tags: Hillary Clinton, Gabrielle Giffords, Kathy Hochul, Janice Hahn, Suzanne Bonamici, Women leaders, Women's rights

1. Three women awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Two weeks after the passing of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize , three women activists received the coveted prize for their work ensuring women’s rights are fully integrated into the peace-building process. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Yemeni human rights activist Tawakkul Karman and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee shared the honor, with the Nobel Committee stating, “We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society.”

2. EMILY’s List 2011 victories
2011, an off year? Not in our book! This year we saw exciting special election victories for Kathy Hochul in NY-26, Janice Hahn in CA-36, and a win for Suzanne Bonamici in her November primary in OR-01. With these victories, we tipped the scales back in favor of progress making up for the decline in women members we saw in Congress in 2010. AND, if Suzanne wins in her January special election, the House will then play host to the largest number of women ever.

3. Gabby Giffords’ return to the floor of Congress
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ resilience and fighting spirit have inspired the nation in the wake of the tragic attack in Tucson. We watched with teary eyes when on August 1, Gabby entered the doors of Congress, to a standing ovation in the House, to cast her vote to raise the debt ceiling. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi stated: “Throughout America, there isn’t a name that stirs more love, more admiration, more respect, more wishing for our daughters to be like her than the name of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.”

4. The Arab Spring
From Tunisia and Egypt to Syria and Libya, we saw pro-democracy revolutions and uprisings break out in the Middle East as protestors called for more transparent, democratic governments. And women were critical in every action. In Saudi Arabia we saw a campaign to get women driving and a proclamation that women would gain the right to vote within the next few years. In Egypt, a woman’s name will appear on the presidential ballot for the first time. We’re tremendously thankful that these events are bringing worldwide attention to the rights of women in the Middle East.

5. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Secretary Hillary Clinton’s ability to reframe the advancement of women and girls as a national security issue and foreign policy priority, and to push that on a global scale as our Secretary of State, has been huge. Secretary Clinton has done a commendable job showing that women’s empowerment isn’t just about the health, safety, and prosperity of women and girls; it’s about the economic futures and political stability of entire regions. I think we can speak for women everywhere when we say- keep up the good work!

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By Sarah Pierz on 12/21/2011 @ 03:15 PM

Tags: Amy Klobuchar, Kirsten Gillibrand

When women are running for office they are often asked, “How can you campaign and still take care of your family?” This is a question few (if any) male candidates are asked. Being a working mom takes balance and the ability to multi-task and prioritize. The EMILY’s List women prove it every day. Just the other day, Working Mother released their list of the Most Powerful Moms in Washington, DC for 2011 and some familiar – and deserving – faces make the list.

First up is Senator Amy Klobuchar, who is not only a mom to her daughter Abigail, but also a champion for children in Congress. She worked to make public pools safer for children and also voted for the “Head Start School for Readiness Act” which provided $22 billion worth of funding to prepare young children for school.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand provides a quintessential example of a working mom in Washington. In fact, only five months after being appointed to the Senate, Gillibrand became the sixth woman to give birth as a sitting member of Congress. Now the mom of two young boys, who is often described as “The Senator Mom,” Gillibrand recently introduced the “Every Child Deserves a Family Act” which would prevent discrimination against LGBT couples who want to adopt children.

And congratulations to our friends at BlogHer, founders Lisa Stone and new-mom Jory Des Jardins, who were named the Most Powerful Moms in Social Media! Though Stone acknowledged that a busy personal and professional life sometimes involves sacrifices, she said “what I do get is my family and my work, both of which I’m in love with; and both get 100 percent of my commitment.” Their blog network reaches more than 34 million people each month and serves as a fantastic community for women.

Having the perspective of working mothers in Congress and on the internet is more important than ever. As decision makers and opinion leaders, these women understand the issues that American families face every day because they are living them. They can provide a voice to millions of women across America where it counts.

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