Me Thinks The Party Doth Protest Too Much

I get what this ad is trying to do, but I'm not sure that calling attention to the fact that your party is so lacking in diversity and compassion that your humanity is in question is the best way to go. How about addressing the inhumane aspects of your party platforms so that this isn't an issue in the future?

Florida Congressman Holds Sexist Weirdo Fundraiser

Let's tackle the first thing that every campaign manager notices about this invite: the text is so tiny! Who is gonna read all that?

Now that that's out of the way let's examine the content of the text. "Good men sitting around discussing & solving political & social problems over fine food & drink date back to the 12th Century with King Arthur’s Round Table" WHAT?

"Tell the Misses not to wait up because the after dinner whiskey and cigars will be smooth & the issues to discuss are many." And the sentence structure will be awkward.

"Whatever you do, don't tell her the night's menu includes Irish Cheddar, Whiskey Cheddar [Yeah! Because bitches hate cheeses!] salt & pepper potato cakes...[Democrats just call them latkes.]... and Green Irish Whiskey Sour Jell-o [You know, how King Arthur used to do Jell-o shots.]"

Look, I love a good theme party, but the implication here is a nostalgia for when women didn't participate in public life, and that doesn't work for me.

Campaign Manager Luke Strickland says, “It is laughable that an issue is being made over an invitation to a private event hosted on Steve’s behalf six months ago. We have also participated in events with women, young professionals, doctors, sportsmen." First of all Luke, nothing in politics is private. Second of all, you don't get a free pass for having done in the past what you are supposed to do always; that is represent ALL the people in your district.

Source: Buzzfeed

Today In Voter Suppression: Jokes

From the website:

1) These are not bipartisan efforts. They are initiated by Republicans, passed by Republicans, and signed into law by Republicans. The State House Majority Leader in PA asserted that these voter restrictions would allow Mitt Romney to win the state.

2) The voters most likely to be burdened by these new voting restrictions are Democrats. Consider which voters don't have ID. Among seniors and young voters, 18% don't have valid ID. Among African Americans, 25% don't have valid ID.

3) Restrictions on voting, like poll taxes and "literacy" tests, have a long history. They are used by one party to prevent supporters of another party from voting.

4)If someone were trying to steal an election, in person voter fraud, where a voter pretends to be someone they are not at the polls, is the last method anyone would chose. Absentee ballot stuffing is much easier. But more Republicans vote by absentee ballot. So no new restrictions on absentee voting.

5) The Brennan Center has estimated that as many as 3.2 million citizens could find it harder to vote because of new voter ID laws.

Couldn't have said it better myself! Hooray for Sarah Silverman! She uses her comedy career to get people to vote, I use my get people vote career to make people laugh! Jews!

Oh, Get Over Yourselves

If you want to take umbrage with the way Republicans talk about women, be my guest. You can discuss Paul Ryan's vote against Equal Pay, Todd Akin's "legitimate rape" comments or Michele Bachmann's belief that wives should be submissive to their husbands. But when it comes to Ohio Governor John Kasich talking about his wife doing the laundry, everyone needs to CTFO.

Kasich's comment was meant to highlight the very real sacrifice that candidates' wives make to help their spouses run for office, it was not a universal prescription for all married relationships nor an indictment of working women. Listen for yourself above. He doesn't even say "wives" he says "spouses."

"It’s not easy to be a spouse of an elected official," he said. "You know, they’re at home, doing the laundry and doing so many things while we’re up here on the stage getting a little bit of applause, right? They don’t often share in it. And it is hard for the spouse to hear the criticism and to put up with the travel schedule and to have to be at home taking care of the kids. And where is the politician? Out on the road."

Far be it for me to define feminism for anybody, but it seems to me that temporarily taking a back seat to help your spouse of any gender succeed in his/her career is a perfectly valid and supportive choice. Kasich's wife actually had a career for many years. The presumption that Gov. Kasich and his counterparts somehow forced their wives into these roles rather than that these women made a choice as part of their partnerships seems more anti-feminist.

There are a lot of creepy, deplorable things in John Kasich's record on women (like the fact that he pays his male staffers 56% more than his female staffers) but I call bullshit on this. I don't approve of Republicans degrading women to score political points and I won't sanction the reverse.

Don't worry, there is PLENTY at the crossroads of gender and politics that is actually worth spending time on this election cycle.

Welcome to Tampa!

Just in time for the Republican National Convention, Ruth's List (think a statewide version of EMILY's List) sponsored this billboard to let the GOP know just what they're walking into.

My favorite part about this story is "Republicans have indicated they plan to retaliate in kind during the Democratic National Convention the week after." Prank war!!!

Only In New York...

New York News | New York Breaking News | NYC Headlines

I debated whether to post about this story at all because of the wonderful young female candidates who are positive role models for girls and are much more deserving of our time and attention. Then I thought that that was a good reason to post about them, but a bad reason not to post about Mindy Meyer the self-proclaimed "Orthodox Jewish Diva" candidate for State Senate.

While there is nothing wrong with liking pink or trying to bring a sorely needed fresh face to the New York State Senate, Meyer's ignorance combined with arrogance makes every part of my Jewish/female/young/politico body cringe. Her website banner boasts (in sparkly diamond print) "I'm Senator and I know it" and also blares the LMFAO song that inspired the slogan. Meyer says,"My campaign manager just spoke to Kim Kardashian's publicist because she's a diva and everything, so they're getting back to me because we're trying to get her endorsement because, you know, she, whatever, my website is literally like her." She also told GoodDay New York that she was "unfamiliar" with New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Seriously Mindy? This is why we can't have nice things!! That and the rule of the patriarchy.

Advocate from Where You Stand: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

To wit. Can you believe this just came up when I google imaged Urban Outfitters?

Recently one of my soon to be classmates posted a "helpful" article about places to buy inexpensive, student friendly furniture in New York City. First on the list? Urban Outfitters. Ignoring for the moment that Urban Outfitters is not what I would describe as inexpensive, my brain exploded a little bit. I want to be clear that I don't blame my future friend for posting this article. Urban Outfitters was only one of many stores mentioned therein and many of the students entering school with me are international. There is no reason for them to know about the hypocritical political leanings of American companies. To be fair, I don't know for certain that they would object even if they did. I would LOVE if some of my future classmates were conservative, it would take some of the pressure off me not being a hippie, but I suspect that's largely not the case. I began composing a diatribe explaining why SIPA students should think twice before shopping at Urban Outfitters...and then immediately deleted it because I don't want to be that girl. Besides, I have a blog for that.

Far be it for me to tell you not to shop in chain stores based on political contributions. In the last 48 hours I have been to Target, Sears and Radio Shack. For the sake of convenience or staying within a budget, it's almost unavoidable. Furthermore, I don't blame CEOs for donating to Republican candidates. How often have we derisively accused Republicans of being pro-big business? As long as we're agreeing that money is free speech, it would be almost irresponsible of CEOs (regardless of their personal political leanings) not to try to secure the election of candidates whose policies would be favorable to business interests.

However, if there are two groups of people without whom my life would be markedly better it's hipsters and Republicans, and so of all corporations Urban Outfitters in particular incurs my wrath. There is something almost Dr.Claw malevolent about a company that sells t-shirts saying "I survived The Bush Administration" and "Obama for Yo Mama" and markets itself to a young, often gay, even more often liberal demographic, while its President donates thousands of dollars to right wing candidates. I am by no means a conspiracy theorist, but I can just imagine Urban Outfitters founder and president, Richard Hayne, watching droves of institution hating 22-30 year olds lining up to shop at his overpriced thrift stores. "Haha," he cackles "they're playing right into my evil plan!"

An excellent 2003 article from the Philadelphia Weekly sums it up nicely. "Despite its slacker aura and carefully calibrated antiestablishmentarian cachet, Urban Outfitters Inc. is in fact a very Establishment, hypercapitalist multinational retail concern...But the difference between stage-crafted storefront image and corporate reality doesn't end there. While the typical Urban Outfitters shopper is likely to be liberal-minded...Hayne himself is an ardent Republican. He is a financial supporter of arch conservative Sen. Rick Santorum, whose recent comments about homosexuals equated gay sex with incest and bestiality." The article also depicts Hayne's journey from genuinely liberal beginnings to seemingly conflicted Republican.

Liberal t-shirts and conservative donations not withstanding, Hayne claims that Urban Outfitters, which by the way also owns Anthropologie, is apolitical. "As a company, we don’t contribute to any cause except non-controversial things like a breast cancer walk. I don’t know anyone who is for breast cancer...our job as a business is not to promote a political agenda. That's not what we do. There are all kinds of political views held by my employees. Some would be horrified to learn that we contributed to Santorum's campaign, and others would be fine with it. We openly discuss and joke about our political differences." To me this is almost worse. He's not making political donations because it's in the interest of his stock holders, he just really wanted to see Rick Santorum's homophobic face in office. Though the distinction is certainly worth making, at the end of the day, money you spend at UO is eventually making its way to Republican coffers.

Still Hayne is not totally at fault for the success of his hypocrisy. Democratic and Republican alike, people will do what they can get away with. I blame the hipsters and liberals who still shop at Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. As I said before, I do knowingly shop at stores owned and operated by high rolling Republicans, but I make a conscious decision when I do so. If you're going to damn the man, you should at least know when you're giving him money. I don't think its too much to ask that people who actively purchase politically themed tshirts be as informed as Miley Cyrus.

The Most Sexist Campaign Ad I've Ever Seen*

*also it's pretty racist.

Yes, this ad is real. Someone thought that was a good idea. It is so unbelievably offensive that I feel that aspect needs no explanation. Also, it looks like it was made by twelve year old boys, possibly to get back at a teacher or some girl who wouldn't make out with them.

Here is an article about it. (FYI: What the article doesn't make clear is that the FEC complaint is unrelated to the content of the ad, but has to do with the PAC's association with Hahn's opponent's campaign.) The article includes the following quote from NOW President Terry O'Neill:

The GOP can't simply shrug its shoulders and claim ignorance about this ad. The party now has a woman running for president and another high-profile woman who may also jump into the race. In the past couple years, conservatives have received a crash course in what it's like to have gender stereotypes and sexist slurs directed at women on their side of the aisle.

Obviously I agree with O'Neill's denunciation of the content of this ad, but I don't think the Republican party is going to stop being sexist simply because Republican women are running for office. Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin are anti-choice, anti-sex education, anti-equal pay for women and anti-rape victim support. Having a cello doesn't make you a cellist, and having a vagina doesn't make you a feminist.

On the other hand, according to her website:

Janice strongly supports advancing the rights of women. She believes in providing women a quality education, fair pay, and equal employment opportunities. Janice supports a woman’s right to choose and will fight to ensure that women of all ages and backgrounds are provided the tools they need to succeed in today’s society – whether in the job market or at home raising children and caring for their family.

Can you imagine being the candidate and her staff seeing this ad for the first time? Ironically, but not surprisingly, the ad is actually galvanizing support for Hahn. Maybe you would like to donate to an actual feminist candidate?

Okay, I do need to say it, just in case. This ad's portrayal of women in politics is completely unacceptable.