The White House Project...here's their website.

[Ripley]

This Feminist Group has been having some fractures lately and I'd like to help get it back on point.

I am an Artist who speaks honestly to a fault, so I'm the last person who should run for office - I know my limitations, heh. But some of you mentioned you are thinking about running for office or know women who want to. This is a great site for encouragement! Not just for the Presidency, but for any leadership role.

http://thewhitehouseproject.org/

I was so shocked when I recently learned women only comprise 14% of our Congress! I thought it was more like 25% or even 30%. That is so wrong!

I know Hillary gets discussed a lot in GD and GDP. Obviously we don't all agree on her political positions and maybe she is not the best woman to be the first female Democratic President. But we need to seriously challenge those who shut her down immediately as a choice, based solely upon the fact that she is a woman. I've seen it a lot = the country isn't ready for a woman, blah blah blah.

Anyhow, I thought I'd pass along the website.

[lukasahero]

1. Great link but

watch out for the message board.

"Jessica
RE: why women aren't elected
Posted: September 21 2004 4:46 PM

Sorry ladies, but as a women I can tell you that I would never never vote a women into office. Never. this is a mans country and the only place a women has in the white house is first lady or hired help. Women are to emotional, and women can not put there personal thoughts aside to do the right thing because 90% of the time women are wrong so leave the Big Job To the Big Man. If a women ever did get voted in to be President I would not only be unproud to be american but I would leave this country until they pulled there head out of there b**ts. Women have no place in the Hot Seat."
http://www.voterunlead.org/forums/index.cfm?fuseaction=read&forum=16&id=26&cid=4&mid=69

----
Nice to finally figure out where the female freepers go to roost. Yikes.

On the other hand, I wonder if the question "why aren't women elected" would be better asked "why don't women run"? One of the posters over there suggests that "we just aren't taught to think that way. We aren't taught to be a*sertive because if we are we are seen as pushy (ex. other women's dislike of Hillary Clinton)...Also, when we do decide to run, we don't support each other."

Isn't that something the Democratic party is often considered guilty of? "I won't support a dem if they're not true to my ideals." Or how about the meme "our next candidate has to come from the south"? Mind you, I am not saying we're wrong, I think we're right, I just think that like Dems, like the north, women are inclined to support people based on their platform rather than their party, birth place or gender.

[Ripley]

2. Oh crap. I guess everything online gets infiltrated.

Frankly, I don't believe Jessica is a woman.

Good point lukasahero. It really is a problem about why women don't even run. I rarely see females on the ballots in my state. I think politics has become so poisoned with hate and muck that many excellent people, good men as well as women don't want to go through that process.

But a serious problem remains regardless of that - the problem where so many liberal or progressive Men as well as some Women say a Woman cannot be President in this country because of X,Y or Z.

There are tons of strong women with excellent leadership skills and political savvy that could be strong contenders in a Democratic runoff. The problem doesn't seem to be that average Americans wouldn't vote for her (as polls suggest), but something else.

I think we all know the Corporate Media often determines what Americans know and how they make decisions. I think we all saw Smirk as toast running up to 2004, yet look what happened (aside from the Diebold crap...lots of people DID vote for Dumbya).

It's the Media Stupid. Maybe women's efforts should be to gain a foothold in MSM (Editors, News directors, etc.) in the same way we need real Liberals to gain a foothold. The Corporate media is deciding how candidates get displayed.

Tough row to hoe.

[Hello_Kitty]

3. Want to know why I'd be hesitant to run?

At least not for anything beyond a local low-level seat. I'm a single, childless woman, which is suspect enough to a lot of voters . But I'm also a woman who has, shall we say, had an interesting personal life at times. I've made a few mistakes that could be unearthed very quickly by a vindictive opponent with a war chest. As a woman, I'd be pilloried for it. Whereas certain male alcoholic cokeheads from prominent families can rise to the highest level of power. Grrr....:mad:

And I'm not willing to get "saved" either.

[Ripley]

4. Yep, there you go.

A man like DimSonSmirkyAss can actually have his past shown (altho not harped upon, but it has been shown) in the media (alcoholic until 40 (uh-huh), womanizing, hard-drinking, nose-picking in public baseball team owner, lousy, arrogant C student who didn't even live up to his Legacy free-entrance pass, law-breaking multiple drunk driver, failed oil business man...sigh, I don't want to go on).

Yet his past is somehow considered null and void because as you say, he claims to be Born Again. No proof of that, but the MEDIA REPORTS THAT.

Hey ccbombs, if you really want to run for an office - DO IT! Forget this media crap and run on what you got. If single, childless men can get into local office, so should you. If people dig up the past - take it head on. Admit you did it, explain how it was wrong (if it was) and how you have moved on. Just like the ugly chimp did.

[Eloriel]

5. Have you considered

that the best defense is a good offense -- and I'm not suggesting going after any potential opponent, but rather getting your past out up front, IF you might be seriously interested in running otherwise.

I'm not the least bit interested in public office myself, but I always thought to myself that if I were ever blackmailed, my response would be to fess up to whatever, right away, and cut the legs out from under whomever in one fell swoop (got a real contrary streak, too, obviously).

I think people are very interested in honesty in their candidates. I believe people are DYING for some real, honest-to-God honesty from anywhere, for anything. That was/is one of Howard Dean's big appeals. He tells it like it is (or like he sees it, which IMO is usually right on). People also appreciate apologies and mea culpa's about past errors and sins, and are often relatively eager to forgive. The honesty and modesty are winning combinations, very attractive, very humanizing.

Just something to think about, in case you haven't already.

[lukasahero]

6. Run Spot run!

Seriously ccbombs, if you have any interest in running, please consider it! Your past can be dealt with as others here have suggested - just put it out there or, if you choose to wait to see if someone else brings it up, fess up early, admit it was a mistake and move on. I think alot of people are really looking for that honesty in candidates now. (Of course there are some real nimrods who vote for mr. cokehead, too, but...)

I think a good part of what I've been reading lately is starting to sink in with me: women don't ask, women hold themselves to a higher standard than men do, and yes, of course so does society, but how can we get society to change and accept reasonable standards for women if we cut ourselves off at the knees before we even try?

Please consider it. (And if you do, let me know where to donate to your campaign! ;))

[Hello_Kitty]

7. Well OK. You guys are really encouraging me.

I do need to gain some more experience in local politics though. But you're right, I shouldn't let my past or anything about my personal life hinder me. My experiences (wouldn't trade most of them for the world) have made me the person I am and that's what I would bring to my constituents.

And I'm STILL not getting saved!! :evilgrin: