Why we must win the battle on women's rights

[CornField]

It doesn't take long to find a post here on DU which advocates compromise on women's rights, especially on abortion. Today, I've come forth to tell you why the Democratic Party must be the party that always keeps women's rights - and therefore human rights - at the forefront.

According to statistics and demographics, the Democratic Party is the party for America's women. It is a trend that crosses socio-economic lines and racial divides. In a May 2005 memo released by Lake Snell Perry Mermin & Associates Inc., women picked unnamed Democratic congressional candidates over Republicans by a 13-point margin.

When discussing that same memo, Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway the Washington Post she could not comment on the specifics but she agreed with the general thrust of Lake's findings. "Women, if left to their own devices, are going to tend and trend Democratic. That is absolutely the case," she said. "Women are still congenitally Democratic -- and I'm the Republican pollster saying that."

So, with both sides agreeing that most women trend toward the Democratic Party, we now need to ask ourselves why that is the case. While women split on many key issues in the same percentages as men, there is one issue where women fall resoundingly to one side: women's rights. At last poll, a full 74% of women said they would not vote for a candidate which they believed would turn back the clock on women's rights, including reproductive choices.

Given that information, the Democratic Party, now poised to offer compromise on the issue of women's rights, is equally poised to shoot itself in the foot.

Women trend to the Democratic Party not because of National Security, not because of military policy, not because of foreign policy, not because of the economy... but because of the Democratic Party's stand on women's rights.

If you feel the Democratic Party is a minority now, think about how it would be with 50+% of the party's active and vocal membership taking their toys and leaving the sandbox.

[David Dunham]

1. I agree. Even if we can't always win, we need to fight for women's rights

We had better try to fillibuster Alito, or many women will think we stand for nothing.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. I also think that the Dems

have a platform that is inherently more feminine, rather staff/distaff to the Republicans. I've always felt that way, and always been drawn to the Democrats and put off by the Republicans. But many of the men I know are the opposite.

[EFerrari]

3. I once read in the L.A. Weekly of a study that found

the quality of life in a society is correlated by the way it treats its women. Wish I still had it.

[GetTheRightVote]

4. Yes and women out number the men in this nation as well so put ...

it all together. The Dems need to keep their natural base by defending women's rights. They must filibuster Alito to keep a big chunk of their base, women. The Dems helped to enpower us and women never forget their friends or their deeds.

:kick:

[Caoimhe]

5. NO compromise on women's rights!

We must not ever go back! I hear people talking about abortion/reproductive rights like it's some sortof bargaining chip. IT IS NO BARGAINING CHIP TO ME! I will never consider it "politcally necessary" to compromise on reproductive rights EVER.

I stand with you in working to protect what rights we have and to gain the rights we still don't have.

[CornField]

6. Kick

Mostly because I cannot believe the conversation is already over. DU drives me nuts sometimes. I post something like this and expect there to be a real conversation and it finds little. Then I post about visiting a black church and everyone wants to talk. ;) Sometimes, you just never know.

[Caoimhe]

7. It is funny how that happens

[Crowdance]

8. Kick

this is an argument folks here don't want to hear, but truly NEED to hear. Perhaps a new thread, with the same argument stated differently, could then be recommended?

[cally]

9. Excellent post

I've been saying this for years but you gave new evidence and information. Thanks. :yourock:

[OhioBlue]

10. I agree. Some people have become too afraid

of the religious right. The powers that be have also fell short of framing the argument in the right context. It is about a woman's RIGHT to chose. It is about taking away her freedom of choice. I do believe however, that we need to be more vocal in the sub-issues of the Issue. For instance, I would accept a ban on late-term abortion with a provision for certain cases such as to save the life of the mother. I would also agree with parental notification except in the case of incest. When the right proposes legislation to ban all late term abortion without the exceptions such as to save the life of the mother, we should be very vocal in their opposition to save the life of a woman that could be one's mother, sister, wife, daughter, etc.