I hope Wisconsin women aren’t fooled into thinking that the best gubernatorial candidate in the upcoming election is Democratic nominee Mary Burke, just because she shares our gender.
Sure, abortion rights groups such as Planned Parenthood and Emily’s List are backing Burke for governor, but as a conservative woman, I hate it when politicians pander to women only on issues concerning abortion rights.
Most women care about a lot more than getting things for “free,” and it is time that politicians start to realize that women are not one homogenous group defined by body and gender.
Like many Wisconsin women, I am a hardworking, intelligent individual who is attentive to current events. When it comes to politics, I don’t let my gender and my body define me. I consider all the issues and look at how they affect society as a whole.
The gubernatorial race in Wisconsin is less than a month away, and Democrats are perpetuating the myth that Burke is the better choice for women.
Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton and the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Cecile Richards, are publicly supporting and/or campaigning for Burke and her male running mate, Wisconsin state Sen. John Lehman.
While Burke has brought in big name Washington Democrats to campaign for her, they seem to forget all the work that Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch have done for the women of this state.
How Walker Stands with Women, Reason #1: He has poured millions of dollars into domestic abuse shelters.
Since Walker has been governor, he has spent almost $15 million toward domestic violence prevention and protecting victims of domestic violence. He also has signed multiple bills into law that help victims of domestic violence, such as increasing penalties for repeat offenders.
Teri Jendusa-Nicola, a Wisconsin woman who was almost beaten to death by her husband in 2004, is featured in the governor’s latest campaign ad since she believes, “It’s important for the people to know what he is doing for women and the victims and all of the families of Wisconsin.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l44keyAhjA&app=desktop
I agree with her. It’s important for women to be aware of the positive steps Walker has made for victims and potential victims of domestic violence in our state.
One in four Wisconsin women have been beaten, raped or stalked before, but with Walker’s reforms, more resources have been created to help these women cope with their terrible situations.
How Walker Stands with Women, Reason #2: He fights to make abortion safer.
It’s no secret that the governor is pro-life, but in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he’s clearly stated that “there’s already a decision that is far from being changed in terms of the Supreme Court in terms of Roe v. Wade,” and at no point during his term as governor has Walker used his personal position to fight for an elimination of abortion.
In fact, Walker and the Republican legislature have passed laws to make abortion safer for those who make this decision.
Walker recognizes that sometimes complications can arise during abortions and to ensure a woman’s safety, he passed a law that ensured that abortion doctors have admitting privileges within 30 miles of where the abortion is performed.
This law did nothing to restrict abortion. Instead, it made sure that those choosing this procedure would be safe in case a problem arose.
How Walker Stands with Women, Reason #3: He believes in women’s abilities to be financially independent.
The mainstream media likes to frame Walker as being against equal pay for women. This is completely false, because in the state of Wisconsin it is illegal to discriminate in the workplace based on race, gender and other criteria. This was illegal before Walker took office and it is still illegal today.
In addition, Walker has cut taxes, lowered unemployment rates and created over 100,000 jobs in the state of Wisconsin. The positive trend for the Wisconsin economy is helping women statewide earn a salary and keep as much of their salary as possible.
Also, for me as a female college student who has two part-time jobs to pay for my tuition, Walker has helped me save money due to the UW tuition freeze.
Walker has made positive strides for domestic abuse victims, made abortion safer and has allowed women to be more financially independent. He has done all of this with two influential women by his side – the First Lady, Tonette, and Kleefisch. Don’t be fooled by misleading attacks from Democrats – Walker has and will continue to stand with women.
Courtney Mullen ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in journalism.
