As I write this, much of the country is focused on the 9/11 hearings and revelations about Team Bush’s destructive obsession with Saddam Hussein. We also are witnessing the fruits of that obsession as Iraq spirals down into a firestorm, rent by fervid anti-American hatred. These issues—that Team Bush misled the country about weapons of mass destruction, that Team Bush… return to article
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Reader Comments (6)Page 1 of 1 pages... here you have it; mothers make the difference in 2004 election !!! It is about sanity was brought back to the american political system. And no more appropriate method than through our mothers.
Posted by Paul and Mina Johnson on Apr 19, 2004 at 11:21 AM ... here you have it; mothers make the difference in 2004 election !!! It is about time that sanity was brought back to the american political system. And no more appropriate method than through our mothers.
Posted by Paul and Mina Johnson on Apr 19, 2004 at 11:22 AM AWESOME!
Great comparisons to other countries. . . the myth of the “lazy American” in general is completely false, because we get less time off than any other industrialized country, including Japan.Raising a child as a single parent in this country requires work of almost heroic proportions. Since our housing costs here in California have risen about 15% per year over the last 5 years [but our incomes have gone up 3% at the most per year] it is now almost impossible to live with a family. 30% of the homeless people in Silicon Valley have full-time jobs. I could go on, but when you’re living the nightmare why dwell.
Also good point to channel this anger - and it should be full, righteous rage - to the voting booth. Double points for observing that “family values” as presented but the religous right can only be characterized as an embarrasingly, amazingly huge crock of shit.
Parents, kids, families and the elderly are hurting under the policies of the right wing. “Family Values” are the values of the American people, not a bunch of crackpot religious fanatics whose views are closer to Stalinist Communism than true American.
Bush represents the worst of what the Republican party had to offer 20 years ago. Present-day conservatives should be embarassed at what their party has turned into.
Posted by Ed Mellon on Apr 19, 2004 at 12:37 PM “30% of the homeless people in Silicon Valley have full-time jobs”
Could you cite to a reliable source for this allegation?
Posted by Nus on Apr 22, 2004 at 12:31 PM YEs, YES, YES -
Mothering is the unfinnished business of the women’s movement. If we just got organized and angry enough to ask for what we need and our kids need this would be a differnet world! Great article. Are there any organizations for I’m a mom “I’m angry at the way society treats mother and child issues and I’m we’re not going to take it any more? Women need to rock the vote. Moms are raising the future, let’s change the future. Women put up with too much crap, it’s time to be heard.
Posted by pat on Apr 22, 2004 at 3:38 PM I saw this story on alternet.org. I just wanted to comment a little on it. My wife and I have lived in Denmark for three years. In this time we have had 2 children. One of them has attended the vuggestue (pre-school -yet we were required to pay a fee and the waiting lists are horribly long) and we have also had the opportunity to take advantage of some of the maternity/paternity leave that would not have been available in th US.
So I think there are a lot of strong arguments for increased support for families and mothers with children - and it seems you have voiced some of them. It is particularly interesting to ask the definition of family values.But I must caution that the system in Denmark is not perfect. The waiting lists for day care are very long - particularly in Copenhagen. Much of the support supplied is part of the socialized system that includes medical care. I’ve heard many Danes lament - “the socialized medical system is great if you’re healthy” and have first hand experience with a friend not continuing chemotherapy because it was “unnecessary” - which I think really meant “too expensive” for the socialized system. As it turns out, the chemotherapy probably was necessary.
The point is that these are complex issues and I don’t believe any existing system is perfect - and there should be some caution exercised when holding up one as an example.
Also - just FYI - in Denmark - usually one ultrasound, visits to the doctor less than once a month while pregnant is standard until the last month or so, no doctors at deliveries - usually midwives (I actually think this is good - giving birth is not a disease), and they are closing down birthing clinics to cut costs… also taxes are outrageous.
And then a couple comments:
Mothers ecstatic about child rearing 24/7… of course not - but please remember that some of us fathers do help a bit.
(white!!) - I don’t get it… o.k. maybe I do a little but it doesn’t strengthen your arguments. In fact, it strikes me as silly.
Posted by Lars on Apr 22, 2004 at 5:39 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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