Comments on: Presidential candidates ignore unmarried women & risk successful campaign

By: Carole Cohen

Carole Cohen — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 18:30:33 +0000

I’m in the demo and Seamus you are right; my second comment tried to say that but you did much better, as far as broad brush issues; I sort of disagree though, and maybe it’s the glazed over affect I get from campaign speeches – the fact that my specific demo group doesn’t ever get mentioned means my solutions have to come along with everyone else, no one is singling us out. And some of the issues have to be handled, in my opinion, on a state and local level. I didn’t assume we were only talking about Prez election. But it’s hard not to go there lol

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:58:24 +0000

Seamus – thanks for reading and the observation. Yeah – I’m not in this demographic at all, but my guess is that the responses so often come as general ideas for lifting up everyone. That’s fine – but there are access issues for unmarried women, and they start at disadvantaged places that others won’t have to worry about once some programs are provided, created or otherwise in existence.

Again – I can’t speak from experience – maybe some of the female unmarrieds who read here could say more about their dissatisfaction with the candidates.

Frankly, John McCain doesn’t “speak” to me about anything I care about in a way that I can hear him or in a way that resonates for me. But that’s a whole other thing.

By: Seamus

Seamus — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:55:18 +0000

I guess it must be my blind male perspective, but I do think this agenda is being addressed by both Democratic candidates. Health care is the obvious example, but economic policies that would help the economically disadvantaged and single parent households are part of both candidate’s platforms.

I think your focus should be less on the campaign, where there is little disagreement, and more on preparing to hold the eventual Democratic administration’s feet to the fire.

By: Carole Cohen

Carole Cohen — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:10:49 +0000

balance adds perspective and that is always good I totally agree; the other thing I want to mention is that solutions to problems like disparity in wages, weak economy, better health care etc help everyone not just those of us in niches so there is no excuse. Iraq is sucking the life out of all the money that could be spent domestically.

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:06:01 +0000

I absolutely agree, Carole. I do think that once the Dem nominee is finalized, health care will rise again. But I feel strongly that the Iraq & Iran agenda is being pushed more by men than by women and that if more women, in general, were involved, not only those who are widowed and divorced as a result of the military actions right now, the conversation on the Middle East would be different too.

Yes, Condi Rice is in there – but we’re not at a critical mass of women influencing policy at those levels.

I don’t agree in talking about “the right woman” or women, but rather, let’s get us a deep bench everywhere.

And the need for women of color in there is obvious too.

By: Carole Cohen

Carole Cohen — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:02:28 +0000

one would think that is why we need women in elected office except that we have a woman running for president and with the exception of health care as a broad brush issue, it is not being addressed by her either.