MOMocrats

The 2008 Farm Bill: Food & Fuel

I'm no policy analyst, but I do eat and I try to give my child as many organic foods as we can afford, starting with organic milk (at $3.19 $3.49 $3.99!! a half gallon). For a lot of moms, organic milk is the "gateway drug", so to speak, that leads to more organic food in the overall family diet.

And I try to keep up with all the movements that have made me more politically aware about food, and eating: slow food, the organic food movement, locavores/eating locally (aka the 100-mile diet). It's our family's way of trying to eat more nutritiously, support local farmers, reward the use of fertilizers and insect control by means other than dangerous pesticides, and reduce the carbon footprint (miles traveled, for one) of the way our food gets produced.

Where individual consumer habits intersect with policy is the government's USDA Farm Bill (final version of the bill posted here, a summary of commentary here).

The cost of caring for aging parents: another issue to consider for same sex unions

Caleb* and Barry* have been in a committed, monogamous relationship longer than me and my husband. They're educated professionals with a mortgage. Barry---now retired---donates time to animal rescue, and Caleb is a teacher. They also both have aging parents who need assistance. About ten years ago, they decided to move from Massachusetts---the only state that recognizes same sex marriage---to Florida to care for their parents.

If they'd had any other choice, they might still have moved to Florida, because they love the warm and sunny state. They like growing orange trees in the backyard, and being near the coast.

They got married nearly four years ago in Canada. Caleb said, "My mother wanted us to be legit. Actually there are lots of legal reasons to sign those papers, mom wanted a ceremony and dinner, so we did it."

Unfortunately, Florida---which has a same sex marriage ban on the ballot this year---may not be as fond of them because they are a same sex couple.

But it's their home, and their options outside of Massachusetts and Canada are fairly limited.

"As we drive across the country, we are recognized as married, in a civil union, no recognized relationship, and unknown - not tested in the courts.  I can recall having four different legal statuses in one day as we drove across borders," Caleb said, recounting their trip across the US.

Currently, only four states allow civil unions and five states allow domestic partnerships. That creates challenges and trouble for same sex partners, but it also creates problems for caretakers of aging parents and can cost the state and taxpayers. 

John McCain, Crazy Like a Fox

As you've seen from LawyerMama's post, the John McCain campaign is, in political parlance, "reaching out" to a variety of progressive bloggers to participate in McCain's weekly conference calls.  I even got to ask a question on his bipartisanship proposal, getting him to acknowledge that he would appoint Democrats to his administration if elected.

Confused about how a true blue PunditMom and MOMocrat can dip her currently unpedicured toes into red waters?  As my husband likes to say, it's good to know the enemy!

Wait, isn't it a problem to talk with your enemies in McCain's book?  Sorry, I digress.

My point in writing some more about our invitation to talk with Senator McCain is this -- I know they aren't doing this in hopes of convincing people like me to vote Republican in the fall.  I'm sure they've done their research and know that's never going to happen.

They're casting for bigger fish.

Let's Keep 'Em Poor & Uneducated

Updated to add conference call link, below.

This afternoon I participated in a blogger teleconference with John McCain to discuss the statements he made earlier today about how he foresees his first term in office. Because apparently it's very presidential to pretend that you've already won the election before you even officially have the Republican nomination.

First, I have to mention that MOMocrat Joanne Bamberger got a scoop on the call.  In response to her questions and several follow up questions, he stated that he will appoint Democrats to his administration.  (Assuming he has one.  And you know what happens when you assume?  You make an ass out of u and me.)  After listening to her dogged questioning, I can understand why Joanne is such a great journalist.  I bet she was a hell of a lawyer too!

The big news in John McCain's remarks this morning was, of course, his statement that,

By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom.... The Iraq War has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension....

California Supremes Overturn Gay Marriage Ban

(From the SF Chronicle's Pride 2004 Wedding Album, a non-stop weep-for-joy fest. Aren't they a beautiful family?)

I melt at weddings. There's so much hope, promise, and happiness at a wedding. There's also no little amount of drama, but part of the pleasure is that the drama gets resolved pleasingly. (Mostly.) And it's often more fun to attend than it is to be one of the principle cast members, so to speak.

I got misty with joy when San Francisco legalized gay marriage and the town experienced a flurry of weddings after marriage licenses were issued at the city and county clerk's office, because a couple of friends had finally decided to tie the knot now that they could. (They aren't the ones pictured above, btw.) And I've always loved San Francisco's Gavin Newsom, aka Mayor McHottie, as fellow MOMocrat CityMama's dubbed him, for throwing open the door to people in the LGBT community who want to get married.

As you can imagine, as soon as the environmentally-correct millet was thrown, lawsuits were filed to define marriage as a union specifically between a man and a woman. It took about a month before that door was slammed shut. But recently, the Huffington Post reports that the California Supreme Court recently handed down a 4-3 decision saying that domestic partnerships are not equivalent to marriage (they are instead sort of "separate and unequal" to marriages, to borrow a phrase).

Republicans Are Starting to Get Wind of Change.

They're running like frightened rats.

This bit from the piece is particularly droll:

Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, did not go as far as his predecessor, Mr. Davis, in advising members to step away from Mr. Bush. But Mr. Cole, facing growing restiveness among Republicans about the party leadership, acknowledged the tumult in his party’s ranks and suggested that his committee would look for a change in strategy.

“When you lose three of these in a row you have to get beyond campaign tactics and take a hard look and ask if there is something wrong with your product,” he said.

Gosh, Tom, you must really be stumped.  What could POSSIBLY be wrong with the current Republican product?  (Other than EVERYTHING.)

A second cull-worthy quote is this:

“There’s no question that the results in these special elections portend ominously for House Republicans, but they will have little impact on the presidential election campaign,” said Steve Schmidt, a senior adviser to Mr. McCain.

I don't know about you, but I'm thinking old Steve-o has somehow missed the larger picture.  No.  Literally.  He's missing the fact that Democrats have turned out in record numbers to vote.  In a PRIMARY.  The droves that will show up in November?  Are gonna make the primaries look like - well, primaries.

The Republicans need to prepare themselves for nothing less than a bloodbath.

I'm not terribly unhappy about that.

p.s. I guess, given the news of the pending Republican implosion, their statement on refusing to pass troop funding is "let's make hay before the sun slips completely below the horizon."

Go Read It: Misogyny I Won't Miss

Race and gender have gotten a lot of play in this presidential contest, but in different ways.

Plenty of outlets have discussed the inappropriateness of taking race into consideration when choosing our next president, as well as how the candidates are covered by the media.  Many haven't quite had the same qualms about playing the gender card.

In today's Washington Post, Marie Cocco in her article Misogyny I Won't Miss, gives a round-up of the more blatant examples of gender bias in the press, some that she feels even border on outright hatred. of women. 

The worst example of all?  Surprisingly, it's not the Hillary nutcracker.

Cocco feels the worst of all has been the virtual silence of the DNC and the Democratic leadership to the running anti-woman commentary against Hillary Clinton.  Next time guys, step up and speak out against all forms of bias, OK?

Thanks, Marie.

Where's the Beef, Sweetie?

I went to school at the University of Michigan, a stone's throw from Detroit. My husband's family is from the Detroit area where the economy is really hurting. Many auto workers want to support a Democrat, but most people I know in that area are Republicans because that's who's been listening to them - or at least who comes across as such. Barack Obama had a real chance to throw some policy "beef" into the discussion when he toured auto plants, but he failed to address the issue, trying to put off those who asked.

To make matters worse, he called a reporter "sweetie," a novice move that could make him look not only condescending, but sexist. If he did that to me, I might consider a write-in vote in November, something I do not take lightly. This had better be the last time he makes a mistake like that. Take a look:

BREAKING NEWS: Edwards endorses Obama

John Edwards—the reason MOMocrats was started back in September of last year—will endorse Barack Obama tonight.

Read it here.

Mother's Day Weekend at the Missouri Democratic Convention

Last Friday, May 9th my husband and I, who were both elected state-level Obama delegates at our township caucus, drove to Columbia, Missouri for the Missouri State Democratic Convention.

May 9th was my son's fourth birthday, and I had a hard time leaving him behind, even though we'd already had a party for him one day early. But, I've become so involved in the political process this year for my son, because I worry about his future if our society continues down its current path. I skipped out on his fourth birthday because I don't want him signing up to be drafted for the war in Iraq on his eighteenth. Because I don't want him struggling to afford housing or health care on his thirtieth. Because I don't want him lacking access to clean water or affordable food on his fortieth.

Of course, it's hard to explain all that to a kid on his fourth birthday. So I still felt a little guilty.

It turns out, though, that I wasn't the only one with our children's future at the forefront of my thoughts at the Convention over Mother's Day weekend.

Iraq: Explaining War To Our Children

How do you explain war to a 3 year old?

Sure, Hollis will make pretty much anything (even his railroad track parts) into a sword and, much to my chagrin, he pretends to shoot people all the time.  But at this age he really has no concept of death, aside from the demise of his cat.

The whole discussion started because T is preparing for an exercise with his Navy reserve unit.  (The last one he will ever participate in before retiring.  WOOHOO!) While he was getting his uniforms ready, Hollis asked him what an army was and if he could see a picture of one on the computer.

gas tax holiday: let's get our heads out of our asses

There's been much hoopla in recent weeks over McCain's gas tax holiday.  Clinton supported it, Obama ridiculed it and yet folks are still divided.  At the end of the day an average American might save about $30 this summer.  That savings won't mean a lot to the middle class, and for the lower class, chances are they can't afford the gas they'd need to consume in order to maximize their "holiday". 

But the real question is how long will we allow ourselves to be pandered to?  How desperate are we for a glimmer of hope that we jump at the first UFO sighting in the sky?  I mean, some people even say it's a good political move but not a smart policy one and that just makes me feel more insulted.  A good political move?  Pandering? About buying oil?

We all know we need to decrease our dependence on oil.  Hell, even Bush knows it and if he knows it, trust me, we all know it so why, in the face of raging cyclones and devastating earthquakes are the candidates not making the environment front and center of each of their campaigns?

Because we aren't asking them to.  Even on MOMocrats, if you look at the poll to your right you'll see how less concerned folks are about the environment over the economy.  But isn't that putting cart before the horse (ha, horsepowered carts!) because there is NO economy without our planet.  There is nothing. But there are also no quick fixes there, no incentives to drive votes.

And that's a shame on all of us. 

Dreams of A Mother: MOMocrats Readers Roundup

MOMocrats readers wrote passionately and eloquently this weekend in support of MOMocrats Dreams of A Mother Mother's Day tribute.  We thank all of you for joining us and encourage our readers to go check out these beautiful posts.

Aliki with some thoughts on motherhood

Mary with broken string

Maggie with dreams for our children

Urban Urchin with a mother

Amy with this mother's dream

Arleen with dreams of a mother

Tracy with dreams of a mother

Daisy with her post at compost happens

Ilinap with irony of motherhood

Diana with will dream for children

Amy with a mother's dream

Emily with alternative mother's day

Moondance with if i were a superhero

We thank each of you for joining our chorus and dreaming a little bigger this Mother's Day in the interests of our children and our planet. 

Go Read It: Racist Incidents Give Some Obama Campaigners Pause

You seldom--almost never--hear about racist incidents targeting the various Obama state or local headquarters. But they happen. And it's been a real education for the hard-working and dedicated volunteers of all races who do the on-the-ground work of ringing doorbells and making calls to voters on behalf of the Obama campaign.

For those local and regional campaign staffers, it's been an eye-opening experience to see and hear just what your fellow Americans feel emboldened to say about our possible first president who happens to be biracial African/European American. And of course, what won't get said, but just hangs in the air as "a funny feeling."

Go Read It: A Girl Named Stanley

Ellen Goodman makes a great suggestion to Senator Obama--that he start having a "gender conversation" with voting women of America who would otherwise support Senator Clinton.

I agree. Put it right out there on the kitchen table: let Obama show off what he knows about women's issues. Skeptical women may yet wonder, will he need spoon-feeding (so unattractive in anyone over the age of toddlerdom or younger than ninety-nine), or does he "get it" on his own? Support can mean 'not being an impediment', or support can mean 'taking proactive measures to ensure opportunities are yours.' Why is opposing "dumb wars" a women's issue (or a Latino issue too, for that matter)? How is the foreclosure crisis or the credit crunch a women's issue? The SCOTUS--a women's issue?