Women and Politics

United States
February 19, 2012 8:36am CST
I don't know how many myLotters are U.S. citizens and eligible to vote in the upcoming elections, or how many follow the goings-on of our politics here in the states - but I am curious to know what you all think of Rick Santorum's views on women? I am personally appalled at how backwards his thinking is. Honestly, I thought even for some conservatives the idea of women remaining barefoot and pregnant while fixing dinner and keeping the house immaculate went out the door a long time ago. The idea of men being in charge of everything is demeaning to women. I am well aware there are some Christians who go by the whole submission thing which I am also not in favor of doing because it basically dismisses a woman as being irrelevant. And I don't want to hear that it's based on the Bible, because much of what is there is an English translation - King James, for instance, was able to use the Bible to suit his purposes. Anyway, back to the subject! Any views on this!
3 responses
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
20 Feb 12
When I survey the destruction, broken women, broken homes, broken families, ruined children, all that has happened since the modern feminism movement... I'm not seeing that women are better off. As for me, the most happy women, content, and satisfied with life, I have ever met, have been the submissive ones. Starting with my grandmother, and my own sister. The most miserable, have been career women, who find themselves at the peek of their career, earning the most money, and the best position at a company... and yet found they missed their children growing up, and now they are gone. My own mother choose to work. It was her choice. I don't begrudge her choice, nor any other women. But if I can just tell you this, my mother was never there when I was growing up, and now she tries constantly to get me to go with her on vacation now that she's retired. She has all this money, all this free time, and no family. Me and my sister are both gone. She asks me constantly to go somewhere with her, but... I can't. I'm not mad her. I'm not trying to hold it against her that for 20 years that we didn't do much, because she was at a job instead of with me. It's just a fact.... I have responsibilities of my own now. I have bills to pay, and obligations to fulfill. So I can't do any of those things. And she's hurt by that. But again... it was her choice. She gave up being with her family, to be with her job. I've met many women who did the same, and regretted it later. For me... and this is only me, and I don't wish to force this on anyone else... I will only marry a women who wants to be mother, more than be an employee. If I meet a girl and she would rather stay at the office, that's fine for some other husband. Not for me. And this isn't for my sake. Of course I'd love having more money in the house. Who wouldn't? But life isn't about green paper, and stuff. And I don't want my wife regretting her choices, like my mother does now. No one should reach their 60s, and suddenly find out they missed one of the few things in life that matters, and unfortunately there's no 'do over' in parenting. You get one shot per kid. A career you can start over at any time and do it differently. But with kids, that child is in your house for no more than 20 years. Every minute you trade out being with your family, to be with your career, is one minute you can never get back. Yeah, there's a few that skip out on family, and never look back. But too many lose something they can't replace, and then they get bitter because all their wealth and status just reminds them of what they traded away for it. I wish more girls in their 20s, would consider these things before they reach their 40s and can't change anything. As for the Bible, of you don't have a personal relationship with the one true G-d of the Bible, then anything in there, such as the promises of rich rewards on Earth and Heaven, don't apply to you. In such case, I'd just ignore what it says. G-d promises of favor, do not apply to those who don't submit to G-d. You should bother yourself with commands that don't apply to you.
• United States
20 Feb 12
I would disagree with you on much of that, andy77e, all but your personal experience. I can't disagree with what someone else has personally been through. Many women suffered in silence back in those "good old days" of being submissive. They were miserable, unfulfilled - and bored. And why should the woman be the one who "misses out" on the kids? What about the father who works full time, or even two jobs, to provide so his wife can be home with "their" kids? The kids also grow up not knowing him. Is it simply because the woman is the one who carries the baby to term? What about those who adopt? No parent who had the child for good was pregnant with that child. My neighbors - when their daughter was a baby - realized the money they were paying for childcare was eating up one paycheck. It was the husband's check. The wife was a professional woman. They decided, together, that John would stay home with the baby. He hated going out to work anyway. He raised his daughter, took care of the house, had dinner on when his wife got home. Her career grew, and she moved up. Today their daughter is 20, in college, and incredibly close to both her parents. She admires both of them. She and her mom have always done stuff together. Not all women with careers neglect their children. We would have no actresses who have children if that were the case. Can you imagine going to movies with all male actors in them because the women all have kids and choose not to "work"? My own mother worked out of necessity because my parents divorced. I liked it. We weren't close anyway, even when she had been home. I was much happier when she was away at work. Now, I stopped working when I was pregnant with my second child. I was nearly 38 at the time, and felt a desire to be home with this baby. My son and I are very close - and I'm also close with my oldest, my daughter -who I had when I was 29. I started article writing on the internet a few years ago when Paul was still a teen. We needed the extra money then. I was never cut out to be a homemaker anyway. I never had dinner ready when my husband came home because I had too much fun with the kids all day. I hated cleaning, cooking and all that stuff. My husband knew that when we married and never expected all that from me. Instead, I took care of the finances because I was good with it. In today's world it's almost impossible to get by on one paycheck. And to ask a man to work two or three jobs is asking a lot. I would hope you can provide completely for your future family. But wouldn't you want a wife who could, if something happened to you, get a job? Some men become disabled accidentally or even die. Do we go back to the days when a woman would need welfare if that happened?
@ajk111 (2495)
19 Feb 12
being in the UK i am unaware of this persons viewpoint but i can safely say that if it happened here the press and media would crucify him and the pm would make them apologise and retract the statement. I do think from a personal point of view, again this is based on living in the UK, that when it comes to women in politics i was rooting for Hillary Clinton to win the presidential race as she had great experience to draw from and i found Obama was nothing more than a sow in a silk purse, all glamour and no substance.
• United States
19 Feb 12
I think I am ready to move to the UK lol....besides, many of my favorite t.v. series originate from there! Dr. Who, Torchwood, Catherine Tate show.... Seriously, though, I agree with your opinions on Obama. A nice guy, but all talk, a lot of rhetoric - yet no democratic action. I'll be voting for him because the alternatives are so much worse.
@ajk111 (2495)
19 Feb 12
good choices in tv progs, dr who, excellent! i agree about the politics, in the UK there is no choice either. they are all the same under different banners.
• United States
20 Feb 12
My whole family enjoys the good Doctor! The last Christmas special was excellent! I loved it when the woman called him "Caretaker" instead of Doctor.
• United States
19 Feb 12
I hate politics and I hate religious talks. Both make me sick. Too much hate in them these days. I stay away from them both. My life is much more happier and healthier.
• United States
19 Feb 12
Yes, there is much hate in them. I participate at times to see what is the source of the hate. Where has it come from? Much of it seems to be generated when the lines are crossed - religion/politics. Once the two are mixed hate seems to rear it's ugly head. It's fine to have opinions, to disagree, to engage in political or religious discourse based upon our disagreements. But to attack another's beliefs in a vicious, belittling way is wrong. I disagree with Santorum's views - totally disagree - but I would never stoop so low as to call him names.