Women Issue in Presidential Race

Women's issues at centre stage in U.S. presidential race

U.S. Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks in Washington, Wednesday, April 4, 2012. (AP / Manuel Balce Ceneta)

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The Canadian Press

Date: Sunday Apr. 15, 2012 2:45 PM ET

WASHINGTON — The challenges facing American women have taken centre stage in the national political debate as President Barack Obama and Republican front-runner Mitt Romney do pitched battle for the hearts and minds of the country's all-important female voters.

Romney's attempts to stop a growing deluge of women to Obama were met with mockery on Sunday by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, who derided him for his claim last week that women accounted for a whopping 92 per cent of the jobs lost since the president took office.

"It's misleading and ridiculous," Geithner, making the rounds of the Sunday morning talk shows, said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "It's just a political moment."

Geithner conceded that the second half of the recession involved more female job losses due to teacher and education-related layoffs precipitated by state budget cutbacks.

It was mostly men, however, who found themselves out of work at the start of the recession in 2008 due to construction and manufacturing job losses, he said, meaning the pain was felt equally by men and women over the course of the economic downturn.

"The recession ... was already a year in the making before President Obama came into office," Geithner said.

"It's a meaningless way to look at the basic contours of the economy in that period of time, again because it starts artificially at a time when the president came into office and the crisis was still building momentum."

Politifact, a nonpartisan fact-checking organization, has in fact rated Romney's claim as "mostly false."

Nonetheless the so-called "war on women" has become a flashpoint in the 2012 election campaign, even before Romney was all but assured the Republican nomination last week when his only real rival for the crown, Rick Santorum, dropped out of the party's presidential race.

Polls suggest that Santorum's controversial stances on birth control and working mothers, in fact, sent women who consider themselves independent voters into Obama's camp.

A high-profile brawl earlier this year about access to birth control, resulting from Republican efforts to portray Obama's health-care policies as trouncing on the rights of Catholics, also put women's issues at the forefront of debate.

Republicans were hammered in public opinion polls on the issue, especially after conservative icon Rush Limbaugh called a Georgetown University law student a "slut" and a "prostitute" for her congressional testimony in support of Obama's policies on access to birth control.

Last week, Republicans had their revenge when a relatively obscure Democratic strategist, Hilary Rosen, said on CNN that Ann Romney had "never worked a day in her life." Even though both Obama and his chief strategist, David Axelrod, condemned Rosen for her remarks, Republicans said it revealed Democratic contempt for stay-at-home mothers.

"I made a choice to stay home and raise five boys. Believe me, it was hard work," Ann Romney tweeted shortly after Rosen's remarks.

The Romney campaign has since churned out bumper stickers reading: "Moms drive the economy."

It's all part of a full-court press undertaken by the Romney campaign to woo women away from Obama and into the Republican fold given female voters will likely represent almost 53 per cent of the electorate in November.

The former Massachusetts governor has repeatedly said during recent campaign stops that the president's policies have waged a "real war on women."

And yet a four-month-old video has surfaced that could prove damaging to Romney's efforts to portray himself as a white knight to stay-at-home mothers, in particular those who don't have the benefit of a spouse earning millions.

Shot in early January at a town hall event in New Hampshire, Romney spoke of his proposed welfare reform proposals when he was Massachusetts governor that would have required parents with young children to get jobs.

"I wanted to increase the work requirement," Romney said.

"I said, for instance, that even if you have a child two years of age, you need to go to work. And people said: 'Well that's heartless,' and I said: 'No, no, I'm willing to spend more giving daycare to allow those parents to go back to work. It'll cost the state more providing that daycare, but I want the individuals to have the dignity of work."'

Conservatives have long railed against welfare, advocating for policies that would force welfare recipients back into the workforce.

During his failed run for the U.S. Senate in 1994, Romney also acknowledged that many women have no choice but to work.

"This is a different world than it was in the 1960s when I was growing up, when you used to have Mom at home and Dad at work," he said. "Now Mom and Dad both have to work whether they want to or not, and usually one of them has two jobs."

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Politics/20120415/Womens-issues-at-centre-stage-in-US-presidential-race-120415/#ixzz1sBXeABrJ

women in the arabs

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/03/opinion/pelosi-women-africa-democracy/index.html

(CNN) -- Last month, a delegation of members from the U.S. House of Representatives, which I was honored to lead, met with inspiring women of North Africa who are helping to change the world.

In Cairo, Egypt; Tunis, Tunisia; and Tripoli, Libya, we held discussions with women who are committed to ensuring that women have a seat at the table and are able to succeed in this rapidly changing and strategically important region. It is an uphill climb, but there is no better time than the present.

The women we met were outspoken in their belief that the new governments must be truly democratic, and that longstanding biases against full participation by women in their society must be abolished. These women came from many different backgrounds and viewpoints, yet they are aware that while their moment is now, the obstacles are great.

Some had participated in the massive Arab Spring demonstrations that challenged decades of autocratic rule. Others had studied in the United States and other countries and then returned to build a future where women's voices are equal to those of men. Some are already serving in government but spoke about a need for more women to serve and to lead in forming new democracies in the Middle East.

One message came through clearly in every discussion: They look to the United States as an essential partner in their efforts to build democratic societies.

Women journalists played a crucial role in the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Women are already deeply involved in rebuilding the political and economic systems of their country. Although just 10 of more than 500 members of the new parliament are women, the signal we received is that Egyptian women are committed to expanding their influence and their ranks, and to ensuring that the constitution under development will fully protect the rights of women in Egypt.

Similarly in Tunisia, Deputy Speaker Mehrezia Labidi pledged to lead the effort for women's rights and secular law in her nation. Women already hold 26% of the seats in the Constituent Assembly, which is responsible for drafting Tunisia's Constitution.

The determination of Tunisian women has been demonstrated outside the legislative chambers as well. In the midst of unrest at the University of Manouba, a young woman watched outraged as a zealot tore down her country's flag, and she then courageously climbed the flagpole to restore the flag to its rightful place, winning the plaudits of her countrymen.

Fundamental to opening opportunities to women in public and private life is expanding their access to education. The young women with whom we met in Tripoli were unanimous in their belief that improving the quality of education for all Libyans is essential to the success of their revolution and the modernization of their country, particularly in light of the utter failure of the nation's secondary schools and universities under Moammar Gadhafi.

What I heard from the women of North Africa was a refrain I have also heard in Iraq and Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East: Women and young people are weary of war. They are fed up with leaders who use ideology, religion and war to distract from the real challenges to peace, prosperity and democracy: a lack of education, a failure to provide jobs and economic opportunity, and the subjugation of women. They employed social media such as Facebook and Twitter to circumvent the repression imposed for decades by autocratic regimes and demonstrated astonishing bravery to liberate their countries from tyranny.

They have succeeded in that first phase: Gadhafi, Mubarak and Tunisia's Zine el Abidine Ben Ali are gone. These young women are under no illusions about the challenges they face. They are deeply committed to building democratic societies, and they are looking to us. We cannot fail them.

Leaders throughout North Africa and the Middle East must honor the role women played in freeing their countries: All their citizens -- including women -- have important contributions to make at this historic moment. That is a lesson it has taken the United States many generations to learn, but it is surely one of the most important pieces of wisdom we can share with developing democracies around the world.

ch. 24

the main topic that this chapter is talking about is globalization, and how after world war 2 it had all changed. as many countries instead of trading and receiving products for certain countries, everyone as okay with everyone else. they all had used each other. for example, the barbie and ken dolls where a very popular thing as India made their own version sara and dara. both of these type of dolls were made in china. has they both use china for the making of the product and india and united states pay of the barbie and and sara dolls.

MLK and Gandhi Quotes

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” - Gandhi


"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King Jr.


I think that these quotes are the same because in life there is always a step they someone must go or look up to, to do well of believe that there is something good in life to look forward to. As Gandhi explains to live life to the fullest and make everything you did in life be known forever. as Martin Luther Kings explains it as you must walk up the stairs in life, yet the steps are not show as you must make your own staircase in life.

Ch. 23

Nelson Mandela became South Aftica's first black president in 1994. as he was sent to prison for 27 years for treason, sabotage, and conspiracy. in the late 1940s many countries ended the time of empires and got their independence. countries like india, pakistan, syria, the phillipines, jordan, and israel. this chapter to me is mainly about the inportance of many countries coming out of ruling of empires as they grew tired and opressed with the ruling. as there were many struggles in many peoples live trying to get their independence. as Mohandas Ghandi came in to this situation as he became the leader of the INC. as Ghandi as he attacked the mistreatment of untouchables in  India and the bad parts of modernization.as not many people agreed with the ideas of Ghandi because it was the time of when Muslims and Hindus are in conflict. as both Hindu got their independence in india mainly for Hindus and Muslims got their independence in Pakistan.

ch 22. Part 2

this chapter is is mainly about the Russians and the United States throughout the Cold war. as there has been conflict with both about missiles and atomic bombs in which they could use against each other. as then cuba came into this war against the united states, as Fidel Castro came into power in 1959. as Castro aligned himself with the Soviet Union. as this started the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962.

Section 5 and 6

works had to work a lot, that the fact that the working conditions were extremely terrible. working in the sun and spraying poisonous chemicals while they are working. as they work long hours and working in fields and hurting their back while trying to pick things up. as i read i felt shocked on how people could actually live and would have to work for this day after day. even if they get injured during work they must keep going because someone could replace them and will lose their job.

CH 22. part 1

what has this world come to where people would believe that the idea of communism many saw it as a promise of liberation. the root of the conspiracy of communism which was inspired by Karl Marx. in Marxist Theory of communism would be the final stage of historical development of social equality. in the 1970s about 1/3 of the world population was governed by communist regimes. the USSR almost immediately declared full legal and political equality for women.

Ch 21

this chapter talks about the first world war. The “Great War” of 1914–1918 launched a new phase of world history. By 1900, Europeans controlled most other peoples of the world. by around 1900, the balance of power in Europe was shaped by two rival alliances. which were the Triple Alliance who were entailed Germany, Austria, and Italy. and the triple Entente which included Russia, France, and Britain. these alliances turned a minor incident into World War I. it became a total war each country's whole population was mobilized. the Treaty of Versailles which was passed 1919 made the conditions that caused World War II. as this was a great world war that almost exterminated a whole race of jewish people.

Ch. 20 pp. 607-614

Getting a western education created a new identity for many as it was a better access to a better joband escape from obligations like forced labor. as many people embraced the european culture. many western educated saw colonial rule as a path to a better future. as well as religion was a big factor. as  the widespread of conversion to christianity in new zealand, the pacific islands, and non muslims in africa. as there were more than 10,000 missionaries in africa by 1910. and by 1960s more than 50 million aficans were christians.

Ch 20 pp. 589-606

The period 1750–1900 saw a second, distinct phase of European colonial conquest. They paid attention on Asia and Africa. as many other people came into this which were Germany, Italy, Belgium. this second of the European  empires was based on the military forces and the threat of using them.European takeover was very shocking for the colonized people.

Ch.18 pg. 541- 556

Through time the expansion of industrialization spread into the United States and in Russia. It had begun through Western Europe. By the 1900s it was established in the United States, Russia, and Japan. Where ever industrialization begins, its has the same outcome all over. Such as the aristocratic, artisanal, and peasant classes declined, middle-class women withdrew from paid labor, and the establishment of trade unions and socialist movements. The United States began their American Industrialization with New England Textile and it was enormous growth after the Civil war. By the 1914, the United States became the leading industrial power.

Ch. 18 527- 541

The expansion of industrialization was one of the elements that transformed Europe and many societies embraced the idea of the industries, but Mahatma Gandhi disliked and criticized it for its economic exploitation.  The numbers in the global industries had increase very quick. In the 1400 there were 375 million works and in the eighteenth century there were over one billion workers. As industrialization became global the growth of fossil fuels became very useful and a great energy us for human use and gave an enormous increase output of goods and services.

Ch. 17 Echoes of Revolution

In the time of the revolution, there were also different problems that the Americans and the French wanted to take care of, and that was to abolish slavery. Many Enlightenment thinkers believed that it was not necessary to have slaves to make an economic profit. Religious groups, especially Quakers and Protestant evangelicals, went against having slavery and wanted it to stop. This issue was very big in Britain, and there were many movements. In 1805, Britain forbade the sales of slavery, on 1834 Britain emancipated all slaves.

Chapter 17 pg504-507

The French Revolution was in the 1789-1815. Thousands of french people had fought for the American revolutionaries.  The French government was going into bankruptcy, and they attempted to make a modern and fair system, but the rich class opposed this. King Louie XVI called the Estates General in efforts to raise new taxes. In 1789 the Estate general convened, and the third estate representative broke loose and declared themselves a National Assembly.

Ch. 17 pg. 499-504

• The Atlantic Revolutions had an impact on the world of the Atlantic World. Such as the French invading Egypt, Poland, and Russia. their inspiration to invade was to abolish slavery, give women a more rights and to extend their franchise in other countries. 
• Many other revolutions had influenced each other such as North America, Europe, and Latin America. They have all shared many common ideas like they grew out of the European Enlightenment.
• American Revolution was a conservative political movement  which they aimed to preserve colonial liberties instead of gaining new ones.
• the French Revolution the French soldiers fought for the American revolutionaries. The french government was facing bankruptcy.

The Americas

I found the reading from the packet to be really interesting because I dont understand why they would separate nations about being an american. that when i went to mexico to visit my family, the people from there would tell me that i was an american, they would say that i am a notreamericano. I just found that interesting because they did not refer me as just an american, but an american from the north. It explains that there are many names for americans such as Anglos, Afros, indios, Latinos, Caucasian. I think it is just odd the people from North America just refer to themselves as Americans, and they call one another different names, in which we are all from and in the Americas, no matter if its the North or the South.

What is Enlightenment?

I can honestly say that i have no clue what the hell this handout was saying. I was very lost in the reading and I had to read it a few times over again. I guess the only thing that I understand is Enlightenment is man's release from his incurred tutelage. And that Tutelage is man's inability to make use of his understanding without direction from another. For example, my inability to understand what the packet is trying to say or wanting to teach me. you can get help from others but sometimes you cannot be to dependent because it will all in disaster if eventually you are on you own. If people are to dependent on others, they will lack the ability to think for themselves.

Ch.16 pg. 477-488

• the Scientific Revolution was an intellectual and Cultural change that happened between the mid-sixteenth century and the early eighteenth century. in which they used the methods of science to to explain the world. it had also challenged the teachings and the authority of the church. as well as the ancient hierarchies and political systems. 
• The conditions of European were very favorable to rise in science because of the evolution of the legal system and it had guaranteed  independence for institutions. which universities became zones of intellectual autonomy.
• Educated- Europeans had dominated by seeing the world before the Scientific Revolution as it has resulted from Aristotle and Ptolemy. Which the earth is the center of the earth and the universe sun , the moon and stars revolve around it.

Ch. 16 pg. 461-477

• In the modern time the religion of Christianity began to spread throughout Asians, Africans, and Native Americans. soon began its first time to be globally recognized. at the same time the Scientific Revolution also begins to spread throughout the people. they both got the attention of people and cause a new cultural encounter in people.
• Spaniards and Portuguese made the spread of Christianity oversea and wanted to expand and then began their crusades combining religion and material interest.
• Christianity had reached China in the time when the Ming and the Qing Dynasty.
• Jesuits had targets mainly official Chinese elites.  Many of the Chinese people did not convert. is was one of the things that if not everyone was going to convert to Christianity then no one was.

Chapter 15 pg. 449- 458

In the 1500s to the 1866 there were over 12 million slaves that were taking from their homes and now are used for slavery. about 10.7 million were in the americas. i found this to be very tragic because millions of slaves were captured and about 1.7 million were killed during the process to they were just capture to die. Slave trade changed society because since many people bought slaves those how were selling them made profit and enriched many people. Children were also taken, but sometimes they were free and other times were sold for slavery.

Ch. 15: Global Commerce 1450-1750

• the chapter is mainly about the trade network that shaped up the world between the 1450-1750.
• the Europeans were very interested in long-distance trade as they break into the Indian Ocean spice trade.
• Europeans wanted a commercial connection with the Asians.
• Both Vasco da Gama and Columbus wanted routes to Asia because their main object they desired were spices.
• Spain and Portugal both want to take control of the Asian trade.
• This is very interesting to me how many of these people would just fight and go such distances for spices and other things like slave trade.

Sugar Handout

• Western Europe had many trade routes in which exported their good from other countries but there one main source was sugar.
• Yet the Europeans where not the only ones who wanted the sugar. The British and the French people also wanted to obtain such a source like sugar because they are royalty.
• It surprises me how such people can fight for a source that everyone can have, like today, sugar is everywhere and with everything we buy has sugar. I just wonder if there was one source only one person could be able to control.

Chapter 14 pg 417-430

• Russian empire in Moscow being to emerge in the 1500 and it began by conquering neighboring cities. Over three centuries and it grew to an enormous empire.
• Russia pressured others to become Christians and they made it possible because of their modern weapons and organization. Brought a big epidemic to the natives of Siberia because they were not immune to the smallpox and measles.
• Asian Empire expanded from the North and the West from 1680-1760.  Soon evolved into a Central Asian empire.

Chapter 14

• European Empires mark there expansion by going into the Americas.
• The Spaniards going into the Caribbean and invading the Inca and the Aztec empire, the Portuguese in Brazil; the British, Dutch, Colonies in the North America.
• The Europeans had taken over most of the Americas in the mid-nineteenth century.
• The reasons why the Europeans had such power controlled the America was because the had a huge rivalry with other empires the there was the need to compete with each other and conquer land. the reason why it was the Americas is because of there position for their empire, and the Americas was the closest them.