Political Rurality

The political rurality of the American Health Care Act is that it infects the very people who handed Trump the White House. Yes, those older, lower-income, conservative voters in rural areas like my native West-By-God-Virginia.

As if Republicans in rural areas weren’t already scared enough to come face-to-face with their constituents in town halls (much less even think about campaigning for re-election next year), they decide to inject a fatal needle into the hearts of the very people who voted for them.

Under the A.H.C.A, the taxes credits offered are tied to age are horrifically less helpful for low-income, rural, older Americans that Obamacare’s federal subsidies. Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office said that insurers could actually charge older Americans who enroll three to five times more than younger enrollees. Seniors in rural areas are already facing hardships paying higher premiums because there are typically less options for healthcare.

That being said, not only does the A.H.C.A. hurt individuals, it could signal the death of rural hospitals across the country. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid thousands who were previously uninsured, which then created new revenue for rural hospitals. In the past six years alone, over 700 rural hospitals have been forced to close due to financial problems.

So Trump promised to “Make America Great Again” then he and the GOP create a cancerous “healthcare for all” bill that leaves their top supporters literally dying and unable to get treatment. Wow DJT, you and your GOP buddies and billionaire pals are just cancerous for America.

Oh, and don’t even get me started on that Paul’s PowerPoint…

America: Land of the Homogenous? NO THANK YOU!

So Rep. Jason Chaffetz says, “Americans have choices, and they’ve got to make a choice. So rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and want to go spend hundreds of dollars on that, maybe they should invest in their own healthcare.”

And Rep. Roger Marshall says, “There’s a group of people that just don’t want health care and aren’t going to take care of themselves.”

As I try to wrap my head around those statements, I see a tweet, “Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can’t destroy our civilization with somebody else’s babies…”  by Rep. Steve King.

Now, “culture and demographics are our destiny”… that part I agree with. Unlike numerous countries, in America, regardless of your culture, where you were born, or what religious beliefs you claim, we’re all Americans.

“America” (and it’s three-part arrangement) has various and a multitude of origins, including Kemet, one of the most influential nations to emerge from Africa. “Am” also is a Swedish name for men meaning “eagle”, and a Swedish name for women meaning “of the moon.” “Erica” (the female form of Eric) means “honorable ruler” in German and “brave ruler” in English. I could go on and on, but you get the picture, Americans come from numerous cultures, ethnicities, and nations around the globe, which makes us the most beautiful, unique melting pot in the world. That we all should be proud of.  

And then I watched in sheer horror this morning as Chris Cuomo handed King a golden band aid opportunity to explain what he meant by “somebody else’s babies…”

“I’d like to see an America that’s just so homogenous that we look a lot the same, from that perspective,” King commented.

AHEM!?!?

Then in another comment, “…I’ve said… to any population of people that is a declining population that isn’t willing to have enough babies to reproduce themselves.”

So let me get this straight Congressman King, you're referring to the "white" population right? Right. So let's make sure to deport anyone who isn't white, make sure to take away access to birth control, reproductive health, and bye bye Planned Parenthood for those that remain that you feel are the "declining population"... so your white supremacist buddies can have their heyday and “American civilization” in your eyes will be replenished? What planet do you live on?!?!?

You, Mr. King, are precisely the definition of the declining population hundreds of thousands of Americans are happy to see go away.

And Congressman Chaffetz, your salary comes from taxpayer dollars. I’m sure you have no problem affording both healthcare the latest iPhone. If you weren’t too scared to actually have a real, in-person conversation with your constituents, you’d realize how insanely out of touch you all are with your constituents and with what it means to be an American.

Since we can’t rely on Betsy DeVos, we must rely on ourselves and one another to ensure every student in every classrooms gets the best possible education they can, and that education must continue at home during weekdays and weekends. We must teach our young folks what’s right and what’s wrong and most importantly, what it means to be a proud American.

Women's Groups & Organizations

Thinking of running for office or want to get more involved? Here's a list of pro-women organizations!

• Women Under Forty PAC (WUFPAC)
• NARAL Pro-Choice America
• Planned Parenthood
• National Organization for Women (NOW)
• Feminist Majority
• She Should Run
• Run for Something
• Running Start
• American Association of University Women (AAUW)
• National Foundation for Women Legislators
• League of Women Voters
• General Federation of Women's Clubs
• Women Impacting Public Policy
• National Women's Political Caucus
• Association of Women's Rights in Development
• Emily's List
• National Women's Law Center
• Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN)
• Ms. Foundation for Women
• Ellevate Network
• Equality Now
• Nobel Women's Initiative
• Women in Government Relations (WGR)
• National Association for Professional Women
• Center for Reproductive Rights
• RAINN
• Elect Women
• IGNITE
• Institute for Women's Policy Research
• National Democratic Institute
• Rutgers University Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP)
• Women's Campaign Fund
• Women Count
• Emerge America
• Women's March
• Real Women Run
• Girls Who Code
• Girls In Politics Initiative
• MA Women's Caucus
• TEDWomen
• PODERPAC
• Women's Campaign School at Yale
• Hearst Empowering Women
• Politico's Women Rule
• Girl Up 
• Democratic Women's Alliance 
• She Is Fierce
• HOPE Latinas
• Teach a Girl to Lead
• Political Parity

Know of one not on this list? Please share and I'll add it!

#ADayWithoutAWoman

Tomorrow women from sea to shining sea will strike to demand gender equality.Want to get involved? Here are a few ways:

Check out International Women’s Day’s website and #BeBoldForChange!

Join a #DayWithoutAWoman on the Women’s March website!

Join NOW here:-Resist Trump: Stop the Gag, Freedom Plaza, 11 a.m.: Marching to the White House with the Feminist Majority in fierce opposition to Donald Trump’s dangerous global gag rule–which restricts abortion access and endangers women’s lives worldwide.-Women Workers Rising Rally, Department of Labor, 3:30p p.m.: Standing with Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United and One Billion Rising to demand that the Department of Labor affirm fair treatment of women workers.

From MomsRising: Anyone, anywhere, can participate on March 8th in one or all of the following ways: Wear RED in solidarity with all women (This red can be worn in a private or public way, i.e. red socks count too!). If it’s safe for you, print and wear the MomsRising #KeepMarching paper button on your clothing (downloadable for free after you sign on in support of A Day Without a Woman). Avoid spending money (except at small, women- and minority-owned businesses that support gender, racial, and economic equity/A Day Without a Woman). Women, if possible and safe for you, do not do paid or unpaid work. 


How are you getting involved? Please share! 

Scary Campaign Promises Turn Into Real Reality

On this rainy, cold, post-March Monday, President Trump has showed himself again. This time not with “alternative facts” but by making good on his scary campaign promises. He signed an executive order reinstating the Global Gag Rule, an order that bans non-governmental organizations that preform abortion services from receiving foreign aid or any federal funding.

This audacious action comes on the heels of the largest protest in United States History, the 1.21.17 Women’s March. This past Saturday, we joined together in solidary to stand up the rights for women, men, and children across America and around the world. It was a day of healing for those of us who still feel as if Hillary Clinton’s defeat bears the same weight as your best friend passing away; a day of inspiration for all genders and all ages; a day of compassion; a day when we showed the world what a peaceful protest looks like.

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Our march continues! The organizers have set up 10 Action Steps, and thousands of women and men are signing up to become advocates for NARAL, Planned Parenthood, She Should Run, Vote Run Lead, and numerous other organizations. I ask anyone who reads this to make your voice heard consistently and effectively, from communicating with your local and federal elected officials to volunteering to help register people to vote to sharing your thoughts and feeling across social media, to starting blogs, and having conversations with your friends and family on a regular basis. The time is now, and if Saturday showed us all one thing only, it’s that yes, the force of America is with us.