So I’ve been thinking, in the wake of South Dakota, about ways to make the Democratic Party understand that we, we women, we activists, we Democrats, are serious about women’s rights and that we expect them to stand up for us – that we expect not to be slapped down, when we stand up for ourselves. And I’ve had an idea, that I want to share with you all, for feedback. Here goes…
What We Want: A 100% pro-woman nominee for President in 2008. This candidate should fully support a woman’s right to abortion AND birth control. This candidate should fully support an Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution.
Action We Will Take: I am proposing that we circulate a petition (draft text below) to members of Democratic County Committees, Central Committees, etc. By signing the petition, members would pledge not to support any candidate for President in 2008 who does not meet the criteria laid out above.
Plan: I would begin with my own committee. Several members have voiced strong support for women’s rights and interest in working on this issue. I would recruit volunteers to help, and gather signatures for the petition at our next meeting in late March. If the petition is successful, we would pitch the story to our local media. We would also send the petition with a letter to all known presidential contenders.
Taking it National: If I got 50 volunteers, each volunteer could focus on one state. Their job would be to (1) Call each County Committee in the state, (2) Find contact information for a women’s rights activists, such as the chair of a woman’s rights subcommittee if they have one, (3) Convince that person to circulate the petition in their county.
Goal: To obtain enough signatures to represent 51% of the members of each targeted Committee. To get media coverage of the successful petition in local media markets of each targeted Committee.
We, the undersigned, pledge not to support any candidate in the 2008 Presidential election who fails to uphold the rights of women. To earn our support, a candidate must:
- support women’s right to abortion, without restrictions such as waiting periods and parental notification or consent that are commonly used to restrict access to abortion.
- support women’s right to birth control, including emergency contraception, and oppose so-called “conscience clauses” that would allow health-care workers to refuse to provide birth control for reasons unrelated to the woman’s health or standards of medical care.
- support the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, so that low-income women may have access to abortion through Medicaid.
- support the passage of an Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution, guaranteeing equal rights for women and men.
If any candidate fails to meet these criteria, we will not contribute any money to that candidate, nor will we volunteer our time for that candidate, nor will we express public support for that candidate, nor will we vote for that candidate.
And that’s the petition. You guys may be wondering why I am choosing to focus on Democratic Committees instead of the general public. There are a couple of reasons for that. First, it makes the task a lot more manageable. Second is the practical consideration of the fact that that is where much of my work is focused right now. Third, is I think it’s a good, focused way to make an impact – committee members are looked to as the first and best foot soldiers in a lot of cases, and to have a bunch of them insisting on something is probably more likely to be taken seriously, both by candidates and the media, than to have a bunch of random people off the street insisting on that same thing.
So. What do you guys think? Is this workable? Do you have any suggestions for improvements? Should I specify primary AND general even though that will lower the number of signatures I can get and piss off some of my fellow committee members? My New Year’s resolution was not to give in to fear, and I haven’t broken it yet, so if that’s the best strategy, then piss them off I will. But I need to decide if it’s the best strategy or not.
Please give me your thoughts and feedback, I would very much appreciate it.
