You courted us for months. We listened, we voted, now it’s time to address some of the issues that matter to us:
– In the debates, you said you listen to strong women. Well, show us by appointing more female Cabinet members than ever before.
– U.S. working women deserve access to guaranteed paid leave in connection with childbirth. The U.S. and Australia are the only industrialized countries that don’t provide paid family leave.
– Iraq and Afghanistan ratified the global Treaty for the Human Rights of Women. We’ve stalled for 24 years. Can we ratify it?
– Social Security is 51% of total income of elderly unmarried women, including widows, versus 37% for unmarried elderly men. Years of cooking, cleaning, child-rearing, low-wage jobs, nursing hubby. Now what? We’re supposed to eat cat food?
– Remember, we’re still fighting for equal pay. Women Still earn 76 cents for every dollar earned by men. So consider how important it is to raise the minimum wage and protect overtime pay.
– Make health care coverage a priority. Too many uninsured women skip doctor visits and preventive tests. The more of us who don’t have health insurance, the bigger the burden it puts on the entire health care system.
– About those caps on malpractice awards. Well, money talks. Otherwise, two dangerous IUDs and toxic tampons still would be on the market. Caps on pain and suffering harm women in low-wage jobs who get shortchanged when it comes to awards for economic losses.
– Restore full funding for the Violence Against Women Act. Battered women and rape victims need help. Ditto military women.
– We’re not all security or soccer moms. In fact, we’ re not all moms. Single women without children have concerns too…decent health care coverage, affordable housing, access to education, adequate retirement benefits.
WN
P.S. We know you’ll be busy the next four years, but check in with us from time to time. We’re good at giving advice.
