The “Right” Women in Politics
Written by Audrie Zettick on January 15, 2009
In case you didn’t catch my post on Smart Girl Politics, here it is again. And it’s partly why I’ll be in their chat room tonight (1/15/09) at 10:00 p.m. EST to have some fun with like-minded folks.
I read with interest Michelle Malkin’s recent blog post on “Pelosi: We need more back-scratching Big Govt hacks in skirts like… It reminded me of how tough it is to be a female Republican.
When I ran for Congress (1990, PA-8), I had to put up with comments from both inside and outside the party. On the campaign trail, I had someone shout at me “why aren’t you home having babies” (that was from a democrat woman). I was interviewed for a news article in which I was asked how I’d handle family (I had no kids yet) if elected. Sigh. Instead of the clever retort of “do you ever ask the guys that question” I actually tried to answer. I noted that I’d deal with it, and bring kids to the Capitol if necessary. Then I received flack from some Republicans, who claimed “I’d be using taxpayer money for babysitters.” (Didn’t say the staff would be watching them).
My mom, Elaine Zettick, was the first woman elected County Commissioner in Bucks County, PA. She received flack for the structural changes she made to the Commissioners’ bathroom (the entrance from the back of the 3-commissioner area went only into the men’s room). She wanted to be able to use the shower there. She sometimes slept on her couch when events necessitated a late night stay up-county and she couldn’t make it home.
Even as a county commissioner, Mom sometimes had to sneak onto golf courses disguised as a man (registered as E. Zettick). Often, the only way to network with the “old boys” and big shots was on the golf course. (She’d beat them in the longest drive…proof that there is justice in the world).
Much has changed since the late 1970s and 1980s. But not everything.
As a Republican woman voter, I’d like to help elect more women. But more importantly, I vote for what is right for my country and state, not for gender politics.
One reason I’m involved in Smart Girl Politics is to help build a network of like minded women. Encourage them to be activists. Perhaps even run for office. Grow our “farm team.”
Then maybe my choices on election day could include the “right” woman.
Posted in: Republican, Uncategorized
One Response to “The “Right” Women in Politics”
In November 2008, two women were elected to the Board of County Commissioners in the western North Carolina County where I live. When they announced their candidacies, one of the (male)sitting commissioners made the following statement, “no housewife is going to decide where to put a sewer line in this county”. He made the statement at a public meeting with members of the press present. Guess who was quoted in the press the next day? Needless to say, many housewives knew exactly where he could put a sewer line. Did I mention he is a former county commissioner and we have two bright and qualified women on our county commission?
Speaking of qualified women and public office, I’m getting tired of all this discussion about “qualifications” for holding office whether it is Vice President (as in Sarah Palin) or senator (as in Caroline Kennedy). Has anyone bothered to read the Constitution? The qualifications for President as stated in Article II, Section 5 are as follows: thirty-five years of age and a natural born citizen. As I recall from my political science classes this applies to the Vice President as well. As far as qualifications for serving as a US Senator, Article I, Section 3 mentions the following: thirty years of age and an inhabitant of the state in which the person is chosen. I saw nothing that disqualified one because she had served as a small town mayor and only recently obtained a passport. There were also no prohibitions against saying “Ya know” repeatedly in interviews.
By Kathy E. on Jan 16, 2009