A Green Road Blog 

It might seem hyperbolic to say that Republicans have declared a war on women.

Sadly, it's not.

Just take a look at the top 10 shocking, crazy things Republicans have proposed in recent weeks. If you think this constitutes a war on women, please share this email far and wide—forward it, and post it on Facebook and Twitter. 

I wish I could say these were the only examples of the Republican war on women. But it's just a sampling, and more is sure to come—unless we raise a ruckus and call them out. So please, share this email today.

Thanks,

Kat

1) Republicans not only want to reduce women's access to abortion care, they're actually trying to redefine rape. After a major backlash, they promised to stop. But they haven't.

2) A state legislator in Georgia wants to change the legal term for victims of rape, stalking, and domestic violence to "accuser." But victims of other less gendered crimes, like burglary, would remain "victims."

3) In South Dakota, Republicans proposed a bill that could make it legal to murder a doctor who provides abortion care. (Yep, for real.)

4) Republicans want to cut nearly a billion dollars of food and other aid to low-income pregnant women, mothers, babies, and kids. 

5) In Congress, Republicans have proposed a bill that would let hospitals allow a woman to die rather than perform an abortion necessary to save her life. 

6) Maryland Republicans ended all county money for a low-income kids' preschool program. Why? No need, they said. Women should really be home with the kids, not out working. 

7) And at the federal level, Republicans want to cut that same program, Head Start, by $1 billion. That means over 200,000 kids could lose their spots in preschool.

8) Two-thirds of the elderly poor are women, and Republicans are taking aim at them too. A spending bill would cut funding for employment services, meals, and housing for senior citizens.

9) Congress voted yesterday on a Republican amendment to cut all federal funding from Planned Parenthood health centers, one of the most trusted providers of basic health care and family planning in our country. 

10) And if that wasn't enough, Republicans are pushing to eliminate all funds for the only federal family planning program. (For humans. But Republican Dan Burton has a bill to provide contraception for wild horses. You can't make this stuff up).

Sources:

1. "'Forcible Rape' Language Remains In Bill To Restrict Abortion Funding," The Huffington Post, February 9, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206084&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=6

"Extreme Abortion Coverage Ban Introduced," Center for American Progress, January 20, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=205961&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=7

2. "Georgia State Lawmaker Seeks To Redefine Rape Victims As 'Accusers,'" The Huffington Post, February 4, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206007&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=8

3. "South Dakota bill would legalize killing abortion doctors," Salon, February 15, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206102&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=9

4. "House GOP Proposes Cuts to Scores of Sacred Cows," National Journal, February 9, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206103&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=10

5. "New GOP Bill Would Allow Hospitals To Let Women Die Instead Of Having An Abortion," Talking Points Memo, February 4, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=205974&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=11

6. "Republican Officials Cut Head Start Funding, Saying Women Should be Married and Home with Kids," Think Progress, February 16, 2011 
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/16/gop-women-kids/

7. "Bye Bye, Big Bird. Hello, E. Coli," The New Republic, Feburary 12, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206104&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=12

8. "House GOP spending cuts will devastate women, families and economy," The Hill, February 16, 2011 
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-a-budget/144585-house-gop-spending-cuts-will-devastate-women-families-and-economy-

9. "House passes measure stripping Planned Parenthood funding," MSNBC, February 18,2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206122&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=13

"GOP Spending Plan: X-ing Out Title X Family Planning Funds," Wall Street Journal, February 9, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206105&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=14

10. Ibid. 

Birth Control for Horses, Not for Women," Blog for Choice, February 17, 2011 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=206106&id=26180-9995082-mtTePWx&t=15

As we move into election season, we wanted to send you a quick update on our big campaign to challenge corporate influence and thank you for your good work!

We started this campaign, at the beginning of the summer, not knowing how many candidates we'd be able to get to commit to our effort and believing that only a massive grassroots effort would make this campaign possible. Thanks to your incredible work, that campaign has blown away this summer's goals.

In fact, nearly 200 candidates and members of Congress, along with 500,000 individuals, have endorsed the Fight Washington Corruption pledge—our three-part blueprint to overturn the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling, enact publicly-financed elections, and reduce the influence of lobbyists in Washington.

Thanks in part to our work together, corporate lobbying and influence have become increasingly important themes in the election. Just last week, for example, The New York Times ran a front-page profile of Republican leader John Boehner focused on his links to corporate lobbyists¹. And candidates like Paul Hodes in New Hampshire have come out with new plans to shut the revolving door between government and industry².

Meanwhile, though, the problem is only getting worse. In the wake of Citizens United, corporate interests are spending an astounding $400 million to buy the election for Republicans³. Which is why our focus between now and November needs to be on supporting the candidates who've stood up against corporate influence, and beating back the hostile corporate takeover of Congress!

Succeeding in this election will be tough, but thanks to the amazing work that you and other MoveOn members did on this campaign over the summer we now have a solid foundation for taking on these Republicans and the corporations behind them. We'll be in touch soon with ways you can get involved in the election your area, but for now, thank you for your commitment to this campaign and to our cause.

–Ilyse, Justin, Ilya, Jeff, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "A G.O.P. Leader Tightly Bound to Lobbyists," The New York Times, September 11, 2010 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90358&id=23465-8424909-2sZQT.x&t=1

2. "Hodes Announces Plan to Stop Washington Lobbyists' 'Revolving Door,'" press release, paulhodesforsenate.com, August 4, 2010 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90357&id=23465-8424909-2sZQT.x&t=2

3. "Conservative Groups Gearing Up To Spend $400 Million On Midterm Election," Think Progress, August 27, 2010 
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=90215&id=23465-8424909-2sZQT.x&t=3

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way

: Counter corporate control of our democracy

Hi,

I just signed the "Fight Washington Corruption" pledge to get Congress to stand up to corporate influence over our democracy.  You can sign at the link below:

http://pol.moveon.org/pac/sfd/ratify/local/?r_by=22024-8424909-deM0Zwx&rc=confemail