Dispatches From The War On Women: Is Pres. Obama Too Paternalistic To Women?

Welcome to Dispatches, your round-up of the latest news from the frontlines of the War on Women. Have a story from your state or an idea on how to push back? Share them here and fight back against the War on Women.

Mitt Romney and the Republican party continue to enlist surrogates to conduct image repair with women voters. The latest such surrogate is former CNN anchor Campbell Brown who wrote in the New York Times that she feels the president speaks in a way that is “too paternalistic” to women by focusing on social welfare programs. She later accused the president of heaping “fake praise” on women, most recently at the Barnard graduation, as a way to try and gain favor. By the way, Brown’s husband is an adviser for the Romney campaign. More importantly though, let’s not forget that for women social issues are economic issues.

What are American women doing for work these days?

On the reproductive rights front, Robin Marty reports on the link between anti-abortion activist group the Susan B. Anthony List and the Koch Brothers.

Slow clap for the state of Missouri who closed their legislative session without passing education reform, or job creation bills but did manage to pass yet another abortion restriction bill.

The University of Notre Dame became the latest Catholic institution to challenge the Obama contraception mandate in court, bringing the total number of legal challenges to more than 30.

The Supreme Court delivered a unanimous opinion that children conceived via IVF after a biological parent has died are not “children” for purposes of collecting Social Security survivor benefits.

I always suspected the Ron Paul camp would get along smashingly with the Michele Bachmann camp. Looks like I was right.

Is Pinterest feminist? Can it be?

There’s something bothersome about this “meat eaters are macho” message.

Occupy Wall Street holds its first feminist general assembly. Good.

For all the bad news, there are a couple of fantastic stories of empowerment and progress. Like this must read: A Message to Girls About Religious Men Who Fear You.

And this is the best media development of recent memory. Melissa Harris-Perry interviews a panel of young women about feminism today and whether 2012 might be the year of the young woman. That’s right. Actual young women being asked about actually being young feminists. It’s groundbreaking stuff, despite the fact that it shouldn’t be.

Thanks for checking back and don’t forget to send in your stories, suggestions and comments. We’ll be back each weekday with the latest in the best and the worst from the War on Women. So long as the battle rages, we’ll cover the latest, so please check back!

Photo from AN HONORABLE GERMAN via flickr.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Marsha L.

9:49AM PDT on May 28, 2012

David, you are a man of great wisdom. Seriously so. I am a 70 year old woman who has worked for women's rights since childhood, because my mother did. As an adult I made the decision myself. The story is long. I simply had to comment on my respect for your post.

I will vote for Obama again. I see him as a sincere, loving husband and father. He has had a difficult challenge, following the extreme decline from the last administration, with the economy and I cannot imagine myself running again after all he has been through. In all my years I have NEVER seen so much hatred toward the opposite party and so much disrespect toward fellow Americans as the far Right has for Democrats/Liberals. Hate is far from moral decency that the right screams.

But bottom line, I could not have written a better response than you have and I really hope that those of us, on this side, do not stoop so low as to behave the way they have...

May 28
send a green star

Dominic C.

10:46PM PDT on May 27, 2012

I definitely agree with David. The GOP is going to restrict more and more of women's rights especially in the area of productivity. Obama and the Democrats are only trying to give the women their choices.

May 27
send a green star

Patricia M.

8:21PM PDT on May 24, 2012

Yes it has been an uphill battle for President Obama all the way. Even some birth jerks in AZ. still looking into the President being born in HI, our 50th state...

What a rude ignorant bunch of Republicans trying to get into the Presidency and to enforce the Re[ublicans and every corporate crook backing them...

I feel Obama is not a woman hater and is really sincere when it comes to his female praises... Of course this adverse commenting is coming from the Republicans who want to enslave women and theri rights, and Romney's wife, by him, will eventually be dispensed with if all Republicans get their way. President Obama is a true family man, loves his children, loves his wife of many years, yet you want to believe this scandal, well shame on you all...

May 24
send a green star

Michelle G.

11:47AM PDT on May 24, 2012

Are you people all high down there?? After the last two Republican administrations, this poor guy has had to fight an uphill battle just to keep you stabilized. Now, anyone that would believe anything the far right freaks would say about anything would have to be totally brain washed, or just want to believe it. It is the Christian way to put women in their place. The fact that they should say some such thing with no back up for their logic, just shows how insidious they really are; And they are. It scares me to think that any of the Republicans running would actually get elected. Back you would go into the dark ages again. Too bad they can only fight their battles on issues such as sexual orientation and slandering others. If it came down to anyone actually talking about issues that affects all Americans, they would certainly flounder and run interference with some fear mongering, or twisting of the truth. That is what they are best at.

Alice A.

9:51AM PDT on May 23, 2012

Stop the war on women!!!!!!!!

May 23
send a green star

Julie D.

10:56PM PDT on May 22, 2012

I think President Obama has a very healthy respect for women, he is the father of two daughters and was raised by his grandmother. He has been very proactive in his support of womens rights and continues to be, even extending his support to gay women. I have no problem with our Presidents attitude towards women, I like it!

May 22
send a green star

Ernest R.

9:00PM PDT on May 22, 2012

@ Barbara H. “Heaven help us when people are not allowed to run for office in America.” Yes. Just imagine. We wouldn’t have our elected representatives to make sure our country was free and fair, and if we did have them, they would be bought and paid for by secret sources. We would probably have corporations and other big bucks types running the country to suit themselves and ignoring the cries of pain from the jobless huddled masses. Yes, heaven help us.

Jane B.

8:57PM PDT on May 22, 2012

Well, Newt was on TV a lot and he's such a mean, nasty, lying, arrogant prick that I just had to mention him. I know that all of Congress is STILL doing insider trading and it's DISGUSTING.
THEY get to do insider trading and it's a CRIME but Martha Stewart got jail time. We should throw every one of those crooks out on their @#^. Our whole government is run by thieves.

Carolyn S.

8:41PM PDT on May 22, 2012

President Obama is NOT paternalistic towards women. What a ridiculous question.