Campaign Season Shouldn't Center on Gynecology

COMMENTARY | I completely agree with Virginia Heffernan, who wrote at Yahoo! News' Machine Politics that there has been entirely too much focus this campaign season on gynecological issues and not enough focus on issues that really matter to women. Heffernan points out that in 2008, there were a lot of women involved in the election season, from candidates on both sides of the aisle to commentators and even entertainers. But there wasn't nearly the amount of abortion and birth control talk.

As a woman, the health care issues I think about in terms of politics and campaigns don't center around the subjects that are being hashed and rehashed this election cycle. I am, however, fascinated by the upcoming hearing by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the health care law. I am interested -- if the law is found unconstitutional -- in how candidates propose we fix the most badly broken pieces of our health care system. I am interested in how the government, with its much needed deficit cuts, intends to provide the necessary health services to the soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. I am interested in health care policy as it ties in to energy policy via the EPA.

I am greatly interested in energy policy issues. I am interested in how the candidates feel about energy as it relates to the provision of jobs. I am interested in hearing someone find that beautiful balance between preserving the environment and achieving energy independence and an economy where people are thriving instead of merely surviving.

I'm interested in education. I want to know -- if it has been agreed that the No Child Left Behind laws should, themselves, be left behind -- what's next? How do we improve public education in this country? How do we increase the ability of the up and coming generations to find jobs and compete on a global basis?

There are many things I am concerned about. But, like Heffernan, I'm tired of listening to men talk about gynecology. Indeed, let's move on to more meaningful things, please.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/campaign-season-shouldnt-center-gynecology-235200241.html

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