Women Get the Right to Vote - and BLOW it!

February 5, 2008 · Sunday was the 138th anniversary of the 15th amendment's ratification, which guaranteed black men the right to vote in 1870. Theodore Shaw, of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, talks about the amendment and the later provision for women to vote.

The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1920, August 18, giving women the right to vote.

Why should women expect a woman President after all these years of men running this country? Well, case number one. Black men have had the right to vote since 1870. Women have only had the right to vote since 1920.

Men have run the United States of America since its inception. Some have done a great job, some a mediocre job, some like George W. Bush, a completely dismal job.

Hillary Clinton is an extremely viable choice for President. As a woman and a mother women should be able to identify with her. Our goals for this country seem to be similar. She's also tried and tested in the Washington establishment. She's already come up against the system and weathered it. And she's tough. She won't crack under the strain, unlike Obama who showed he could be rattled during the debate when he practically had a hissy fit sputtering out ..."well, I don't know who I'm running against, you or Bill..." to paraphrase his rattled response. If he can get annoyed and rattled during a debate, how can this man run this country? He's only been a Senator for 3 short years. Frankly, Hillary is one tough cookie. She doesn't crack, she doesn't crumble, she more than holds her own during interviews, debates, and press interviews/cross examinations.

I suspect men don't like her because she's as tough as they are. She's a threat. Finally, a woman who can run this country as well as a man, if not better.

So why aren't women in the United States uniting for this capable woman for president? Are they judgmental over her personal life? Are they swooning over Obama?

My friend was watching her 12 year-old daughter and her friends at a party the other day. The mother commented that the friends were a cute group. Her daughter seemed surprised, "Even Jenny??" Her mom, shocked at her daughter's clear disapproval of Jenny, remarked, "Why, just because she has braces right now, she's at a little awkward stage, but she's cute and has a great personality." To which her daughter, my godchild, rolled her eyes in disagreement. We discussed this judgmental attitude we women become accustomed to at an early age. We are competitive and taught by society to be the prettiest, the best and all for the attention of ... men, boys. Yup, that's what it boils down to. I think. It's the only explanation I have for most of the women out there who say they don't like Hillary and won't or can't support her.


Don't misunderstand where I'm coming from. I love men. I'm just tired of men always being in charge of the ecomony and waging war for no good reason. A woman in charge: now that would represent huge change.

What a shame. The first completely viable and strong woman for President we have a shot at in the history of our country, and she's struggling. There just are no words to describe my disappointment with my own sex. Oddly enough, most of my girlfriends are supporting Hillary and we are a sisterhood in agreement over this. Why aren't other women like us?? It's a mystery.

And I'll tell you this: Hillary Clinton can beat McCain. Barack Obama will not. Period. As a point of contention, which has nothing to do with race, none of us believes Barack would be a good President. Not at this time in history. Not after the mess that George W. Bush will leave this country in. None of us can in all honesty, vote for him if he's the nominee. We have all said we'd vote for McCain. At least he's not Bush and he's got more experience.

Let's hope and pray that Hillary Clinton can turn this around and finally appeal to women out there who should be supporting her. Because women of America, it's your loss if you can't support this totally capable woman. You are still buying into the patriarchal society of men ruling. And shame on you for not believing a woman can do a better job of running this country that the current man.