Alarming News: I like Morgan Freeberg. A lot.
American Digest: And I like this from "The Blog That Nobody Reads", because it is -- mostly -- about me. What can I say? I'm on an ego trip today. It won't last.
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler: We were following a trackback and thinking "hmmm... this is a bloody excellent post!", and then we realized that it was just part III of, well, three...Damn. I wish I'd written those.
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler: ...I just remembered that I found a new blog a short while ago, House of Eratosthenes, that I really like. I like his common sense approach and his curiosity when it comes to why people believe what they believe rather than just what they believe.
Brutally Honest: Morgan Freeberg is brilliant.
Dr. Melissa Clouthier: Morgan Freeberg at House of Eratosthenes (pftthats a mouthful) honors big boned women in skimpy clothing. The picture there is priceless--keep scrolling down.
Exile in Portales: Via Gerard: Morgan Freeberg, a guy with a lot to say. And he speaks The Truth...and it's fascinating stuff. Worth a read, or three. Or six.
Just Muttering: Two nice pieces at House of Eratosthenes, one about a perhaps unintended effect of the Enron mess, and one on the Gore-y environ-movie.
Mein Blogovault: Make "the Blog that No One Reads" one of your daily reads.
The Virginian: I know this post will offend some people, but the author makes some good points.
Poetic Justice: Cletus! Ah gots a laiv one fer yew...
In a week when much of the national media attention on former Sen. Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign focused on his views on contraception, the Gallup tracking poll showed Santorum’s support among women increasing by 12 points, vaulting him into a 10-point lead among women over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Time to get myself in trouble.
I believe women, by & large, have a lot of trouble making themselves heard when they perceive they are in the minority among — whatever. Especially among other women. They have trouble with this that men do not have. I see men who perceive they are in the minority among…conservatives, liberals, small-government libertarians, legalize-drugs libertarians, greenies, commies, pinkos, peaceniks, something called “neocons,” Obamabots, moonbats, Paulbots, Romneybots, Santorumbots, Newtbots, you name it. Very few among us are shutting our mouths when we perceive we are in the minority…even when we should.
Women, I think, very often fall into the trap of the dog being wagged by the tail. Some among them have become experts at the fine art of sounding loud even when you know damn good and well you’re in the minority. And the rest of the women are all too often intimidated by this. Here’s a great example: The notion that our economic suffering is linked to a deterioration of our values, this is not a male-only notion at all.
Admittedly, I do not know too many women who are opposed to gay marriage. But I can find quite a few of them for you, who agree with what I think about it, that it’s a complete waste of time and a deliberate distraction, it’s being artificially injected into the nation’s political discussions as a way of propping up an incumbent president whose policies have failed.
Conventional wisdom is that we have to run screaming away from Rick Santorum, arms flailing overhead, at risk of losing the chick vote.
Reality, as it often does, rises up to challenge the conventional wisdom. Hey, some women are mothers. When you’re a mother and you’re spending time and effort and energy and going through no small amount of angst to teach your kids the right values — at some point, you’re not just f00kin’ around anymore, you want the lesson to stick. No, I don’t think they leave it all up to the Dad to bellyache away about too much profanity on cable teevee. I think the women are worried about it; I think the women who are not Moms yet, but hope to be soon, are worried about it too.
No, women do not explode into hysterical rage when they see something reminiscent of the fifties; they do not go into meltdown at the sight of a jukebox or a poodleskirt. Or a Bible. That is, mostly, a fiction. Let’s call it an exaggeration. You can back it up with a few isolated examples, but they are the exception, not the rule.
My point is not that Rick Santorum is sitting on a mountainous reserve of feminine power. My point is that the power he does have here, is significant, if for no other reason than because it is well hidden. It isn’t fringe-kooky whackjob stuff, it’s moderate women who are tired of the way things are going and, like the men, are willing to do whatever it takes to change it.
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You’re not in trouble.
I don’t disagree and have been in plenty of situations as the minority and not spoken up for one reason or another. I usually have to get pushed to my limit and then spew.
While I supported Santorum in the caucus, I am having serious second thoughts now. He is a bit over the top socially conservative. Is it a distraction? Yes. Could it cost us the election? Yes, it might.
While there are a lot of demure females out here, there are also a lot of noisy ones. Komen found that out and caved quickly. Reading comments on the whole insurance/contraception hullabaloo on different news stories I am surprised at the women in agreement with the administration.
- tgoon | 02/22/2012 @ 09:32Maybe it’s just a concerted effort by the loud ones, but…….I worry.
I worry too…of course, I’m a Californian so who really gives a rip what I think. But you know what dulls down the worry is that it lurks behind every option. Women despise Newt, Women are soured on Romney, Women don’t like Ron Paul…so…some noisy broads have something to say against Rick Santorum. It’s not a concern to be ignored, entirely, but the fact remains that if everything is anathema then nothing is.
Rush was talking about this on Monday, how we had Soccer Moms and then we had 9/11 Security Moms and now we have birth control moms. Hey, he asks — how can you be a birth control mom? Isn’t that a contradiction?
It’s not a meaningless tangent. The history provides some evidence that where the female vote packs a wallop, it is draws its strength from a Mom vote. Well, Moms do have an interest in the contraceptive issue, a shop has to be closed down eventually…I think what’s going to be key to this, is defining Santorum’s positions accurately and facing down the “truth squads” to get the last word in. If he really is a Catholic Ayatollah trying to set up a theocracy, then let the plan stand revealed; if he isn’t, then let’s get that out there too. But the overriding concern needs to be not allowing the country to make such an important and crucial decision based on a falsehood.
- mkfreeberg | 02/22/2012 @ 09:41“Admittedly, I do not know too many women who are opposed to gay marriage…complete waste of time and a deliberate distraction, it’s being artificially injected into the nation’s political discussions as a way of propping up an incumbent president whose policies have failed.”
Who is also opposed to gay marriage. But ask your average Obama supporter, man or women, and it’s guaranteed by an overwhelming percentage and they don’t know that.
- tim | 02/22/2012 @ 10:30If he really is a Catholic Ayatollah trying to set up a theocracy, then let the plan stand revealed
You know, this is why I love Candidate Santorum. Not that I think he’ll be a good president — he won’t; he’s a squishy nanny-stater just like all the rest of them — but because it might finally get the left to shut. the hell. UP. about “theocons.”
Yeah yeah, I know — when have plain and obvious facts ever shut the left up about anything? But hear me out: They’ve been bleating for at least the past four decades that we’re thiiiiiiiiis close to The Handmaid’s Tale. If we do elect the most socially conservative candidate in a generation or more, and the sky doesn’t fall, maybe they’ll finally be [further] exposed as the shrieking, hysterical ninnies they are.
A guy can dream, anyway…. right?
- Severian | 02/22/2012 @ 11:37