Why Do Right-Wing Politicians Hate The Women in Their Lives?

 

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart 

Let’s take a look at something which I find extremely confusing. I understand that hardcore Republican voters are in decline: many of them are around my age. I am an original baby boomer. But this fact adds to my consternation.  

Donald Trump lost the vote of America’s women in 2016 and 2020. I am fully aware that the right-wing began a war on women in 1981 with the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, but why are they escalating that war in the 21st century? 

I don’t believe that Reagan was a misogynist. What I do know is that he was a religious zealot, an extremist, and his faith surpassed the rights of women regardless of their relationships to him or his constituents.  

MOSCOW MITCH LEARNED THAT DREAMS CAN COME TRUE 

Nearly two years ago a major goal of the old, white men on the right side of the aisle became a reality. After a 49-year fight, the law protecting a woman’s right to decide the future of her own mental and physical health was revoked by a politically biased Supreme Court. Roe v Wade was repealed by a vote of 6-3 on June 24, 2022, which has become one of the darkest days in America’s history. This proved once and for all that the will of the people is not represented by anyone calling themselves a “Republican,” and the Court is forever biased in favor of right-wing extremists, more accurately, “fascists.” Three justices nominated by Trump and confirmed by Moscow Mitch McConnell had a single qualification: they promised to overturn Roe v Wade. 

THE WAR RAGES ON 

The party of sexists and bigots celebrated their vile victory and then decided to escalate the war against their wives, daughters, sisters, and mothers. Their latest effort is to remove a woman’s right to access contraception.  

On Wednesday, Senate “Republicans” blocked a bill proposed by Democrats which would have guaranteed a woman’s access to all means of contraception in every state. 

“This is a show vote. It’s not serious,” GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said. “Plus, it’s a huge overreach. It doesn’t make any exceptions for conscience. … It’s a phony vote because contraception, to my knowledge, is not illegal. It’s not unavailable.” 

Cornyn is making a thinly veiled attempt to misdirect the fact that women’s rights have become a major issue in the 2024 election. 

I AM OLD AND REMEMBER WHEN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAD PRINCIPLES 

I know for fact that the Grand Old Party no longer exists. I am an Independent, and have been since I was first able to vote in 1968, at the age of 22. I was privileged to have many choices about which candidate would receive my precious vote: at least until 2000. 

The true Party of Lincoln believed in less government involvement in the personal lives of our nation’s people, supporting small businesses, and fair taxes for all Americans. This began to change in 1981. 

REAGAN’S WAY OR THE HIGHWAY 

Ronald Reagan was ambitious, not for all Americans, but to achieve his personal goals. I rank him as one of the five worst presidents in our nation’s history. It was he who began the right-wing's wars on the working class, minorities, all religions not deemed “Christian,” and women. Reagan is responsible for the creation of the Christian Religious Right. 

His policy as the leader of the Republican Party demanded complete loyalty without dissention. This takes us to where we are today. 

All right-wing politicians bow to the demands of the Christian Religious Right. This is why a woman’s right to decide the future of her own mental and physical health was repealed by a politicized Supreme Court. The growth in income equality is directly attributable to Reagan who ignored small businesses in support of the super-rich and large corporations. He was the first to grant huge tax breaks for the wealthy and their outrageously profitable corporations. His failed fiscal policy of “trickle-down economics” is responsible for our country’s national debt which exceeds 34 trillion dollars. His three Republican successors adopted the same failed policy. 

A PARTY DIVIDED DID NOT STAND 

Since 1981 changes began within the former Republican Party until it disappeared forever in 2017. However, this is one situation in which Trump cannot take all of the responsibility.  

Reagan’s successors were inept and lacked leadership ability. George H.W. Bush was a great American but an ineffective president. I often compare him to Democrat Jimmy Carter. Both men were admirable, but failed their responsibilities as our president.  

George W. Bush shared only one thing with Reagan. His party rubber stamped every action taken by the second worst president in history, refusing to offer their own opinions. His trickle-down economic policy, combined with placing our nation in two unwinnable and illegal wars, added trillions of dollars to the national debt. Then came Trump. 

Trump had no experience in government at any level. He was a failed businessman whose history was filled with crime and debauchery. His choice to adopt the same fiscal policy as his three predecessors, combined with his refusal to lead the fight against a pandemic, nearly caused a second Great Depression.  

THE RIGHT-WING'S HATRED FOR WOMEN IS COMPLICATED 

Presidents are not responsible for all of our nation’s successes, nor are they responsible for all of its failures. The demise of the Republican Party has its foundation in the Reagan administration, but in 2010 a small group of extremists, selected and paid for by the Koch Brothers and some of their closest billionaire friends, were allowed to run under the Republican banner. The TEA Party was the first major infestation within the GOP. 

Then, in January of 2015 Jim Jordan and a handful of far, far right extremists took control of the House. The misnamed “Freedom Caucus” was more extreme than the TEA Party. They are so far to the right, they must be labeled as “fascists.” 

Extremism created a deep division between right-wing politicians. When Trump was accepted as their leader, nothing resembling the GOP was left.  

Black Americans, Hispanics, non-Christians, and the LGBTQ community have suffered from bigotry and racism from the right side of the aisle. However, women may have been damaged the most. 

Prior to Trump, under the Obama administration, women made big strides in their efforts for equality. However, under the Trump administration, an organized effort between Trump, Moscow Mitch McConnell, and the Federalist Society began to remove decades of progress. Their efforts culminated on June 24, 2022, with the repeal of Roe v Wade by a sexist and bigoted Supreme Court. A very, very dark day in American history. 

Today, nearly 51 percent of our nation’s people are fighting for basic human rights, the right to make decisions about their own bodies.  

However, the sexists on the right have created a problem for themselves. In 2024, more women are registered to vote than men. The number of women seeking public office at all levels has grown significantly. Even the number of women enrolled in our colleges and universities has surpassed those of men. Change cannot be stopped. 

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF WOMEN 

Think about this possibility. If President Biden is reelected, and his accomplishments continue for the welfare of all Americans, Vice-President Kamala Harris could easily become our nation’s 47th president, and the first woman to hold that position.  

Our nation could face 16 years of prosperity under Democratic leadership. All of the damage caused by Trump could be reversed. 

“Hope springs eternal.” 

Op-ed by James Turnage 

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