I've got a Binder . . .

Binder Full of Women . . . 

For some reason that's set to the tune of Pocket Full of Sunshine in my imagination. Lots of people have had lots to say about that sound bite, so I wasn't going to weigh in (flip comment on this post aside), but since a couple of you asked me to . . .

I was running late coming home from work Thursday night so only had to time to drop my purse and push the power button on my laptop before the debate started. The laptop was important because I must say that my favorite thing about The Twitter is that it provides a plethora of hysterically funny snark during events such as the Oscars and Presidential Debates. The fact much of the snark is also insightful adds to the pleasure.

Right off the bat I'm pretty pleased because unlike the first debate my candidate seems to be ON. That's a relief.

Then the frustration begins when, in my opinion, Mitt Romney will not answer a single question. My intelligence is already insulted from the feeling that he considers it plausible, even likely, that his vague assertions of "my plan will give you that" and "I'm not going to cut that" are supposed to be accepted by voters.

On first pass, the binder full of women comment whizzed by me as I was immediately stunned by the follow up about the need for a flexible schedule for women because of their responsibilities at home.

I may have actually said aloud (though I was the only one home), "Did Mitt Romney just tell me I should be able to leave work early enough to fix my man some dinner? 'Cause that's what it sounds like he just f***king said."

As the evening went by I read lots of tweets referring to the binder full of women and before the debate was over, I'd visited the genius Tumblr HeyVeronica had up so quickly after the remark was made that one can do nothing but gape in awe and hope she makes the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Certainly her moxie and intellect make a comical counterpoint to Mitt's assertion that he had to go looking for qualified women; apparently in all his time before becoming governor he never encountered (or if he encountered them he didn't remember them) smart, talented, well-qualified women. It rather boggles the mind. 

I was never going to like Mitt Romney's politics--but I never expected to so intensely dislike Mitt and Ann Romney. Every time I hear either one of them speak I have a visceral sense that they cannot fathom their privilege and their luck and therefore they are 100%  not qualified to be any part of running this country. None whatsoever. 

They seem to live in some parallel, behind-the-gates community where it's still the 1950s and women, people of color and the poor are considered second-class citizens whose needs and desires deserve no consideration and must be kept in their places at all times and costs and the white, male patriarchy's mission is to perpetuate itself.

I know that there are intelligent women I like and respect who will vote for Mitt Romney. I cannot understand it. I cannot ask them because it would be rude and and if I asked them I would be compelled to rebut their assertions;  in a month this election will be over and they will still be my friends and neighbors, so I will not go there. But I do not and can not begin to fathom how they can consider doing this to themselves and their daughters.

Bad Mom wrote a post about white privilege that I wish the Romneys would read. They probably won't, but you ought to. Like Bad Mom, I will never forget to be grateful to the women that came before me in the feminist movement and created a country that allowed me to follow my dreams--no less a wonderful gift because my dreams were fairly traditional and involved a husband and kids. 

Today my dream is that President Obama gets reelected; because a country run by the unempathetic likes of Mitt Romney sounds like a nightmare to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[JennyExplainsItAll.blogspot.com]

Two of my favorite comments on various posts, so far:

"Binder? I hardly know her!" -and-
"You brought her, you binder."

I can relate to the discomfort of having smart and wonderful friends and family who strongly believe in the Romneys, and his politics. (I'm related to a whole slew of LDS.) After the election I can stop biting my tongue because we'll have whomever we elected, and the vitriol will descend to its usual level. I'm a little afraid that something will go wrong at the very end and Romney will somehow become president. If that should happen, those of us who believe in women's rights--HUMAN rights--will have a lot of work to do. Again.

We'll see how Monday's debate goes. Love all the tumblr pics!

[kellyg]

The sad thing is (not that I really feel sorry for Romney or anything) that during debate prep someone gave Romney the bullet points from the Anne Slaughter piece from earlier this year in an attempt to appeal to women voters. And it could have worked. But then he went and Mitterized it.

(I have visions of Eli Gold watching the debate in the wings becoming apoplectic -- "NOOOO! That's NOT what we practiced!")

But, really, if even if Mitt had managed to make that point work, would anyone have believed that in Mitt Romney's work world any woman who actually used a flexible schedule would get the same consideration when it came to promotions?

[gary rith]

then there is the whole "didn't somebody say Mormons wear secret underwear????"...why hasn't THAT come up yet, hmmmmmmm? ;)

[Green Girl in Wisconsin]

I. Just. Cannot. Fathom any woman voting for those clowns.

[Claudia]

"Stop yelling at the TV. You're scaring the cats." Yes, this was said to me by my husband more than once during the debate. My biggest problem with this election has been the overwhelming number of out right lies that have been accepted and not refuted. Apparently to many people, if you keep repeating something often enough, it eventually becomes true. I'm a SO exhausted from living in a big swing state. Only 2 more weeks....hopefully with a good outcome.

[Martha Mc]

Thank you, Jenn, for expressing so well exactly how I feel about the Romneys on a personal level, politics aside.

I too cannot fathom any woman voting for the Republicans unless the one and only thing they are truly concerned about is abortion rights. Granted that's a huge concern for some, but there is so, so much more at stake for our country than to focus on one social issue.

However, I do have several acquaintances who are totally apolitical and freely admit that they pay no attention to any of it until it's time to go vote and then they ask their husbands for whom and what to vote.

Kellyg, I love the visual of Eli Gold becoming apoplectic!!! I will keep him in mind and hope he has reason to do the same thing this evening.

BTW, Jenn, thanks for the link to Bad Mom but I think it needs an "l" at the end. (Or click on the Header and it will take you to the post today.)

[Karen (formerly kcinnova)]

MR's seeming lack of empathy has also struck me dumb.

Claudia made me laugh with this: "Stop yelling at the TV. You're scaring the cats."
My 16yo son kept telling me to calm down, too.

[Susan Walker]

I am with you 100%.

I wish my mom were still alive to bounce this stuff off of; I can only imagine the witty, intelligent and snarky observations she would make. Even at her age, the prehistoric comments about women would've sent her completely over the edge.

WHY would anyone vote for that man? Why?

[Cha Cha]

Yes. Just a million times YES.

Thank you for so eloquently stating what I can only convey in grunts and profanity.

[Trudie]

Just reading about the debate after the fact made me growl loud enough that my dog came into the livingroom, wondering if he needed to rescue me from a scary monster...
Thank you, Jenn for putting into words the sheer rage RM can make you feel.

[Cassi Renee]

I'm right there with you. I don't actually have any friends who would vote for Mitt Romney, but I do have some female acquaintances and colleagues who will, and I can NOT understand it. I am always so irritated with women who live progressive lives, but vote based on a single issue, like abortion, and so chance ruining it for all the rest of us and our daughters!

[Christina Nowacki]

Do you need another "ditto"? :-)

I also scare my cats. And have a 16 year old who says "Mom, they can't hear you, you can stop yelling." and then I respond with "OK, let me play that back for you while you watch football!" ;-)

[Becky]

I'm with you girlfriend! Nice articulation of the situation.

[Aunt Snow]

I went into this thinking, well he's not so bad, also.

But he's that bad. He's worse. He's without principle. He will pretend to be anything. It's the most untruthful campaign in my memory.

THat, I think, is worse than if he were a hide-bound ideologue. He doesn't really care about political positions. He just thinks it's his turn to be president and he's going to buy it.