Senator Gillibrand opened a big can of whoop ass on the GOP at a press conference yesterday in DC. This is about more than just the topic of HR3, she’s calling GOP on the carpet for their overall failure to address the real concerns of voters, and focusing their attention instead on limiting the choices available to women and micro-managing the decisions that should be left to patients and doctors.
Here's a transcript.
"There is no doubt that these bills show a heinous disregard for the health and well-being of women in America. It is a tax on all women who want access to a full range of reproductive health care. It undermines the woman’s ability to make her own decisions, the most important decisions in her life, with her and her doctor.
This is a bill that raises taxes on small businesses and doesn’t allow small businesses to make decisions about what’s best for their employees in terms of having a full range of reproductive care.
This election was about the economy. So I do not understand how this Republican Congress can move from that mandate to create jobs, to create opportunity in this country, towards how do we undermine women’s reproductive health? This is an egregious example of not only overstepping, but a misjudgment of what the American people want.
If the Republican Party doesn’t believe that 51 percent of America deserves equal rights in this country, they will have a fight from at least the people standing behind me and many, many more."
If you can't see the video now, make the effort when you get a chance. This is real evening news soundbite catnip. Gillibrand has grown very comfortable in the spotlight. She delivers this address in a manner that is simultaneously easy, righteous and fierce.
I rather love the way she tells the House, the Senate ain't backing down:
"...they will have a fight from at least the people standing behind me and many, many more."
And gestures to her colleagues behind her. For the record, this would include Sens. Barbara Boxer, Al Franken, Frank Lautenberg, Patty Murray, Richard Blumenthal. Politicospeculates they'll have the support of Senate Majority Leader Reid, and Boxer told reporters "I do think we’ll have 41" votes necessary to block any bills coming out of the House.
Now, Gillibrand's a US Senator, she can't say, "So, bring it on, m-fers!" but she might as well have. It was very strongly implied. You know she thought it.
New York Observer observed this:
It is interesting here that Gillibrand is making an economic argument to fight the Republicans pro-life efforts. Later in the press conference she calls their efforts a tax on small business and knocks the G.O.P. for breaking a promise to focus on jobs.
Short diary, I don't think there's much I can add to Senator Gillibrand's dressing down. Except to say, again, I'm proud to call her my own. She is clearly not a woman to mess with, and a someone who knows know how to utilize a bully pulpit to its full advantage.
Carry on, Senator.
Thanks to War On Error for drawing this Tweet from @WomensWorkUSA to my attention:
#dearjohn Searched my womb high & low and asked other women to do the same... We're in agreement, John, the JOBS you seek AREN'T IN THERE!
Hilarious and sad.
Update 1: Came to my attention Gillibrand is urging people to add their name to the petition to Speaker John Boehner to StopHR3, sign it here.
Update 2: Off topic, but of interest to this community. Previously, Daily Kos stepped up and very generously supported a fundraising effort I mounted on behalf of Delaware Right To Marry. The results are in, and it's good news: "The statewide poll of 605 registered voters found that a plurality (48%) of respondents favor "Delaware allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into same-sex marriages."
See Delaware Right to Marry's Diary for more info.