Time was when someone asked a woman how she was going to vote, she answered that was her husband's business. That time wasn't long ago either; I remember women making that statement in the 1960's as women still had the goal of getting married young, having babies, and working in between, as teachers, secretaries or nurses. 2012 will be another time when women's voice will be heard, and what they say might make a difference in the future of America.
There wasn't much for women then to do or dream about in much of America's past. The notion of running for political office wasn't something most women thought of at all. They still looked to their guys to figure things out.But things change, and after the 1964 Civil Rights legislation, expanding women's rights, women started to look for new things to do.
Many women, whose dreams were thwarted, are voting now; and their ideas will be part of the mix with young women who have realized theirs. Views on abortion differ by age group as does politics in general. But women historically have voted sympathetically as well, so their divisions might not be as absolute as when they are sorted out with the votes of men.
Now, as we look to the future, we can look to a possibility of a woman for President one day. Hillary Clinton came close to holding the banner of victory. Regardless of political persuasion, women loved it. She symbolized achievement, and it was hard to see her not the finalist women hoped.
We have other women these days, although some would argue not the same in terms of standing nor of style. But how they fare will depend on what they say and how they manage themselves, even as men are now judged. The sadness is our hearts and the knowledge how divided we've become. Women's longed-for dreams for a woman in the White House have materialized into a nightmare for many, even as those who never caught up continue following husband's leads into a world where women might lose a lot if the wrong kind of woman wins, a woman who doesn't support women's progress over the years.
2012 is on its way, and two women, Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin have been mentioned as Republican Presidential contenders. How will that impact the women's vote. Pollsters say the votes of women will count a lot in the next election. Both the Democrats and Republicans pursue women's votes, using the words they believe will move us to one side or the other. So with mixed feelings women will go and make that difference. Who knows what the difference will be, but given the controversies among women about Sarah Palin in 2008, it might be women themselves might not be ready to vote for a woman, if the woman does not measure up.
- Michele Bachman, potential contender for President
