It appears I was right.
So Democratic caucus chair Rep. Mike Turner lectured women’s groups for only showing up on the Hill to support abortion bills. Oh, whah. Maybe that should tell you something, Rep. Turner. Maybe the fact that people actually take time off of work and get a babysitter to show up and lobby on those issues should tell you it’s pretty fucking important to us! Get a clue, already. Thanks for not supporting us anyway.
And he wanted us to know that next year the Democrats may field a bill that would guarantee equal pay for women. So in other words, I guess we should feel grateful for whatever crumbs Rep. Turner and the Tennessee Dems throw our way. And hey, thanks for letting us know what issues we’re supposed to care about, too.
Equal pay is a great idea when people actually have jobs, but unfortunately the state’s unemployment is still above the national average and is only going to get worse, now that GM has shuttered its Spring Hill plant.
It would have been nice had the Republican-controlled legislature been on top of this, but they weren’t. Instead what we got this year was a bunch of culture-war legislation. Sadly, Rep. Turner, you and most of the rest of the Democrats in the state legislature came up a big fat zero on those issues.
And no, you don't get credit for defeating the Planned Parenthood funding bill, which was meaningless Republican political grandstanding at its worst. You don't get credit for doing what you're supposed to do. We're not stupid, we know Kabuki theater when we see it. Quit insulting us.
So while I appreciate the bone of equal pay legislation, I really would have appreciated your support in defeating SJR127 more. And guess what Rep. Turner: I don’t need you to tell me what issues I should care about.
I get what Aunt B. is saying when she points out:
Basically, we were chastised for not behaving like a proper special interest group.
Which, of course, we are not. We are, instead, half the population, and a hugely diverse bunch.
Of course. But it seems when women do show up to support an issue, we aren’t listened to anyway. So what’s the point?
