Women seeking more leadership roles in statewide political scene
September 4, 2012 at 1:06 am in Grand Forks Herald
In its 123 year history, North Dakota has sent one woman to U.S. Congress, Jocelyn Burdick in 1992, to serve out the remainder of her husband’s term after he passed away. Her Senate tenure lasted three months. Continue Reading
“In North Dakota, 22 percent of township officers are women, they make up 14.9 percent of the state Legislature, and account for 6 percent of county officials.”
AND they make up 51% of the population. Talk about the ultimate under-represented minority.
I would vote for either simply to make a statement.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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good idea.
Vote to make a statement instead of voting for the best possible candidate.
This is why our country is in such a mess.
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Captain: are you arguing that white middle and upper class men have done such a bang up job for North Dakota that they should be sent back without question? I would argue that changing things up a bit, for whatever reason, could not lower the bar any. It is almost underground as it is.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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how about voting based on an informed decision?
Voting based on gender or color is not using your head.
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The point Captain is representation. If you are 51% of the population but only 16% of the people who make decisions, how represented are you?
I do not blame the old white guys for trying to maintain the status quo. I do blame those with internal plumbing for sitting by while someone else makes the decisions that affect your life.
Women view the world differently than men. That is a fact. If you want your world view represented; you have to vote it in.
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Her sex is not a reason in and of itself to vote for Heitkamp, but it should give people an opportunity to reflect on our history of sending only men to Washington.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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okay i reflected.
Women in North Dakota are traditionally and historically stay at home moms on farms etc…
The state isnt that populous to to the point that females are growing up with the fire in the belly to run for politics and do the jobs traditionally done by men.
That is starting to change. that is a good thing.
But lets not pretend to be surprised that with our small population that we are just now getting to this point.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Captain: do not delude yourself with red herrings about population. Culturally ND is the land that time forgot. As Gene and I have discussed numerous times, to say ND is stuck in the 1950s would be an understatement.
No one likes change. Inertia is a very real thing in any society. ND has turned this aversion to change into an art form.
I will intentionally and with malace and forethought do whatever it takes to assist ND into the later 20th century. That includes voting for someone that I might not agree with 100% politically simply because they come from a different background – and therefore have different influences and beliefs. That is how change happens.
Going for the 21 would be too great a stretch at this point.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Capt, I think they are making some solid points about certain offices have been run by old white males forever. It is time for a change and to step up for women in ND. Let’s support Kristen Baesler for Dept of Public Schools or Public Construction. This non-partisan office has been run by rich, white males for too long…
Hot debate. What do you think?
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dont get me wrong, i am all for women running for office.
But no matter what, i will always vote for the best most qualified person regardless of color or gender or political affiliation.
I agree change can be a good thing but i need to be sold on the plan before i will just vote for someone because they say they will do it.
and in my opinion, to just vote for someone simply because they are a man/woman, black/white is insane.
Homework first, then vote based on what your homework tells you.
But to state it out right, i am not against women running for office.
I personally think Hillary should have been put on the ticket and Obama removed.
and deep down inside, i had actually hoped for Condaleeza Rice to get the GOP VP nod.
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Capt, I agree and always vote for what in my view is the best candidate. I was waiting for the libs to attack: when it isn’t the correct female or minority candidate-like Palin or Clarence Thomas. As you probably know, Kirsten Baesler is a good looking conservative running for an office own by white male liberals forever. They must be watching the Clinton speech…
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I would not advocate voting for someone based on sex, race, religion or lack of, sexual orientation or any other simple demographic trait. To do so is not only stupid but is also racist, sexist, anti religion orientation, homophobic……. It is no different than refusing to vote for someone based on these factors. Welcome to the same level as the KKK boys.
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Could not disagree with you more. I vote based on peoples record and what they stand for. If their status as a minority has given them some special insight it would be reflected in those areas not in simple demographic differences.
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Glen, if you never get elected you have no record to choose from. One woman in 100+ years?
Woman view the world differently than men do. Having to care for babies whether or not the sperm donor sticks around will do that to you.
People of color view the world differently as well. Having a high school drop out get the job when you have a degree will do that to you.
People of differing religious traditions view the world differently than WASPs. Having people spit on you or beat up your kids because they wear a hajab or have side curls will do that to you.
The question is: do we value and actively seek out these differing world views or do we try to marganalize them because they are different than ours?
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Oh sure Fly. You put white males in the lead role. You went Hollywood on us.
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TJ: in America white middle class males are the gold standard against which everyone else is measured.
That was the whole gist of the article. It is not that I am underrepresented: I am over represented by a factor of 10
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I see. I just wanted to give you a jab. It’s all in fun Fly.
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WOW!
You sure have a hateful side towards the average white male dont you.
You just laid out a laundry list of reasons not to vote fpor anyone except a white male.
I propose you stop focusing on a persons religion, gender, and color and start reading their position on issues that affect us all.
After all, regardless of all of the factors you mentioned we are all bound by the US Constitution.
So dont worry, Romney wont force everyone to become Mormon anymore than Obama forced everyone to join whatever religious sect he follows this week.
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Glen, you are 100% correct.
FN,
“To not include these factors in your considerations is equally misinformed.”
What information is one missing out on by focusing on race or gender?
chromosone sequencing?
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I hope some day we can quit looking at skin color, male, female, etc. when it comes to everything and just judge based on character and performance…
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It would be nice, but like Dr. King said: it is a dream. I vote we keep fighting for it, just don’t hold your breath for it to happen before the second coming.
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In my view, the left needs to quit dividing. Conservatives see leaders not a color or a certain sex. If the left joins this attitude we will have great leaders whether they are female, black, white or whatever.
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Chins: it is not the left or the right that divides. It is people themselves. It has been that way since the Garden of Eden. The first most obvious division is male and female. Then by race, religion, creed etc etc etc.
It is not necessarily a bad thing. Since it has been with us since the beginning one must assume it serves a social purpose. The division is not bad, it is how we as groups choose to exploit or use those divisions that matter.
Diversity is what made America strong; not homogeneity. If we were like Sweeden or Japan (very small, homogeneic countries) we would never have become a world power. We definitely would not have taken over North America.
Part of why we work as a country is there is no such thing as a “typical” American. We are way too diverse for that label to ever have any meaning.
Our difference is our strength. Those silly people who think we either are, or should be all the same are more dangerous to our national defense and well being than the Taliban ever could be.
For the record I am not liberal. I am libertarian. I hate the idea of a nanny state. I am for a very conservative budget (remember during the discussions over raising the debt ceiling there was a proposal that both sides hated because it eviscerated each sides sacred cows — including stiff medicare and social security reform — and gave us a balanced budget in less than a decade. Not surprisingly it went nowhere.) and very liberal social policies.
I am for legalization of marijuana, gay marriage, and kicking government out of most areas of our lives. Most, not all. I am for people taking responsibility for themselves. If you smoke, you pay twice as much for health care premiums than I do and you are immediately disqualified from super expensive treatments like transplants. If you fail to save for retirement and your kids don’t want to support you, I will not let you starve but you sure as heck won’t be wintering in FL and summer in ND. I will not let you starve. That is it.
I am very very hard core
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Anyone else hear that Paul Ryan’s plan to eliminate unemployment is for women to leave the workforce and stay home where they belong?
I can’t believe that would go over very well, even with alot of Republicans.
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nice try.
I remember when Liberals were slamming the GOP for making stuff up.
4 years later…… Pot meet Kettle.
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How about electing actual Republicans instead of RINOs?
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Ron Paul never made it off first base & he was the only true Republican in the race. The GOP does not want true conservatives. They want people who spend like Democrats while trying to legislate everyone’s morality. As commentators never tire of reminding us, Regan would not be electable today. He flunked too many of the litmus tests.
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Look up “White Guilt” in the dictionary and you will find a picture of FN.
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No guilt. Just not afraid of difference.
Would you vote for a Muslim for President? Why or why not?
If Hillary sounded like Romney would you have voted for her? (Hint: Elizabeth Dole’s positions were too the right of Romney in many cases and she never got off first base. Are you trying to tell me the fact she is a woman did not play a role in torpedoing her candidacy?)
Old white guys are the prevailing power structure. They will not give up without a fight. ‘
The saving grace is they are getting older and those they are trying to keep out are young and multiplying like bunnies. In 20 years this discussion will be moot. We will have a Hispanic in the White House, an openly gay (and married) Speaker of the House, and a Muslim as a leader in the Senate.
People can whine and pray for the second coming. But it is going to happen.
My hope is the lady on the GOP National Committee who said she would move back to Israel if Obama is re-elected because she is a Jew first (imagine if Kennedy said he was a Catholic first) has bought her tickets.
I will lend her some money if she needs it.
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I refer you back to what I wrote earlier:
Diversity is what made America strong; not homogeneity. If we were like Sweeden or Japan (very small, homogeneic countries) we would never have become a world power. We definitely would not have taken over North America.
Part of why we work as a country is there is no such thing as a “typical” American. We are way too diverse for that label to ever have any meaning.
Exactly what part of this statement is incorrect? Which part do you have a hard time with?
Are you arguing that there is a “typical” American? If so, what does he/she look like.
Are you arguing that we are in fact a country that has a common racial and religious background to draw from when making choices about the future?
Have you ever been anywhere other than GF? There is a big world out there.
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