- MENU
- HOME
- SEARCH
- WORLD
- MAIN
- AFRICA
- ASIA
- BALKANS
- EUROPE
- LATIN AMERICA
- MIDDLE EAST
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Benelux
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Poland
- Russia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Taiwan
- Turkey
- USA
- BUSINESS
- WEALTH
- STOCKS
- TECH
- HEALTH
- LIFESTYLE
- ENTERTAINMENT
- SPORTS
- RSS
- iHaveNet.com: Politics
by Mary Kate Cary
Women are concerned with Obama's handling of the budget deficit and healthcare--issues the GOP can win
The
It may be that there's a wide gender gap right now, but if things continue the way they are into the fall, that gap will close significantly. While there are still more women than men overall who identify themselves as Democrats or as Democratic-leaning independents, there are fewer now than there were in 2008. Republicans are closing the gap, and things are fluid. More women than men vote these days, and the biggest voting group in the electorate is independents. Contrary to the current polls, the women's vote is still very much up for grabs, especially among independents.
To say that female voters prefer Barack Obama because of the contraception fight isn't quite accurate. Pew calls the gender differences on the birth control coverage mandate "relatively modest," and women under 50 were far less likely than older women to have even heard about the controversy. Poll after poll shows that by wide margins, most women are far more concerned with the economy, jobs, and the national debt than they are with contraception. There's plenty of good research to back up what Mitt Romney has said: Win the economy, win women.
Here's why the gender gap will narrow if things stay the way they are: My sense is that the tone coming from the
"It [the Ryan budget] is a Trojan Horse. Disguised as deficit reduction plans, it is really an attempt to impose a radical vision on our country," the president told an
Maybe insults and name-calling are a macho thing -- watch this, guys, I'll stick it to 'em! -- but I suspect most women are ready to get something done. (If the president felt the same way, he would have endorsed the Simpson-Bowles compromise a long time ago.) He seems oblivious to the consequences for the next generation, who face being saddled with massive college loans, higher taxes, and the prospect of an insolvent government. According to Pew, women are far more concerned than men with issues that affect the next generation, including protecting government programs for poor children and improving education. Women know that doing either of those will be impossible if our government is bankrupt and our entitlement programs are broke.
That same ugly tone came out when the president went after the
The second issue is that the
So while the left follows the president's lead by attacking the
AMERICAN POLITICS
WORLD | AFRICA | ASIA | EUROPE | LATIN AMERICA | MIDDLE EAST | UNITED STATES | ECONOMICS | EDUCATION | ENVIRONMENT | FOREIGN POLICY | POLITICS
Republicans Can Close the 'Gender Gap' With the Economy | Politics
© Tribune Media Services