While the whole thing is an example of how easily the electorate can be manipulated, there has been a lot of discussion recently about the war on women and the subsequent war on moms.
In response to comments made by Hilary Rosen regarding Ann Romney there has been a desperate attempt to attach Rosen to President Obama. The Washington Post did a good analysis on the topic and it turns out the connection is loose at best. Still when fellow blogger Libby Spence spoke on the topic she got a considerable amount of push back with the standard rhetoric being offered by the media with some suggesting that Rosen's mere appearance at the White House proves she has influence on the decisions the President makes.
It should be noted that Rosen currently works for a firm that handles strategic communications. They do not provide policy advice. Also it is estimated that between 2,000 and 2,500 people are currently on the staff of the Executive Office of the President. It is an extraordinary leap to think that Hilary Rosen is meeting and providing political advice to the President on each of her 36 visits over the past three years.
Another problem with this claim is that the issues that Rosen and her company support are not ones that the president currently supports. If Rosen is so influential as to be considered a de facto spokesman for the white house then all of the positions she represents should be the reflected on the president's policies.
Of course the debate on Rosen only exists because of the false equivalence between what one woman said about another woman and the massive quantity of legislation attacking women that are currently being offered by Republican controlled state legislatures. The Daily show has a great piece on this but I assume very few conservative readers can stomach 6 minutes of Fox News clips accompanied by left leaning commentary so below are a list of the recent legislative "accomplishments" regarding women.
Wiscosin ends equal pay for women.
Arizona is looking to require women who want their insure to cover contraception to prove it is for a "medical condition".
Pennsylvania is trying to require women to get a sonogram before an abortion.
Virginia wanted to force women to have a transvaginal ultrasound before having an abortion.
Mississippi wants a constitutional amendment that would brand abortion as murder.
Arizona is allowing doctors to avoid any legal action for failing to disclose any issues with fetus.
Republicans opposed to the violence against women act.
Wisconsin wants to classify being a single parent as child abuse.
Texas is blocking funding for planned parenthood.
Topeka, Kansas decriminalized domestic violence.
House Republicans have a bill that would allow hospitals to let women die rather than perform a life saving abortion.
The reality is the comments made by Hilary Rosen are in no way shape or form equivalent to the legislative actions of Republicans.
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