Page 6
May 4, 2016
O PINION
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Reproductive Rights and Economic Survival
Now we’re
ighting on two
fronts
m artha b urk
We heard a lot
about the “war on
women” during the
2012 election cycle
— mostly over Re-
publican attacks on
abortion rights and birth control.
While the phrase has faded in
this election year go-round, the
war on women has not. The only
change is that now we’re ight-
ing on two fronts — reproductive
rights and economic survival.
To a man, the three Republi-
cans still in the nomination race
oppose abortion rights.
No surprise there. But Ted Cruz
has upped the ante and come out
against exceptions for rape and
incest. John Kasich would allow
the exceptions, but says there’s
no point in talking to him about
choice.
The formerly pro-choice Trump
is now not only against abortion,
but blurted out recently what oth-
ers undoubtedly believe but are
by
too dishonest to say out loud —
that the government should punish
the women who have abortions.
And probably the girls, too.
While reproductive rights are
fundamental to women’s
well-being and autonomy,
the right to fair pay and ben-
eits is no less so.
After all, adult women are
by far the majority of those
working for the federal min-
imum wage. It’s parked at
$7.25 per hour because the feds
1991.
Women make up 70 percent of
tipped servers, and most of them
don’t work in those high-dol-
lar, white-tablecloth restaurants.
They’re working in low-level
hash houses and places like Den-
ny’s and Red Lobster.
A Census report last year
showed that the poverty risk for
women spikes once they enter the
workforce. For women with kids,
the poverty rate is almost double
that of men in the 25-34 age range
among single mothers. Could be
— but I’m betting a bigger fac-
tor is the poverty-level minimum
wage, which disproportionally af-
fects women of color.
Every presidential candidate
has weighed in on the minimum
wage. While Hillary Clinton and
Bernie Sanders argue over how
much is enough — $12 for her,
$15 for him — Cruz says $0 is
the right number. He’d do away
with the federal minimum alto-
gether, having deemed it a “bad
while declaring a preference for
leaving the minimum at $7.25.
Not to be outdone on the con-
tradiction front, Kasich says it’s
“very important that we don’t
raise the minimum wage willy nil-
ly,” but then adds that Uncle Sam
ought to let the 50 states set 50
different minimums if that’s what
they want.
All this adds up to a multi-
pronged attack on low-wage
working women, who are the least
able to ight back. They’re trapped
by the ironclad partisanship on
Capitol Hill, where Republicans
have promised not to raise wages
as long as they control Congress.
And pushing back on those abor-
tion restrictions states have been
rolling out? Forget it.
Between Congress and the nut-
case wing of the GOP calling the
shots in the presidential race, the
war on women promises to be a
long one indeed.
Martha Burk is the director
of the Corporate Accountability
Project for the National Council
of Women’s Organizations and
haven’t raised it since 2009.
— prime working years.
policy.”
the author of the book Your Voice,
The legal base pay for tipped
Some experts say the growing
In typical Trump fashion, the Your Vote: The Savvy Woman’s
workers lags even further behind gap may be partly due to con- GOP front-runner has said Amer- Guide to Power, Politics, and the
— it’s been a measly $2.13 since tinuing high unemployment rates ica needs “good paying jobs,” Change We Need.
A Census report last year showed that
the poverty risk for women spikes once
they enter the workforce. For women with
kids, the poverty rate is almost double that
of men in the 25-34 age range — prime
working years.
My Non-Traditional Face Closes Doors in Election
Why I am
running for
mayor
Mayor with my back-
ground as African Amer-
ican and female who has
never held a major pub-
lic ofice. There’s been
a lack of equity and in-
clusion for me as a par-
by d eborah h arris
ticipant in many of the
I’m writing to respond
candidate forums and in-
to those Portlanders and
entities that continue to question terviews that only white candidates
why I am running for the ofice of have been invited to.
KIC Ministries
presents
Sunday, 11am - 12:30pm
Living Heart Faith Community
Location: 8219 NE Glisan St
Pastor Antonio L. Thomas
The question has been posed to
me both at forums that gracious-
ly have invited and embraced me
as a mayoral candidate, and by
forum sponsors that chose not to
welcome my participation. Media
also askiwhy I chose to run for the
ofice of Mayor instead of another
position such as county commis-
sioner or state representative.
My response is that the need to
take action on social justice, af-
fordable housing, houselessness,
economic development, quality
of education are issues facing the
next mayor of Portland . These
issues have not been suficiently
addressed and cannot simply be
placed on lay-away.
In order to address the multi-tier
issues that face our city, we must
begin by building a healthy city,
neighborhood by neighborhood,
through strengthening citizen in-
volvement through the creation
of single-member geographical
districts.
Very recently I attended a can-
didate’s fair sponsored by the
Rose City Park Neighborhood
Association, although I was not
invited as one of the “signature”
participants, my attendance and
observations validated our city’s
historical and continued problem
with a lack of equity and inclu-
sion. Portland’s political arena has
a traditional process of force feed-
ing their favorite candidates to the
citizens.
Considering my parents and
grandparents who worked very
hard and sacriiced much for my
ability to obtain a Bachelor of
Arts degree, Master’s Degree, and
my success as a manager for a a
multi-million dollar industry, not
to mention designing and manag-
ing mentoring programs for youth,
faith-based participation in food,
clothing and mission work with-
in and outside of the community,
and engaging with Oregon cor-
rectional facilities to encourage
and inspire incarcerated men and
women to “Move Beyond Their
Walls,” I deine these attributes
and credentials as “signature.” .
Portland is in a time and season
that demands bold and courageous
leadership with a compassion for
the needs of all of the people, not
just a chosen few.
It is time-out for a traditional
mayor whose desire is to make
the city livable for the haves while
leaving the have-nots more broken
promises and dreams deferred. I
am on this journey to transform
the traditional mindset of leader-
ship within our city where deci-
sions that signiicantly impact the
livelihood of all citizens cannot be
made solely behind the walls of
city government. I am in this race
to paint and exemplify leadership
that will move into the commu-
nities, listening with a passionate
ear to the concerns for the people
who have walked in those shoes
and lived the experience. Nontra-
ditional choices can open a lood-
gate to resolutions on issues that
are community speciic and culti-
vate higher values and principles.
The lyrics to one of my fa-
vorites songs resonate, “Nobody
told me the road was going to be
easy.” Historically as I roll back
the camera, I have encountered
many rough roads, yet through de-
termination and being conident,
whatever the outcome, I win. Be-
ing a new and non-traditional face
in this mayoral race does cause
some doors to close, yet those
closed doors can be permanently
re- opened with a vote for me at
the Primary Election on May 17.
Deborah Harris is candidate
for the ofice of Mayor of Port-
land.