Drive across the country and W's pop out at you on car bumper stickers and lawns, adorning lapel pins and campaign banners. The President tells us that this middle initial symbolizes his commitment to women. He would like us to think W stands for the Will to keep women secure now and for the next four years. But we know W stands for something else.
As young women, we think big and broadly and we understand that security is a blanket that covers many issues abroad and at home. And the thought of standing in the shadow of W for another four years doesn't make us feel all that secure.
Do you feel more secure knowing that Bush isn't just against abortion but also against birth control and that he tried to eliminate contraceptive coverage from the health plans of federal employees? When that didn't work, he created federal health plans that deny women access not only to contraception but also to fertility drugs and artificial insemination procedures.
Do you feel more secure knowing that nearly 400,000 18-24 year-old women lost health insurance under Bush and over 700,000 18-24 year-olds no longer have health insurance offered through their jobs?
Do you feel more secure knowing that President Bush promised not to cut federal funding for student loans but did it anyway and that he tacked on fees to federal student loans that will cost students $4 billion over the next ten years?
What President Bush, the pollsters and the media pundits don't realize is that W. doesn't make women feel more secure. Nov. 2 is a chance for young women across this country to drive that message home. John Kerry and John Edwards will secure the future of young women and their families. Find out for yourself at www.johnkerry.com.
Elizabeth Edwards put it best when she said that women wouldn't let someone pick out their clothes for them or order their meal in a restaurant, why would we let someone else choose our president? As young women, we won't choose W for President because we know that W stands for wrong.
