Women in Politics? - A Majority of Missouri Legislators Vote "NO"

Believe it or not, there are very few things in politics that make me actually sick to my stomach the way the most recent news about the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life has.  The Missouri House of Representatives yesterday voted 93-59 to make it illegal for any public college or university in Missouri to offer educational programs that encourage women to run for public office.  Even several women legislators supported this anti-woman amendment. 

The amendment passed on a largely party-line vote with most Republicans in support. Seven Republicans joined unanimous Democrats in opposition. The vote came on an amendment to a larger bill related to higher education, Senate Bill 455. To see how your legislator voted click HERE.

Before this vote, I was actually getting sick of all the anti-women rhetoric the Democratic Party keeps talking about.  I kept thinking to myself, the more we talk about how “they” are anti-woman or anti-anything for that matter, the more people will hate politicians.  It turns out, they were speaking the actual truth.

I prefer to focus why someone should vote FOR someone, not just why the other person is evil.  I want voters to be glad to vote FOR a cause, not disgruntled and determined to vote AGAINST whomever.

I have participated in many seminars and trainings at the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life.  Women (and men for that matter too) learn about our political system, about how to gain the skills needed for running for office and how to manage campaigns.  Nowhere else can you get this kind of in-depth training, networking and truly non-partisan education.

So this is why I am sick to my stomach today. As a young woman in politics, I bring a new perspective to public policy debate.  When I served in the House of Representatives, I was the youngest mother there.  I did not just debate programs like Parents as Teachers because they sounded good, my children had been through this valuable program.

Please visit www.vickienglund.com to find out more about what I stand for, and if you believe women should have a seat at the policymaking table, contribute to my re-election campaign. And if the defunding of non-partisan, non-biased programs infuriates you, please visit http://www.umsl.edu/sueshear/.

Enough is enough.  Are you ready to get involved? I would love to know what you think.