New Hampshire Senate Makes History as the First Majority Female Legislative Body in the Country

I've recently begun looking for information to blog about and found some very interesting and informative articles that relate to women anywhere. I'm sure they have been helpful to local women here in NH and MA. But the last couple of days I was really hoping to find something that directly relates to the women here that I want to reach and especially if it's celebratory in nature. So imagine my excitement when I found a blog by a Tennessee woman making the following positive comments about the recent Boston.com article about the progressive strides made by our newly, female majority run legislative body in NH.

TENNESSEE GUERILLA WOMEN
Friday, May 01, 2009
The Matriarchy Of New Hampshire

The first female dominated legislature in the country is making some kickass progressive changes.

Forget moving to Canada, let's just head for New Hampshire! Renee Loth at the Boston Globe has the glowing details:

First, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to raise the state's gasoline tax by 15 cents over three years. Then the House approved a bill allowing the use of medical marijuana, by a vote of 234-138. Next, it voted to repeal the state's capital punishment statute. The House wrapped up March with a vote to legalize same-sex marriage, and the Senate followed suit yesterday.
What could be causing this unprecedented turn in Granite State politics? Here's one idea: women.
Since January, the New Hampshire Senate has been making history as the first majority female legislative body in the country: Thirteen of its 24 members are women. Overall, the New Hampshire Legislature is 37.7 percent female, just a fraction behind Vermont (37.8 percent) and Colorado (38 percent). But New Hampshire also has women in leadership: a woman House speaker, a woman Senate president, and a woman majority whip. The congressional delegation is 50 percent female, including one of only 17 women in the US Senate. It's as if there was a bloodless coup of the state's political establishment in November, and women were the avatars of change.
What's the matter with New Hampshire? Nothing. They've just seen the future up there.
For the full article from Boston.com link to http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/04/30/the_matriarchy_up_north/
We at Applaud Women applaud you!! For more articles written by NH & MA writers and professionals and resource information go to our website at www.applaudwomen.com.

Good thing they had thick skins

Think things are bad in presidential campaigns these days?

According to this story by biographer Kerwin Swint on CNN.com, negative campaigning began with John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Things got ugly fast. Jefferson's camp accused President Adams of having a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."

In return, Adams' men called Vice President Jefferson "a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father."

As the slurs piled on, Adams was labeled a fool, a hypocrite, a criminal, and a tyrant, while Jefferson was branded a weakling, an atheist, a libertine, and a coward.

Even Martha Washington succumbed to the propaganda, telling a clergyman that Jefferson was "one of the most detestable of mankind."

Human nature hasn't changed much, has it? Or perhaps it is, and was, just politics - Adams and Jefferson resumed their previous friendship (by letter) until both their deaths, which occurred on the same day - July 4, 1826.

Fortunately for Adams, he didn't live long enough to see his son go down in flames (in that we lost his bid for re-election as president) in 1828.

The slurs flew back and forth, with John Quincy Adams being labeled a pimp, and Andrew Jackson's wife getting called a slut.

One paper, the story continues, reported that Andrew Jackson's mother was a "common prostitute."

Opening to Change

The flurry of National media attention has exited as quickly as it came to NH where we celebrate every four years the distinction of being the First in the Nation Primary for the Presidential elections. The excitement in the air yesterday and in the days leading up to the primary was palpable. Change is in the air no doubt about it!

I found it incredibly uplifting to vote this time around. There is a feeling of excitement that just wasn't there in the last election or in fact in any of the elections that I've ever voted in. A feeling of hope, a feeling that there is a possibility for true, deep and fundamental change in our government. This is a historic election year - to have the opportunity on the Democratic side to be a part of the election of either the first woman or first black person to sit in the Oval office is a profound gift.

What I enjoyed the most about this primary was the level of respect, honor and decorum that is being promoted. Respect for each other's positions even if they are not in alignment, respect for each other as people. The energy is clear. There is no heaviness, negativity or mudslinging going on. Hope is in the air. Hope for a merciful conclusion to the long drawn out drama of war. Hope for a new perspective. Hope for economic restoration and for restoration of our country's reputation in the world. Hope for a redistribution of our vast monetary, governmental and natural resources that is more equitable and more sustainable for the good of all rather than the good of the few.

One of the nice things about living here in the Granite State (Live Free or Die!) is the chance to be an undeclared voter. It allows us to make the choice that we feel is best at the moment of voting and to keep some privacy around our choice until that moment in the ballot box. I've chosen to excercise that right to be undeclared, to not be affiliated with any party but to pick not by party but by personal record the person I think is best to lead our nation.

There is a real sense of empowerment in being able to choose our leaders. I pray that we can as a nation continue to honor this system of choice and to maintain the integrity of the balloting process. We are blessed to be citizens of this country. I pray that the rights that were visioned by our founders will always be upheld by our elected leaders and that we can depend upon them to be in truth and integrity as they represent us in the world.

http://www.amethystwyldfyre.com

New Hampshire Primaries

So what do you all think about the primaries. Personally I'm a democrat so I really didn't pay much attention to the republican race but I'd love to hear who you voted for and why though. I voted for Hillary Clinton. While I attended the Oprah event at the Verizon and was very impressed with Obama (actually I was more impressed with his wife Michelle), I don't think he has the experience and I think his passions will cost us too much money to emplement at a time when we need to increase the treasury not decrease it. I would like to see him act as Governor before running for president. Yes, I realize that Hillary has only been in the Senate as well but she interned at the Presidential masters side. I very much doubt that she spent 8 years in the White House knitting sweaters when she had the opportunity to watch, look and listen to Bill Clinton run the country. I also think she has a stronger record of accomplishing what she sets out to do. Just my opinion for what it's worth.

On another note I am currently working on our next issue. We are looking for businesses and professionals to write articles on careers, makeovers and spring for our feature sections and on divorce, abuse, home and decorating topics, weight loss or fitness, weddings and health etc. As you know we offer our articles to our advertisers first so that they can get the benefit of the FREE PR. So if you know of anyone who would be interested please let me know - 603-895-4699 or susan@applaudonline.com. Please check out our website at www.applaudonline.com

As always if you have a question or issue that you would like to see posted please let me know and I will post it for you. My direct e-mail is sjcald@comcast.net. Please let you friends and family know about this blog so that we can continue to grow our community of NH women, sharing and supporting each other. Thank you Susan