Last August, we took note of a "debate" held by the right-wing Independence Institute on energy issues, at least nominally billed for "women of all political stripes." It was by all accounts more of a Hannity and Colmes energy industry infomercial than a real debate, though that's to be fully expected. What we were struck by was the invitation graphic for the event. And above all, the all-women event's memorable title:
Hot in the Kitchen was advertised as a nonpartisan event, but we only found ads for it on local Tea Party and other known conservative locations. And something about the title of this "women's event," Hot in the Kitchen, just didn't strike us as aimed at (we hope we're saying this the right way) persons who react badly to the practice of communicating–generally but not exclusively to women–known as "mansplaining."
Last Wednesday, those clever organizers at the Independence Institute outdid themselves.
Ladies, please join us
for intelligent conversation about public policy issues of the day over a glass of wine…
​
You can almost hear Independence Institute director Jon Caldara right now, welcoming the ladies to Wining with Women in his most sultry Barry White voice. We haven't heard if there were actually, you know, "ladies" plural, but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. They did have a (male) conservative speaker presenting conservative stuff to whoever did attend, but it really doesn't matter because they've already passed judgment on the audience.
And as with Hot in the Kitchen, to call Wining with Women "two clever by half" is something of a tragic understatement. Effective outreach to women voters, a segment of the electorate increasingly lost to Republican candidates, this isn't.
Seriously, we don't know who comes up with this stuff over there, but they may actually be trying for sabotage.
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Following the debate yesterday evening where Republicans argued why abusers that beat their partners need guns was surreal. Did you know, for instance, that in Colorado Wingnutlican circles killing your estranged wife is the same as an unfortunate incident like a child accidently drowning in the bathtub? Do we really want to put that poor criminal husband that just killed his wife through the trauma of a trial?
Then there is this:
Unflippinbelieveable. How about if you're a violent abusive schmuck who injures or kills people you should go to prison for a very long time and when and if you come out you should never be allowed to touch a firearm again.
If a restraining order is granted by a court against you, you should be considered too irrational and potentially violent to have guns. After all, it's the righties who write those vile threatening e-mails and leave those c word laced phone messages who claim that their passion makes them do things. We should take them at their word.
The writer of the above gem should know that many women do try to escape their abusers but they get tracked down anyway, sometimes at a relative's who gets taken out while the abuser is at it. And leaving the home isn't enough if a woman has a job where her abuser can come after her and her co-workers. Should she have to give up her home, her job, her real name and start all over somewhere far from everyone she knows, looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life like a criminal on the run? Why should she pay for her abuser's crimes while the abuseris spared any inconvenient loss?
And what time warp does the Institute crowd live in? Perky blonde with pony tail in apron and oven mitts? What is it, 1955? Good luck with making inroads into women's votes with outreach to the mid 20th century. If they haven't noticed, things have changed and no matter how much the Calderas of the world may be filled with Mad Men induced longing for the good old days, days that largely weren't that good unless you were an affluent white male, women aren't going back.
C'mon, have a heart. The guy who's just killed his wife is, after all, a grieving widower.
With Dick Wadhams gone, I guess we need someone to keep the state GOP self-destructing.
It seems to be a positive reinforcement loop. They drive out more and more of the remaining semi-conservative members and the remains of the party become more and more nutso.
I got nothing.
Is there someplace to donate to keep these marketing pieces dropping in the mail?
Speechless.
Are you sure thhis wasn't in the Onion?
Maybe they're not aiming for hairy liberal women in Birkenstocks. 🙂
Thank you for making our point in your Monday drive by. How's Reince's outreach going?
So you think the natural place for non-hairy women not in 'Birkenstocks' (really? Birkenstocks?) is in the 'kitchen'?
Hairy conservative women have graduated to Crocs.
The cartoon caricature of Jessica Peck lives on!