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* Kristen McQueary on the #MeToo movement…
“Women” in the context of this movement does not include all women. Its leaders and participants should at least be upfront about it.
The environment in Illinois politics is telling. Among the least-represented voices in Springfield is that of conservative women. The House and Senate, made up of 177 members, include 61 women of both parties. That number should be higher, but it’s not abysmal. Of those women, the majority are Democrats and mostly lean left. The House right now has only 13 Republican women. The Senate has two.
Let me repeat that data point for emphasis: Of the House’s 118 members, 13 are GOP women. Of the Senate’s 59 members, only two are Republican women. If the movement is truly about lifting women, shouldn’t it be focused on raising those numbers? Bringing more capable, opinion-diverse women into the pink-hat pavilion?
As I reminded subscribers earlier today, three Republicans have resigned from the Illinois Senate since the summer of 2017. All three were women and all three women were replaced by men. One of the women who stepped down was Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno. The Senate Republicans elected a man, Sen. Bill Brady, to replace her.
The #MeToo movement is not some top-down political action committee. The Republican Party, particularly in the Illinois Senate, is the entity truly in need of a dressing-down here. After all, they’re the ones who recruit the candidates and they’re the ones who exert influence on local retiree replacement decisions.
…Adding… I was reminded that women in the SGOP caucus, including Sen. Radogno, supported Brady’s election.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:17 am
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Another example of why I canceled my Tribune subscription. I won’t financially support that ridiculousness.
Comment by Former Downstater Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:19 am
Rich rightly points out that it’s the GOP that needs to be on the hook for the lack of GOP women electeds. But beyond that, conservatives are fundamentally hostile to #metoo, so why would anyone from that movement promote conservative candidates of any gender? Katrina once again shows how delusional she is.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:21 am
Maybe a hurricane will come and blow away all those Republican men, clutching their umbrellas like in Mary Poppins.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:23 am
Yep, I totally agree with FD. Cancelled my Trib subscription for similar reasons.
Comment by Big Joe Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:24 am
But but, how do we blame this on madigan??? /s
Comment by Ughhhh Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:25 am
Kristen McQueary, a conservative woman, should start working on addressing the issue within conservative circles if she feels so strongly about it (which I am almost sure she doesn’t and this article was written only to carp).
IL Dems put together a panel to snuff out this stuff, liberals across the country have been working on this movement. It’s not the liberal’s fault that the GOP continues to elect the Roy Moore and Nick Sauer’s of the world. The GOP hasn’t been the party for personal responsibility in a long time, they’re the party of hate.
Comment by Driving a car Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:25 am
#MeToo is about stopping sexual harrassment and assault. Sure, part of doing that is having more women in power. But it has absolutely no need to guarantee that a certain party has more women. Like Rich said, blame the Republican party for not doing more.
I mean, if All State doesn’t have enough women executives, is that the #MeToo activists fault as well?
Comment by Perrid Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:25 am
So,it’s the Democrat’s fault there aren’t more Republican women? That logic makes my head hurt.
Comment by Bruce (no not him) Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:25 am
I came out of years of lurking to say: Thank you, Rich.
Comment by DonutFret Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:25 am
As Republicans struggle with attracting Hispanics, African Americans, a widening gap that is becoming increasingly pronounced is the gender gap.
If a party wants to be “middle aged white males”, the Republican Party, here and nationally, is making that argument less of a premise and more real with each election.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:25 am
Rich, what are you talking about?
You know as well as anyone that the entire nominating process for GOP Senate candidates and appointed replacements is controlled by Mike Madigan. /s
Seriously though, how does a column that basically says that the lack of GOP women in the legislature and on the ballot is the fault of Democrats even make it to print?
Comment by Juice Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:26 am
Am I insane or is the author blaming the Meto movement for the lack of conservative/Republican women in politics instead of the obvious culprits, conservative voters and the Republican establishment?
Comment by ItsMillerTime Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:28 am
Wut?
What a strange article.
So she’s blaming the #MeToo movement for not embracing GOP women? The GOP has little women electeds because… the GOP doesn’t recruit and run female candidates, and their voters have not elected female candidates.
Its so freakin’ absurd to blame the #MeToo movement for any of this.
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:29 am
Also worth noting it was a woman - badly outspent and lied about by her opponent. - who came within 3 points of knocking off the incumbent, male governor in the primary. And the closest and only possibly competitive GOP candidate statewide (for AG) in the general election also a woman.
Comment by DarkHorse Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:29 am
What exactly would be the perfect balance of male/female members of the general assembly? 50/50? Someone let me know. I want to make sure that I am voting accordingly so that I can do my part to help facilitate legislative Nirvana.
Comment by Saluki Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:30 am
I hope if Michael Sachs buys the Trib, Katrina is among the first to go. Not because she is a conservative, but because of her often muddled, nonsensical writing.
Also, yet another example of conservatives’ penchant for portraying themselves as the victims.
Comment by Moe Berg Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:32 am
Rauner is like this too, with his mostly white male cabinet, boards, commissions, etc.
I wonder what happened to 2012’s GOP autopsy, after losing to Obama, in which there needed to be more diversity. Trump came along and tapped into the real power of the GOP, the frightened and angry white male (and white females as well).
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:34 am
So McQueary is saying that the leaders of the MeToo Movement, a movement against sexual harassment and sexual assault, have not included Republican Women in the Movement because there are few Women elected to office in Illinois? Huh?
Comment by 37B Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:34 am
McQueary’s argument is a good one, but her fight is entirely with the Republican Party, not “Springfield,” as her column and the headline imply.
Comment by Roman Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:37 am
Another day, another strange tantrum from a tronc high chair. It, surprisingly, doesn’t make any sense.
The “#metoo movement, such as it is, went viral about a year ago, on the issues of exposing sexual assault and harassment, not electing anyone to office.
How, exactly, was that twitter-based movement supposed to be a political organization electing “conservative” women back in 2016, 2014, 2012, etc?
On the bright side for Katrina, alleged “conservative” and “opinion-diverse” Helene Miller Walsh was appointed state rep recently. Enjoy your victory.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:37 am
Ready, fire, aim.
This is like saying MADD failed against protecting from the opioid crisis.
the #metoo movement has its flaws. This is not one of them.
Comment by Gallactic Cupcake Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:37 am
The GOP welcomes another Orwellian disinformation specialist to its growing ranks
Comment by Molly Maguire Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:41 am
A lot of commenters say she’s blaming Democrats, when I think she’s saying that these activist groups should either be bipartisan or should stop saying/implying they represent all women. Not too crazy, though I’ll say again that blaming activists for the GOP’s internal decisions is wonky.
Comment by Perrid Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:47 am
Look at Lisa Murkowski. If a Republican woman actually acts in a way consistent with the #MeToo movement, that movement will reward her (though some Republicans, apparently, will attack her).
McQueary needs to start by asking why more Republican women don’t act like Lisa Murkowski.
Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:51 am
So, she fails to acknowledge female democrats from Southern Illinois that are pro-life and against taxes? One sided article with no merit.
Comment by Paul S Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:58 am
boo hoo Kristen. I feel not one part sorry that I’m a part of a movement that supports women’s choices. (and, yes, I’m sick of that movement calling it choice and having it refer just to abortion. there are more choices that are part of women’s agency over their own bodies). freedom. conservatives should get that.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:04 am
If it seems like it was less than a month ago that McQueary was blasting the Democratic Party for recruiting women to run for office, that’s because it was.
Someone want to roll that tape?
To be fair, the problem is not just McQueary, who does not walk-the-walk when it comes to supporting women candidates.
The problem is not only GOP candidate recruitment. I’d note for example that Rauner did tap Avery Bourne and Sara Wojicki-Jimenez.
A big part of the problem is that the NRA, IPI and Liberty Principles PAC impose their ideological litmus test on GOP candidates, and female candidates who do not toe the line not just on gay rights, abortion rights, gun control, but a whole host of issues like heath care, education, and oh, IDK, whether we should have a budget…are stonewalled out of appointments to vacancies, primaried out of the General Assembly, or forced out into retirement.
In other words, the nuanced values that GOP women tend to bring to the table that enable them to reach across the aisle to work on issues — think Bellock on mental health, Mulligan on gun control, Jimenez on a state budget — and that McQueary rightly hails as virtuous, are what actually makes them anathema to the GOP.
Heck, even Wheeler didn’t want to stick around.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:09 am
Political opinions in the Trib ar so predictable, tiresome, and one sided, it is a waste of our hard earned money.
Comment by DeseDemDose Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:18 am
The only thing keeping my Tribune subscription going is the environmental reporting. And Tom Skilling and team. Otherwise with no redeeming social value.
Comment by Groundhog Day Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:37 am
When the late great Judy Barr Topinka died, I was saddened deeply, but I was also angry. Judy ran for Governor against a man who later ended up in prison and she received close to ZERO monetary support from big GOP donors. If she’s had the money to run a stronger campaign, she would have been a great governor for this state (and I’m speaking as a life long Democrat). So when I hear about how Illinois has to do better by women, I think the conservative women need to start looking to the party they regularly support with their time, talent and money. It’s ain’t us, ladies. It’s on you.
Comment by Not so silent majority Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:37 am
“Among the least-represented voices in Springfield is that of conservative women.”
I’m not a constitutional scholar like Barack Obama, but I believe that’s because, in a democracy, the voices in the majority get more representation than the voices in the minority.
Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:42 am
The authoritarian impulse in the Republican party nationwide has produced a Congress dominated by white men and Republican candidacies dominated by white men. Maybe Katrina should examine that to assess how to change this corrosive tendency in her party.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:42 am
Not So Silent….and I would have voted for her too, if she hadn’t run with Birkett. Who thought THAT was a good idea? I’m a democrat who really liked her. There were plenty of people ready to vote for someone else. That’s how we got Rauner I suppose.
Comment by NoGifts Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:46 am
Perhaps the Daily Southtown is not the best place to recruit deep thinkers from.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:52 am
Hell has frozen over. I find myself agreeing with McQueary.
Comment by Credit Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 11:59 am
–If it seems like it was less than a month ago that McQueary was blasting the Democratic Party for recruiting women to run for office, that’s because it was.–
Actually, it was more of a rip on Democratic female lawmakers being Madigan tokens “adept at looking the other way” who were not valued for their “policy contributions and their diversity.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-mcqueary-madigan-sexual-harassment-20180925-story.html
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 12:02 pm
The ONLY female to lead a House or Senate caucus was Republican Christine Radogno.
Comment by Monkey Business Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 12:08 pm
She has lost the little credibility she had left.
Comment by Because I said so.... Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 12:15 pm
To guarantee parity and equality, each Democratic State Central Committee District in Illinois has an elected woman and a man, i.e. 18 Commmitteewoman and 18 Committeeman on the Democratic State Central Committee. Been that way for 30+ years. Its in the election law.
The Illinois Republican Party appoints its boys.
And then looks around and wonders where the women are.
But, hey, the few GOP women in power don’t see a gender discrimination and harassment problem in Springfield. Remember a few weeks ago when Ives and McDermed told us so - https://capitolfax.com/2018/10/09/ives-and-mcdermed-talk-metoo-with-flannery/
Comment by Loleta Didrickson lost to ... Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 12:27 pm
Does Kristen understand what the #MeToo movement is about?
Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 12:38 pm
To the article: “Groups nationally and locally that formed following Clinton’s presidential defeat in order to propel more women into office are fixated on the litmus test: The movement wants women who are pro-choice, pro-public education, pro-universal health care. It’s pass or fail, and the grading usually falls along party lines. Republican and conservative women with contrarian views in any category need not apply.”
Those groups were formed by democratic women who believed in Clinton’s platform. How many republican/conservative women were out knocking on doors or making phone calls trying to elect the first female president? How many republican/conservative women were devastated when Clinton lost? {Sigh} Maybe it’s time for the republican/conservative women organize and make their voices heard, instead of complaining that the democratic/liberal womens movement will not advocate for a conservative platform.
How many republican/converative women are out there doing everything they can to get Erika Harold elected? Instead of advocating for Erika & her beliefs, the platform republicans/conservatives have chosen advance is the blame Madigan/anti-Madigan/I’ll take on Madigan platform instead of talking about the social issues they believe in.
Comment by Sigh Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 1:04 pm
Is she calling out her employer?
Comment by Albany Park Patriot Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 1:05 pm
Like many others, I cancelled my Trib subscription. For me, the breaking point was the endorsement of Gary Johnson in 2016. I refuse to click their links as well - they don’t deserve the ad revenue, IMHO.
Thanks to Rich for rightly pointing out this is the GOP’s problem, not MeToo’s.
There are women who have made the argument that they feel “unwelcome” in the MeToo movement or at the Women’s March because they espouse certain conservative political beliefs, or because they hold certain religious beliefs, or because of their color. I don’t think the organizers of the movements are in any way trying to exclude women who fall in certain categories, but certain individuals within the movements perhaps are not as welcoming as they could be. Personally, I believe there’s room for all women in both movements. We are never going to agree on everything, but at the end of the day, I believe all women are entitled to the things that MeToo and the Women’s March are fighting for. Why would any woman exclude certain others from that narrative? As one tremendously qualified female candidate for President once said, we are stronger together.
Comment by Notorious RBG Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 1:25 pm
When it was his turn to select the Chairperson of the Legislative Ethics Commission, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin chose Rep. Avery Bourne. Rep Bourne was harassesed personally in an outrageous manner via a mail piece in the last election cycle.
This choice, in my mind, indicates that Leader Durkin understands the need to move away from the good ole boy system. For the record, both current House Republican members of the LEC are women, the only Caucus with that distinction.
Comment by Truthseeker Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 1:38 pm
So the Dems should let some GOP women win so they can be part of the #MeToo movement? Remind me of that list of GOP women up for election or re-election again, Kristen. What a weird take on this! Wow.
Comment by it'smyopinion Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 1:42 pm
Truthseeker,
Good point. Looks like leader Durkin learned his lesson after finding a cushy landing for Santa Paws John Anthony.
Comment by Leigh John-Ella Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 1:46 pm
I just can’t understand why it matters the sex (male, female, trans) or color (white, black, brown, whatever), it’s qualifications and beliefs. I have always said women are smarter than men (I am the latter), and I truly believe that (another reason why all Sec of States should be women besides it probable pisses off a lot of Mideast Counrtries that keep women subsevient). What ever happened to voting for or placing a person on the ballot that best represents the beliefs of the district, state, country, etc. This is just another reason why this country is tearing itself apart. My mother always said during the feminist movement of the 60’s, “why should I want to be equal when I already am superior???
Comment by Taxedoutwest Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 2:27 pm
–My mother always said during the feminist movement of the 60’s, “why should I want to be equal when I already am superior???–
She couldn’t get a credit card or a loan without a male co-signer. She could get fired from her job for being pregnant. Likely couldn’t serve on a jury.
The ol’ Nostalgia for a Time that Never Was. Just all porch-swings, fishin’ holes and lemonade stands.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 3:39 pm
–But, hey, the few GOP women in power don’t see a gender discrimination and harassment problem in Springfield. Remember a few weeks ago when Ives and McDermed told us so - https://capitolfax.com/2018/10/09/ives-and-mcdermed-talk-metoo-with-flannery/–
LOL, guess Katrina missed that one.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 3:40 pm
Katrina,
Get off of your ivory tower perch and start passing petitions with your name on it, if you want to see more GOP women elected.
Doubt you can persuade people to vote for you in a campaign when you are so bad at persuading people to vote how you want through your opinion writing in the Trib… but at least that gets you a lot better shot at more GOP women in office than scolding activists for not using their time to advocate for what you want.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 3:58 pm
Now Rich can focus on Ed Rogers goofy columns in the SJ-R.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 1, 18 @ 10:25 pm