Girl Power, page 1
New Dawning International Bookfair
presents
Girl Power – War on Women
A Novel about Respect and Fair Play for the Fair Sex
By
Dee Dawning
Copyright © 2012 Dee Dawning
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the women of America and the World. While some men
may not appreciate your worth, others cherish you! Worry not your time to shine
is assured!
Acknowledgement
Many thanks to Penny Barber-Schwartz, my extraordinary editor, who put GIRL
POWER on the front burner and edited it in record time.
Author's Note
I started to write GIRL POWER because I was intrigued by the disdain and
cavalier attitude with which politicians of the right treated their own women
constituents. Apparently having no thought or concern of how women would
retaliate, they passed gender related law after law, many of which are outlined in this book. These laws seemed to have one deleterious purpose—repressing the
fair sex. Laws against fair pay, choice, violence, family planning, even
contraception were proposed and in most cases passed by Republican majorities
and signed by Republican Governors in several states, sometimes under a cloak
of secrecy.
I knew women were upset about this and I wondered how these men
would react if the shoe were on the other foot. So, I started to write what I
planned to be a thirty thousand word novella, hopefully ready for publication by June 1st. Well, I missed both marks by quite a bit.
The news kept coming, growing weirder and weirder. This caused my book
to grow and take longer and you know what? The more I wrote the more I
believed a third party really is the answer to our growing problems with
polarized politics and gridlock. So when you go to vote, remember GIRL
POWER. I know I will.
Book One
The Movement
Prologue
There’s been a real deterioration in conservative thinking [over the past
decade]… I've become less conservative since the Republican Party started
becoming goofy. – Judge Richard Posner
"We now take you to Richmond, Virginia, where Jenna Kenner is standing
by. Jenna, what's going on?"
"Thank you Jeff. I'm here at the state capital building, where a large group of peaceful, but angry women are demonstrating."
"So I see. How many demonstrators are there?"
"I don't know for sure. Somewhere between seven and nine hundred, I
would guess."
"One of the signs reads, 'Keep Yer Stinking Laws Out of My Vagina'. What
are they upset about?"
"From what I can determine they're wound-up over this new abortion law
the legislature passed last night where a woman seeking an abortion would have
to undergo and pay for a procedure known as a Trans-vaginal Ultrasonic Probe."
Snicker. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Yes, and that's not funny, Jeff. How would you like a forced colonic
probe?"
"Ugh, I see your point, sorry. I see a sign that reads, 'If You Cut off my
Reproductive Choice, Can I Cut Off Yours? Signed Lorena Bobbitt'. I think I
know what that woman has in mind. Would you ask her why she's mad and
what she and her friends want?"
"I think she's the leader. I'll ask her"
Jenna approached the short, shapely blonde woman and stuck a mic in front
of her. "Hi. What's your name?"
"Doris."
"Hi, Doris. I'm Jenna Kenner with National News Network. I'd like to ask
you a few questions if I may."
"Sure, what do you want to know?"
"I take it you ladies are protesting the new law that Governor Bob
McConnell has promised to sign into law today."
"And you'd be right. We want Governor "Ultrasound Bob" to know that the people this most affects don't like this stinking law, and women across the
country are not going to forget, come Election Day."
"Across the country?"
Doris rested her sign on the ground. "Absolutely, Virginia isn't the only
state where self-righteous men are sticking their nose in our panties."
"I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"The Pachyderms have been having a field day approving regressive
legislation in Republican-controlled states across the country."
"Pachyderms?"
"Yeah, you know, the elephants in the room."
"Oh, yeah. Which states?"
"North Carolina, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and
Pennsylvania, Georgia, Mississippi, to name a few.
"My God. I had no idea."
"I know. Republicans know the public doesn't support their laws so they're
passing them, like this one—under the radar—and being real quiet about it."
Jenna turned to the camera. "So there you have it, Jeff. These women feel
there is a conspiracy, a war on women, you might say, to take back their hard
fought gains on women's rights on health and reproduction."
"Thank you, Jenna. We'll keep following this story, but right now, I have the Chairman of the Republican Party, Crowe Magnon, and the President of the
Women's League, Molly Markum. Molly, we'll start with you. What do you think
about all this?"
Molly, a petite, middle-aged woman with brown hair and a no-nonsense
look, frowned. "Like your reporter said, the far right has started a war on women. With the misguided Republican war in Iraq over and forgotten war in
Afghanistan winding down, the GOP's collective fingers are getting itchy. So
they looked around and 'lo and behold' they've discovered us—women—and
decided they don't like the advances we have made over the last fifty years—"
"That's ridiculous," Crowe, a brawny, balding, blue-eyed man with shaggy shoulder-length hair, argued. "There is no war on women. Men idolize women."
"Humph! If you don't mind! Jeff asked me a question, and I was answering
before you rudely interrupted. As for your assertion that men adore women,
most men do, but not the petty Republican men. They think women, despite
being fifty-one percent of the electorate, having a measly seventeen percent of
the seats in Congress, is too much. They think women heading twelve of the
fortune five-hundred companies is too many, and they have the nerve to think
women making seventy-seven cents for every dollar men make is too much!
Crowe ran his fingers through his long, dark blond hair. "May I speak
now?"
Tightlipped, Molly glowered at Crowe, but Jeff said, "Go ahead."
"The seventy-seven percent figure has been debunked. Men work more
hours and overtime. More men have second jobs while many women only work
part time."
Molly snarled. "That's total horse shit and you know it."
"No, facts don't lie."
"Unless they come from the republican media—Wolf News."
"We're talking about your figures, not mine."
Molly shoved her chair back, stood up and stuck her chin out. "You don't
scare me, you walking bag of misinformation. We're talking about equal work
for an equal amount of time and women make three quarters of what men make.
If that isn't bad enough you're trying to take us back to the Donna Reed Show
days—to the Father Knows Best days. Well listen, you…you Neanderthal, father
doesn't know best. He never did. Mother knows best. If men were the ones
having babies—which men don't even seem to appreciate—then there wouldn't
be a pro-life movement and there would be record abortions. Conversely, if
women ran this country we wouldn't have the economic basket case we have
today."
~ * * ~
Sally Cummings picked up the remote control and turned off the TV.
"Molly's right. Brenda, I've made up my mind."
"What, Ms. Cummings?"
"I've watched this subtle war on women for months. Their attacks are
growing more frequent and bolder every day."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to go see our state chairman tomorrow. I'm going to throw my
hat in the ring and run for the U.S. Senate."
Chapter One – Birth of a Movement
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
—Margaret Mead
After a thirty-minute wait, the secretary said, "Mr. Nelsen will see you
now." Sally slipped her tablet computer into her handbag and went into Brad Nelsen's office. He stood, a smile on his face. "Good to see you again, Ms.
Cummings. Please be seated. Can I have Linda get you anything? Coffee, tea,
water?"
Sally sat in the center of three chairs that sat in an arc in front of his large desk. "No thanks, I'm fine."
The state Democratic Chairman took his seat and leaned
on desk. "All right. What can I do for you today?"
"I wanted to let you know what I'd like to do."
Bead cupped his chin. "And what is that?"
"I'm not going to run for re-election."
"No?"
"No. Instead, I'm planning to run for the Senate. I can do much more for the people as a senator."
Brad scratched his head and sighed. "Damn, Sally, I wish I knew this a
month ago. You can't waltz in here, announce your intention to run for the U.S.
Senate, and expect us to back you, just like that."
Sally tilted her head. "Why not? You always did before. I thought you'd be
pleased."
Brad glanced up. "Normally, I would, but things are different now."
"What do you mean?"
"You've seen it, Republicans in control of many of the state legislations,
running roughshod, introducing and passing one ridiculous, unpopular bill after
another. Democracy itself is under assault. Moderate and progressive values are
under attack, the country is in a crisis.
"Yes, I know. It's happening in Congress, too. The House majority is passing only it's own far right agenda legislation and blocking everything else.
Meanwhile the Senate Republicans use the filibuster to neutralize our majority
and block everything that could help the country. It's absolutely imperative that we maintain control of the Senate."
Brad leaned back in his chair. "Yeah things are bad, but it's even worse in many states."
"Maybe, but Congress is rushing to catch up. Christ, that last bill the House passed wanted to take away women's right to birth control. Birth control, which
has been available to women and in widespread use for half a century. Can you
believe it? That's why I decided to run for the Senate."
"Sally, I wish it were possible, but it's not. The party has already promised Winston we'd back him."
She pursed her lips. "What's the difference? We'll both run and the one who wins the primary will run against Dan Mannogue in the general."
"It's not that easy."
"Why the hell not? I'm a woman—a known quantity—and Mannogue
is…well, he's vulnerable—especially now."
"I know, and we feel Winston has the best chance to unseat him. Sit tight in your House seat for now. After all, you're the Minority Whip and if we take the
House back, you'll be Majority Leader, one step away from the Speaker of the
House."
Frustrated, she brushed a wayward lock of her blonde hair back from her
eyes and stood. "We? You mean you think Winston has the best chance, too.
Why, on earth, would you say that? I'm a better politician and you know it."
Brad tapped his fingers on his desk. "That's beside the point."
Sally leaned her hands on Brad's desk. "What then? Why the hell would
the…the powers pick Winston over me?"
He gazed up with watery eyes. "Sally, you're right about one thing. The
Democratic Party can't afford to lose the Senate and a man has a fifty percent
better chance of winning than a woman. Even a black man has a better chance
than a woman—a white woman, that is."
"Excuse my French, but this is really shitty. I thought you were my friend."
The coward wouldn't meet her gaze. "I am."
Sally slapped his desk, and he jerked. "No, you're not."
"Yes, I am. Just calm down, Sally. Your turn will come."
"Let me tell you, Brad. My best chance, in this right wing, misogynist
climate, is now. I don't care what the party thinks, I'm running."
Brad leaned forward and rose. "No, you're not."
Sally narrowed her eyes. "Why, what're they going to do, revoke my party
membership?"
"Worse. If you run against the party's wishes, we'll see that you lose to
Winston in the primary."
She straightened and placed a fist on her hip. "Oh, yeah? How're you going
to do that?"
"The party will super-PAC you."
"You would actually use a Political Action Committee to railroad me?"
"Don't try us."
"If that's the case, I'll run as an independent."
"Go ahead, but if we think you have a chance to beat Winston, we'll super-
PAC you, anyway."
"We'll see about that."
"Sally, you're a smart, strong, talented woman, but don't fight us on this. It isn't fair, but this is a man's world."
"Thanks for the compliment, but…you're no better than the Republicans.
When it comes to progress for women in government, you're a monkey's uncle."
Preparing to leave Sally swung her handbag up to place the strap over her
shoulder, accidently knocked Brad's coffee cup over. "Oops, so sorry." Hiding a smile, she hastily spun on her heels and strutted toward the door. "Have a nice day." Scrambling, he retrieved several napkins from his back desk and yelled,
"Wait Sally, what…where're you going?"
"You said one thing that's true."
Blotting spilled coffee up and wiping the desk dry, Brad asked, "What?"
"Whether someone is born rich or poor, black, white or brown, straight or
gay, male or female, how they are born should not determine their position in
society. You said we live in a man's world. I'm going to see what I can do to
change that."
~ * * ~
Two weeks later, five women sat at a long table in the Mexican motif
banquet room of Gringo's Cantina, awaiting one more member.
Congresswoman Sally Cummings sipped her frozen margarita through a
short straw while her assistant, Brenda, picked through the tortilla chips. "It's just not fair."
Carla took a bite of a freshly delivered nacho, then simultaneously sucked
air and fanned her mouth. "Ooh, hot!" She swallowed. "Yeah, men have been sticking it to women since they wore short coats with frilly shirts, pedal pushers with knee socks, and gray powdered wigs."
Kelly rested her elbows on the table and lowered her chin to her entwined
hands. "How would you know? You weren't exactly around two hundred and
thirty years ago."
"Don't need to be." Carla picked up another nacho chip. "The Declaration of Independence says, "All men are created equal. Notice how they conveniently leave off women? Women didn't get to vote for another hundred and forty-four
years. Even now, twelve generations later, we're still not equal."
Jennifer set her menu down. "Not all men are like that."
"Yeah, I know. My husband, Howard, is one of the good guys." Carla stirred her margarita with a straw. "Thank God there are decent, well-meaning men. All I meant was that a lot of men seem to have a higher opinion of men than
women."
"My husband doesn't have a woman problem, either. I think it's mostly
republican men. They're the ones who are trying to drag women back into the
dark ages."
Jennifer raised an eyebrow. "How would you know, Kelly? You told me
there are times when you barely see him."
"So, he's a busy man, he lets me do and buy whatever I want and he doesn't
smother me, like yours does."
Placing her elbows on the table, Sally leaned forward. "Ladies, please. We're not teenagers. We're grown women." Glancing around, Sally mumbled, "Now, where is Lindy?"
Brenda nudged her boss and whispered. "I forgot. She texted me. She'll be a few minutes late."
Jennifer picked up a nacho and blew on it. "Sally's right." Nibbling on a corner, she asked, "Sally, how long have you been a democrat?"
She shrugged. "As long as I can remember. I registered twenty years ago in
my first year of college."
Jennifer sipped her margarita. "So, the party you belonged to for twenty
years threw you under the bus. They said you couldn't run for the Senate as a
Democrat and if you ran as an independent they would actively work for your
defeat."
Sally nodded. "Pretty much. The state chairman said they'd even super-PAC
me if they had to. He wanted me to stick with the House for now, which I'd do if we could get anything done there. The Tea Party effectively runs the House and
they block everything but silly Tea Party bills. The Senate is the last bastion of sanity, but 'the barbarians are at the gates'."
