So much for mothers

There they were, all the lovely women, emitting a wonderful scent of powder, rouge and bouquets, wearing new dresses, shoes, purses and hats; It was Easter Sunday. Mothers always look their best on Easter Sunday. There wasn’t an “official” contest at our church on Easter Sunday, but I thought my mom always looked better than any other woman.

Mothers, like mine, read to their children at bedtime, kneel with them to say their prayers, kiss them on the cheek and tuck the young ones in at night. They care for their children when they are sick or hurt. Mothers are comforting, encouraging, forgiving and reassuring. They teach children right from wrong, sometimes the hard way. Of course, all mothers are not the same; my wife Lynne was a good mother but entirely different than my mom.

Of course there are bad mothers, I’ll not discuss them.

Mother’s Day was one month go today. On that day probably 40 million mothers got flowers, candy, jewelry, or dinner out, as children treated their mothers on Mother’s day. Mother’s Day should be every day. They’ll be gone sooner than you think, then you’ll have only memories every day, especially on Mother’s Day. I know.

My mom has passed on. Her earthly body rest beneath a large tree in an immaculately kept cemetery in Miles City, Mont. I think of her often, but especially on Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day.

Not everyone seems to care about mothers the way they should. Take some Republicans, for example.

They’re 161 million women in the U.S; 44.2 million are mothers between the ages of 15-50. There are 75 million women in the workforce, comprising 47 percent of the labor force. The median income of women 16 and older, who work year round is approximately $39,000. Men do much better making an average of $50,000. The numbers are skewed upwards because of high salaried executives.

Women today are still paid about 78 percent of what men are paid, doing comparable work. Republicans in Congress have refused to pass much needed laws to end this discriminatory practice. It’s just another example of the Republicans’ disregard for women’s equality. So much for mothers.

There about 10 million single moms, between the ages of 15-50, in the U.S. today. In 1970 there were 3.4 million. Many single moms are making the minimum wage, which isn’t near enough to feed, house and clothe themselves and their children. Congress could help by raising the minimum wage to a living wage, but the Republicans refuse. So much for mothers.

Some health insurance companies have been breaking the law by denying women birth control coverage. They are in violation of the Affordable Care Act. They’re supported by many Republicans, whom, if they can, will repeal the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. The Act provides many poor mothers with the healthcare they never could afford.

One of these mothers, whose children are grown, told me the other day she didn’t know what she would do without “Obamacare” and Medicaid. A former Republican, she now loves President Obama and prays the Republicans don’t repeal Obamacare. Most conservative governors, unlike Gov. Brian Sandoval, spitefully refuse to provide Medicaid, provided for by Obamacare, to their constituents. So much for poor mothers.

It’s not just the Republicans in Washington D.C., Republicans in State Houses are doing everything they can to turn back the clock on women’s rights. The have closed most health clinics where many poor women, including mothers, got healthcare they couldn’t afford. And yes, they have shut down about all clinics where a woman could get a safe abortion. At the same time they want to deny women insurance coverage for birth control which would prevent the unwanted pregnancies in the first place. It’s ridiculous. So much for women.

Millions of mothers have lost their children in war. Still Republicans like South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Arizona Sen. John McCain are constantly pounding the drums of war. They seem to believe we should go to war first, then negotiate. That’s backwards. Mothers don’t want their children to possibly die in battle unless war is the only option. So much for mothers, huh Lindsey?

On May 14, 2015, Congress passed a bill forcing rape survivors to undergo a two-day waiting period and “counseling” before “earning” the right to an abortion procedure, it also makes murderers out of doctors who perform abortions after 20 weeks. These old Congressmen have always insisted on usurping a woman’s right to make her own decisions. Now they will punish doctors who disagree with them! Men! Honestly, I’m sometimes ashamed to be one.

Glen McAdoo, a Fallon resident, can be contacted at glynn@phonewave,net.