Recently in politics Category

It's no secret that any news of a politician's infidelity is an instant scandal that almost everyone has an opinion on. We saw a tidal wave of reaction to the Eliot Spitzer prostitution story, and the news that former Senator John Edwards had an affair with a campaign aide has set the iVillage community ablaze with commentary, disgust and some really interesting angles on this story.

On the Betrayed Spouses Support board, member carpenchri shares what many of us are probably thinking:

"Well...front page news again. Another person trying to gain our trust comes out as cheating on his family.  Cheating on his wife — while she's busting her butt on the campaign trail for him — while battling cancer ... what could have been SO horrible that he had to do that to her?!?!"

For the most part, we often see some degree of distrust for political figures. But what is interesting about this case is that John Edwards, by most accounts (well, at least until now), was beyond that, with his clean image, his value-based talking points and, perhaps most notable, his wife's struggle with cancer, which has played out often on the campaign trail and in the news. It's exactly this, though, that has created such a stir in a wide variety of communities. While the outrage is predictable, some of the secondary conversations have taken a tone that is more considered and curious. Some are even questioning who knew what and when... and how much a person is responsible for their family when they're living their life so much in the public eye.

From the All Sides of an Affair board fallenstar2005 also wonders:

"I question whether Elizabeth Edwards knew about the affair in 2006. Would you agree to be part of a national presidential campaign knowing that there was someone out there who could publicly, on a whim, destroy you and your children's world? Not to mention the arrogance of John Edwards putting his political party at risk if he had actually won the nomination. Something just doesn't seem right..."

It's no secret that the poor economy is doing a number on most all of us -- but after years of struggling for equality in the workplace, the realization that women are suffering from layoffs, downsizing, outsourcing and flatlining wages in much the same way as men is disheartening. What's more concerning is that according to a recent study from the Joint Economic Committee of Congress women are also dropping out of the workforce as a response to these tough times.  While some women have opted to stay at home to raise the kids or for other family reasons, the study showed that many are taking a break from work because they are unable to find jobs comparable to the ones they've lost, impacting not only their bottom line, but likely their emotional well-being, too.

In most of the stories posted on our message boards, it seems that iVillage women find it necessary to take part-time jobs or freelance work to supplement their income while they look for another job. For some, this may be a long-term solution as they try to wait out the economic downturn. After reading through the comments from our users, I'm not sure that leaving the workforce altogether is a practical option for many women, especially those who are the sole provider for the family and those who are single with no other source of income. Many families are also finding themselves in debt and seek out advice from our Debt Support Group, where colomom99's story is becoming a frighteningly common refrain:  

"I am a journalist and newspapers have lost thousands and thousands of very talented people in the past year who have nowhere to go. My lay off was not completely unexpected -- we knew it was a remote possibility -- but that did not make it any easier when I got the tap on my shoulder the day we returned from vacation. 

Our family is really struggling, losing money every month but still hanging on. We have a terrifying amount of debt which I am trying to tackle as I can. I write from home now and have had some luck in freelancing but it is sporadic and nowhere near what I was making before. The scary thing is my husband is also a journalist. His job is secure for now but who knows."

Throughout the iVillage community many women are struggling with the choice of working to earn money for their family -- or staying at home to avoid the rising cost of childcare. This is not an entirely new conundrum, but in light of has raised this conversation to a new level our Stay at Home vs. Work Debate message board, where some moms are saying the income from their jobs and the price of daycare is practically a wash. Member mm05 shares her experience:

"In June I quit my job. After returning to work from [maternity] leave and having to pay $600 every two weeks for 3 children, I said NO WAY! My pay cheque was only $645-$650 every 2 weeks. That left me with $50. It made absolutely no sense."

In a recent poll, 56% of iVillage users felt that childcare should be a benefit offered by employers. With more families facing hard choices, it may be critical for many companies to work with their employees to come up with a solution that works for everyone. 

Still, in other cases, women from our communities are deciding to go back to work -- even if only part-time, to help the family's bottom line -- either due to rising costs or, unfortunately, due to a partner's loss of work.  

While the Congressional study of women in the workforce has uncovered an interesting trend, the reality for many women (and men) is much more complicated than just "dropping out".  How are you coping with the poor economy -- both financially and emotionally? Have you suffered from a layoff or pay cut -- or are you sensing your job is in jeopardy? 

It's a bird, it's a weekday -- no, it's ... Super Tuesday! While I'm not sure that Super Tuesday is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, it does guarantee Super Buzz in the iVillage community. Politics are always fair game for frank and sometimes heated conversations on our debate and issues boards, but election season has everyone sharing their feelings on this year's candidates. From our expecting clubs and playgroups to our Home & Garden message boards, women are sounding off on what's important to them and how they're planning to vote. Even on our Remodel & Renovate community, there are some definite plans for remodeling and renovating the White House, and we're not talking interior design. A lot of women are trying to cut through the campaign rhetoric and plan to send a message to the candidates that they not only want a change in policy, but a change in the process; cl-thatyank sums up her thoughts on this year's crop of negative campaign tricks by saying, "negative television ads tend to make me angry at the person who approved the ad."  In the same discussion, cl-joshndansmom echoes what we're seeing on many of our boards: "There are so many issues, but right now I think the biggest one is getting our soldiers out of Iraq safely." 

So is Iraq the big issue for this election, when many voters are looking for a change in domestic policy as well as foreign affairs? The war in Iraq is always a hot subject of discussion on the Current Debates board and in many of our military communities, this issue hits closer to home than many of us can fathom. Although Iraq is a hot-button issue for many, the state of the U.S. healthcare system and the struggling economy have definitely become top of mind issues for many iVillage members, who feel the pinch of these for their families on a daily basis. On our Hot Topics in Health message board, member clear_victory laments:

"Health care seems to have slipped below the radar, all of a sudden it's "about the economy, stupid", you know? If we can't stay healthy, the economy has little meaning. I'm so sick of seeing overcrowded ERs because so many have no health insurance." 

Go directly to Jail ... Do Not Pass Go ... Do Not Collect $200.

Perhaps a classic game of Monopoly is the root of our fascination with people going to and getting out of jail? Or maybe it's just that rubbernecking is a national pastime? Whatever the case, there are a lot of iVillage communities buzzing about famous faces in correctional places. So I bring you Jail Watch 2007!

It's no surprise that everyone's talking about Paris Hilton's sentence, her report to jail and now (!!) her apparent release after only three days. Say what? Well CNN is reporting that TMZ is reporting this and like my buddy Tam says, "If you can't believe TMZ, who can you believe any more?"

While most are disgusted by the celeb get-out-of-jail-free cards, this mom has a different take and tells why she sort of envies Paris:

"Not because she's rich, not because people think she's beautiful. I envy her because for 23 days she gets to be ALONE, in the QUIET, with NOTHING to do and nobody to talk to, and nobody talking to her, and no responsibilities! They say how sad it is that she only gets an hour to take a shower or watch TV and I think "An hour to take a shower??? AWESOME!!!" "

Well, she does have a point there.

Still on the celebrity front, some are also wondering why DUI Diva Lindsay Lohan isn't in jail and not just hanging out in rehab.

On the other end of the age spectrum, "Dr. Death" Jack Kevorkian left prison last week after serving 8 years for his involvement in a reported 130 "assisted suicides". They're debating the whole gamut of Kevorkian-related topics on the Hot Debates message board, from the ethics of assisted suicide to whether Kevorkian should pay for his own incarceration. Here's a sentiment from the In the News board that seems to come up again and again in these conversations:

"Dr. K helped people who were suffering from living an unbearable life. I had hoped that the exposure of medically assisted suicide would have grown since his arrest and that option would have become available for terminally ill patients."

More reaction from the March 2005 playgroup:

"Why is it that we will put down our pets (dogs and cats) when they are suffering/dying/in pain, but when it comes to family members we don't give them the same respect."

"From what I understand, not all of Kevorkian's patients were terminally ill. Many people had him assist in their suicide, who did NOT have a terminal illness. So... What about sanctioning assisted suicide for those who want to die - -without a terminial illness?"

This is one debate that is going to be around for a very long time, I think.

And finally, former top White House aide Scooter Libby was sentenced to 30 months in prison for perjury and obstruction of justice in the Plame case. Though now there's talk swirling of a possible pardon, the Politics Today board is holding a party for Happy "Scooter to the Slammer" Day! Truly a festive occasion that only the Politics Today crowd could come up with.

Have I missed anyone on the incarceration roster? What are your thoughts about these stories -- and why do we care? Check in here with your take and make it quick, my visiting hours are almost over!