Democrats discuss their 'Contract with Women'
Oct. 19—Democrats from across Indiana gathered at the Vigo County Democratic Party Headquarters on Monday afternoon on the second stop of the party's statewide "Contract with Women" tour.
Issues of special concern for women — healthcare, childcare and economic and educational standards — are addressed in the "Contract with Women," but foremost is its affirmation of a woman's right to be in private control of her own body, say Democrats.
In attendance were U.S. Senate candidate Tom McDermott, Eighth Congressional District U.S. House of Representatives candidate Ray McCormick, former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jennifer McCormick (no relation to Ray McCormick), Vigo County Councilwoman District 3 Vicki Weger, Vigo County Coroner Dr. Janie Myers and Thomasina Marsili, chair of Indiana's Democratic Party's Eighth District, and Vigo County Democratic Party chair Joe Etling.
Officials shared their initial thoughts the day the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Marsili said, "Oh God, my health care is done, my marriage is over [Marsili identifies as LGBTQ+]. This is what is wrong with setting us back to 1952. We no longer have the rights our mothers had."
Said Myers, "I am really concerned that our health care is going to be worse — women are going to do things they shouldn't do when they could go to a board-certified, evidence-based person to take care of them the right way. ... We're going to see more deaths, and this really concerns me."
Jennifer McCormick said, "They're not done. This is going to get worse before it's going to get better. The only thing standing in the way of all Hoosiers and the powers of a supermajority is Hoosiers going out to vote."
Ray McCormick said, "When that decision was made, I thought, 'I've got to do something about it.' I found out there was a spontaneous rally in Evansville on the riverfront, so I made me a sign that said, 'Farmer for Freedom' and went down there irregardless of the consequences."
McDermott said, "I thought about my mom who was very involved in this fight back in the early 1970s. I thought about my wife and my daughter who have fewer rights than their mothers had. It's a very sad day. We have to protect the women in our lives."
He added that the three days his campaign has received the most Emails and donations were the day the Supreme Court's decision was leaked and the day Roe v. Wade was overturned, with the biggest response coming the day the Indiana legislature passed Senate Bill 1.
"It's the day my campaign completely caught fire," McDermott said. He is running against Todd Young, who voted for the three conservative Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade.
"The GOP overreached and they affected not only half the population but more than half the population," McDermott said.
Weger surprised some of those in attendance when she said, "With this Supreme Court ruling, how many more crazy things are they going to come up with — and we'll have to wonder when they'll get some people on the court who are not nuts."
Enforcement of the state law banning abortion in Indiana is currently on hold while the Indiana Supreme Court ponders whether the bill is Constitutional.
The "Contract with Women" tour began Monday morning at the Statehouse in Indianapolis and will visit another dozen locations throughout Indiana over the next two weeks.
David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.
