We re-elected a President! On November 6, 2012, the importance of hope, progress, and equality was proven to those who did not believe in its power. President Obama’s speech was both inspiring and purposeful. Yes, he thanked all the people that helped get him re-elected from volunteers, to his campaign staff. He thanked his beautiful wife, and his two daughters for standing with him and keeping him grounded. I have to say here that I don’t think we’ve ever had a President and First Lady that truly show and prove their affection for each other more than these two. I for one think it’s beautiful! He reminded all of us of his reasons for wanting to be President. He spoke about the worth and value of America.

“This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military in history, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our university, our culture are all the envy of the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores. What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on Earth, the belief that our destiny is shared, that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations, so that the freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights, and among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great.”

Peter the Great.

Straddling the fence between great orator and learned politician President Obama gave tangible examples of what makes America a great country. This is the picture we all have in our heads when we think about our country. We want her to be strong and respected, knowing that it is still the place where anyone can achieve their dream, whatever that might be. Yeah, notice how we refer to America as a woman? Men always name their cars, their boats, their favorite possessions after women. Except their penis, they name that after a ball player, or a general. I once knew a man who named his Peter the Great. It was a feeble attempt at humor and, to my dismay, a gross over exaggeration.

Women’s rights were a huge part of this election. There was a lot of discussion about how our bodies worked and how we felt and how much money we deserved to make. And every single discussion about us was being initiated by a man. Unfortunately some of the men doing the talking were and still are…how can I put this…out of touch, over the hill, impotent ass wipes, who got their last look at a vagina somewhere around the 1950’s, and ran screaming from the room because they could not handle its power. Granted your average single woman runs into this type of man possibly on a daily basis. However, I don’t think any of us thought that they would then be elected to public office and sent to Washington to decide things pertaining to, quite frankly, anything. I don’t want the likes of Todd Aiken, Richard Mourdoch, or Allen West deciding where to put a commemorative tree, let alone have anything to do with decisions about my salary or my lady parts. The only people that have the right to talk, in a political forum, about vaginas and how they work are the people who have them. The President’s re-election secured that, there will not be someone in the White House that would support reversing Roe v. Wade, or taking away contraception and other health services provided by Planned Parenthood, and who get’s that there are just some things men aren’t supposed to have opinions about.

The President did more than just pat everyone on the back, he also called us to task.

“But that doesn’t mean your work is done. The role of citizens in our democracy does not end with your vote. America’s never been about what can be done for us; it’s about what can be done by us together, through the hard and frustrating but necessary work of self- government. That’s the principle we were founded on.”

That’s right. The whole premise of the republic system is citizen involvement. This idea of self-government only works if we work it. We the people have to stay vigilant, stay engaged and stay focused, in order to ensure that the people in Washington realize that they are elected by people who want things done, and will be willing to hold their ass to the fire if they are not completed to our satisfaction. Yes, people, that requires work. That means staying up to date on what’s being voted on, calling and emailing your Senator and Representative to let them know how you want them to vote and why.

And guess what ladies, he’s pointing at us. Women voted for Obama 55% in this election according to exit polls from CNN and a record number of women will take seats in Congress. Twenty women, one of whom is openly gay, will be making decisions for us. So while others were trying to keep us barefoot, raped, and pregnant, we showed up to say no to their version of our future. So now what? Well, ladies we can’t stop now!

We were Obama’s secret weapon. I think we need to redefine the term Women’s Work. If this election showed anything it showed that we, as women have real political power. Enough power to sway a Presidential election! I think the work of women should be making sure our voices are not just heard but listened to. Women’s work needs to be all about getting haters like Aiken, Allen, Mourdoch and Senate Republican Mitch McConnell out of office! We need to hunt these men down like the monsters they are, and make it impossible for them to hold public office ever again. McConnell comes up for re-election in two years. I am calling for all the women in Kentucky to start now campaigning against him. Don’t wait! Have a luncheon, a girls night out, or a conference call with your sisters, and let them know that the only way to make sure Obama can get anything done to our satisfaction in his second term is to get all the crazy radical republicans out of his way. So ladies, let’s get to work.