"Vote for Mom."

In response to this excellent article in last week's New York Times, Mothers Acting Up Co-founder Juliana Forbes (below) wrote the following letter to the editor:

Robin Toner’s article, “Vote for Mom” (1.29.07) asserts that Pelosi and Clinton have exhibited enough political strength to afford wooing voters by showcasing their motherhood. Perhaps also motherhood is seen now as a SOURCE of strength in political leadership. Mothers – traditionally the keepers of domestic issues – are recognizing that their children’s lives are at stake – and are claiming the “tough” issues of national security, the environment and international relations & development as their own Mother Agenda. Faced with sobering facts – today 1 child dies every 3 seconds due to mostly preventable causes and almost every other child in the world lives in poverty (UNICEF) – mothers are becoming a powerful lobby for children and view other mothers as most likely to protect children. The Motherhood Study reports that 92% of mothers care about the wellbeing of all children – not just their own – and 72% agree more mothers in political power in America would make life better for mothers and children. Maybe Pelosi and Clinton aren’t just being savvy; perhaps they truly see mothers leading a magnificent revolution to prioritize children’s lives.

Juliana Forbes
Cofounder, Mothers Acting Up
www.mothersactingup.org