Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Today's Tidbits

Mikaela says:
Awesome analysis by E.J. Dionne in the Washington Post of the need for Democrats to think about how to strategically use donations to build the party AND help candidates in key races. Republicans have us beat in this sense. Why?

"Republicans, who defend individualism in theory, act like communitarians where their party is concerned. Democrats claim to be more community-minded but act like radical individualists in their penchant for candidate-centered, one-cause-at-a-time politics."
Great quote in support of women in the AIDS crisis by Bill Gates via Democracy Now:
“A woman should never need her partner's permission to save her own life."

In Toronto, at the 16th International Aids Conference, Microsoft founder Bill Gates criticized the Bush administration’s push for abstinence policies. Gates said the "ABC" program promoting abstinence, being faithful and using a condom has saved many lives. But Gates said the power to prevent HIV must be put in the hands of women. He said abstinence is often not an option for poor women and girls; being faithful will not protect a woman whose partner is not faithful. And he said that using condoms is not a decision that a woman can make by herself.