When it comes to dividing Americans on the basis of their gender, I know a little something about the subject. I grew up in a time when many people believed that men and women should not always be treated equally. It wasn't easy to break through the barriers of discrimination, and I'm glad I didn't have to do it alone. When I became the first woman to represent the state of Texas in the United States Senate, it was with the help of a lot of women - and a large number of men, too.
Over the course of my life, I've learned that something we take as an article of faith in our country is profoundly true: United, we can accomplish anything. I've also learned to question those who would seek to divide us. As we enter this election season, I'm afraid we are witnessing just such an attempt.
The Democrats and White House are talking a great deal about a Republican "war on women." Color me highly skeptical. All such talk makes me wonder: Do the major problems plaguing our nation these last few years have all that much to do with gender? Are women somehow less concerned about unemployment than men? Do our nation's exploding deficits worry some of us less than others, merely because of our sex? When we see a government growing beyond its means, or regulations that shackle small businesses and drive down job creation, or laws that will redefine our health care industry and strip us of our individual freedoms, do women somehow care less than men?
As a woman who has spent her life fighting to banish forever the ignorance that women are incapable of engaging the pressing issues of the day, I can tell you that the answer to all of those questions is no.
All Americans are suffering. Unemployment is too high, economic growth is too low, and the Obama administration seems incapable of doing anything about it. We all need a change for the better, and those politicians who prefer to divide us rather than seek solutions deserve our scorn.
I support Gov. Mitt Romney for president because he has a well-thought-out plan to get our economy back on track. He recognizes that it is not government but the American people who have made our country great. Men and women pursuing their hopes, seeking the fulfillment of the American dream. The success of our efforts to grow the economy will depend entirely on whether we make it easier or harder for them to accomplish that goal.
Good jobs. A government that doesn't rack up trillions of dollars of debt. Families that are able to pay for their children's college. These are the goals that unite us. Ultimately, the American people will elect as president the person who has the best plan for realizing those goals.
President Obama has had four years to take his best shot. What has that given us? Graduating seniors without job offers in unprecedented numbers. The largest government debt burden in the history of America. Retirees unable to keep their standards of living, and small-business owners facing stifling regulations.
Now he pledges four more years of the same policies. Do we really want the same result? Rhetoric, no matter how divisive, will not change that fact.
We believe in America, and we are all in this together.
This op-ed can be read at The Houston Chronicle.
