Around Des Moines

Barack Obama ran ads in Iowa and wrote in his book, The Audacity of Hope, that he passed legislation. An individual legislator can introduce, sponsor, and champion legislation. However, a bill does not pass the legislature unless a majority of elected officials vote in favor of it.

Chris Dodd also ran an ad where he claimed to have passed legislation. Yet when Dodd talked about the Family and Medical Leave Act at the House of Mercy, he said that he moved it through Congress by working with Democrats and Republicans to get it passed.

Obama frequently talks about having passed legislation. When he does so, it sounds as though he is making a claim of unilateral responsibility for the bill being sent to the executive branch. For Obama to use the word as he does creates a need to compare his meaning against his claim of being able to unite Republicans and Democrats. This is just one example of many that I have observed during the past several months on how language is being used in and received by campaigns, by the media, and by voters.

A newspaper’s inclusion of columns written by state legislators was the impetus for writing this column. Starting out with the presidential contest was a choice made to attract readers. If I had made the statement that headlines show gender bias in politics at the start of this post, I suspect many people would have ignored my comments. My own ploy makes me wonder if Obama’s use of pass is a tactic to downplay the votes where he passed on legislation, instead of voting aye or nay. If the public’s subconscious starts connecting pass with legislation that became law, then talk about Obama’s passes on legislation are subconsciously interpreted as being in support of legislation that did not pass.

In the February 5, 2008, West Register, columns by three state legislators are included. Here are the legislators and the headlines for their columns: Sen. Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale), “Proposal would help Iowans survive economic hardships;” Sen. Matt McCoy (D-Des Moines), “2007 legislative actions leave more money in pocketbooks;” and, Rep. Jo Oldson (D-Des Moines), “Her goal is to build on 2007 to help Iowa’s working families.” The headlines for the men’s columns indicate strong action. The headline for the woman’s column suggests it needs less reader attention because it’s only one woman’s desire.

The columns themselves tell much about the difference in expectations of males and females in society. All three columns converse about everyday issues, such as the minimum wage, education, and use of tax cuts as an economic stimulus. Yet the two men write about Iowans. The woman writes about families in Iowa. An Iowan can be a single man, a single woman, or a retired grandparent. In contrast, a working family evokes images of parents and children in school. This reinforces the undercurrent of gender bias. It continues the subconscious identification of women primarily in their roles as wives and mothers.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.