There's A New Way To Spell Aryanna

Progressives have been hoping to get rid of right-wing barnacle, religious fanatic and anti-Choice extremist Joe Pitts for a very long time-- and especially after he reneged on a pledge (and a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition) in 2002 to not serve in office more than 10 years. Hard to do when the Democratic Party didn't bother running a candidate against him that year. Lois Herr, without any real support from the DC Dems, took him on in 2004, 2006 and 2010. This year Lois is backing Aryanna Strader, a 29 year old army vet, a mother of two and a bona fide, passionate 99% Movement progressive. And Republicans in the state legislature were unkind to Pitts when it came to redistricting this year. They took away rural, conservative deep red parts of Lancaster County and added in Reading and Coatesville, which are Democratic. Obama lost the 16th to McCain 48-51%. But under the new lines, he would have won it with 50.1%. This is now a swing district and Aryanna can win there. I just added her to our ActBlue page and we'll be talking a lot more about her in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, after a meeting last week, I asked her about why she gets so angry about the Republicans' war against women.

The Republican Party's War Against Women

-by Aryanna Strader

As a waitress my mother did not have access to healthcare. If one of us got sick, we gargled with hot salt water, rested, and took vitamin C. However, as a 16 year old girl in need of a yearly check-up, those remedies just weren't going to cut it. My mom put me in the car and drove me to Planned Parenthood. I filled out the paperwork, we paid what we could, and I was able to receive a pap smear, instructions on how to check for breast cancer, and birth control pills to help control the painful cramps I was getting each month. This was the only option for someone of our income.

We are in the midst of a war on women's health. We hear Republicans calling for an end to Planned Parenthood and government funding for birth control. Do they not understand that there are millions of American women that rely heavily upon these programs for their health and well-being? That if it weren't for these programs they would have nowhere else to turn for help and education?

In Pennsylvania we have Gov. Tom Corbett suggesting that if women don't want see the incredibly invasive trans-vaginal ultrasound image they should "close their eyes." At 24 years old, pregnant with my second child, it was necessary for me to receive a trans-vaginal ultrasound due to complications in my previous pregnancy. I have never felt so uncomfortable, embarrassed, and demeaned in my life and I was a willing participant. I can only imagine how awful a victim of rape would feel if she were in the same situation. In Pennsylvania, I am in a fight for jobs while Gov. Corbett makes it his job to push a culture-war agenda.

I am passionate about running for Congress for many reasons, but we must stand up and fight against the likes of Congressman Joe Pitts who started this war on women's health with the Stupak-Pitts Amendment in 2010 and the "Let Her Die" bill in 2011. After legislating for 39 years, you would think Congressman Pitts would recognize that there are many more important issues we should be addressing as a nation like bringing our troops home and getting people back to work.

Congressman Joe Pitts started this war on women and as the youngest of 10 (which means I know how to be heard) an Iraq War veteran, a 29 year old small business owner mom of two, I am going to end it.