by Kristina Gupta, Policy Fellow
National Women's Law Center
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research just released a new survey which shows that unmarried women are committed to changing our national priorities. The survey of 865 unmarried women found that 77% believe the country is headed on the wrong track (compared to 72% of American voters). And unmarried women are determined to do something about it –- 85% said “I am so frustrated at the way things are going in this country, I will make a point of voting in next year’s elections.”
So, what’s going to happen when unmarried women (26% of the voting age population) head to the polls? Other surveys conducted by Greenberg Quinlan and Rosner provide some hints. In some cases, the priorities of unmarried women are similar to those of the nation at large. The war in Iraq, health care, and the economy and jobs are the top three priorities of unmarried women voters. Still, on many issues, unmarried women are more likely than other voters to support policies that benefit low- and middle-income Americans. Unmarried women overwhelmingly support universal health care, legislation to end wage discrimination, expanding federal loans and tuition tax credits for college, expanding SCHIP, raising the minimum wage, and expanding pre-natal care for uninsured women.
So, if you start to feel discouraged about the Senate abandoning fiscal discipline to approve a $50 billion tax cut without paying for it while the stalemate over adequate funding for critical services for women and their families continues, just remember -– the unmarried women are coming. And that gives us a reason to hope.
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