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Feb
7
Many thanks as always to Cleveland Family for allowing me to write for them. I’m actually now in my seventh year of being published in their magazines. They have been fantastic to write for and it’s been wonderful to see them grow. Please check out their website – it has a lot of great resources.
And my February essay (and illustration!), of course.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:38 pm February 7th, 2010 in Humor, Jill Miller Zimon, Ohio, Parenting, Writing, Youth | Please comment
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Feb
7
Two Plain Dealer online pieces (also both in the print version) today discuss the race for Cuyahoga County Executive. I’m quoted in this one and this link takes you to a rundown of 20 individuals whose names, the PD reporters say, come up the most often in conversation about the position.
Observations: 17 men, three women. Two people of color (one male, one female).
That cannot, cannot, cannot be the sum total of what 1.3 million people have to offer up as possible leaders.
Wait. Let me restate that: Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:25 pm February 7th, 2010 in Campaigning, Cleveland+, Elections, Government, Media, Ohio, Politics, Transparency, Women, democracy, leadership | 4 Comments
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Feb
4
I don’t want to get known as ignoring the successes of recruiting and supporting. So here is a story from the Columbus Dispatch about GOP women getting endorsements for their races:
Former candidates Angel Rhodes and Julie Hubler mounted vigorous floor fights to win the party’s backing over two newcomers who had been picked by the screening committee.
Rhodes, who ran for Franklin County commissioner against incumbent Paula Brooks in 2008, got the nod to oppose Democrat John Patrick Carney in the 22nd Ohio House District race. The screening committee had recommended Dublin business entrepreneur Kathy Eshelman. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:48 pm February 4th, 2010 in Campaigning, Elections, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse, Voting, Women | Please comment
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Feb
4
Ironically, I just asked Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern about whether the party had any plans yet for how to deal with Citizens United and he said they’re waiting to see/learn what the DNC is thinking/planning.
Here’s The Daily Briefing on what U.S. Senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown (D) would like:
The Ohio Democrat today unveiled a bill requiring corporations that produce political ads or engage in other campaign activities allowed by the Supreme Court ruling to gain approval of shareholders ahead of any political spending. Brown’s bill, which he dubs the Citizens Right to Know Act, also would require corporate CEOs to make personal disclaimers revealing the company’s sponsorship of an ad, much as political candidates now appear briefly on camera or are heard on a radio ad taking responsibility for a spot. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:24 pm February 4th, 2010 in Campaigning, Congress, Elections, Government, Law, Ohio, Politics, Sherrod Brown, Transparency, Voting, leadership, senate | 2 Comments
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Feb
4
From the New York Times’ coverage of hearings related to the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy related to whether gays and lesbians serve in the U.S. military:
On one thing, Mr. Gates, Admiral Mullen and Republicans on the committee agreed: many gay men and lesbians are serving honorably and effectively in the military today, despite a policy that has led to more than 13,000 discharges, including those of much-needed Arabic translators.
“I have served with homosexuals since 1968,” Admiral Mullen told the committee. He added, “Everybody in the military has, and we understand that.”
That such an obvious reality must be stated by a top command figure before it can be heard, even by those who have served with gay men and women in the military, demonstrates the ridiculous level of denial that some elected members of our government, and the voters who vote them in, have in regard to the way things are in 2010 – and, as Mullen says, have been for more than 40 years.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:10 am February 4th, 2010 in Culture, Military, Politics, Social Issues, intolerance, leadership, war | 2 Comments
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Feb
3
I’ve been writing about the GOP female elected problem for literally years – including two pieces last summer on how the RNC’s Young Guns have no gunnettes:
GOP continues to starve female leadership pipeline: Sessions’ Young Guns are 12 men, 1 woman
UPDATE: National Federation of Republican Women comments on men outgunning women in “Young Guns”
And just yesterday I blogged about how TIME magazine’s “10 Scott Browns” includes just two women, both of whom are from already very reliable states regarding the support of women in leadership.
And last week I wrote about how South Carolina’s first lady, Jenny Sanford, spent several minutes addressing the lack of women in nearly all areas of South Carolina’s elected government.
So this GOP Still Short on Women thing? Please. (Anyone remember this lame-0 response from Ohio Senate’s Bill Harris from 2007 re: why there are nearly no GOP women in that chamber? In that item, even then-outgoing GOP state senator Joy Padgett said, “It’s important to have several women in the caucus. When you’re looking at representing populations, there just aren’t enough women in the chamber, period.”) Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:31 am February 3rd, 2010 in Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Statehouse, Women | 4 Comments
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Feb
3
Yes, the tree is really named “Jill.” My nine-year old called me over this morning while he was reading the Diversions section of the Plain Dealer and said, “Here’s one for you mom types” or something like that. Of course, it was my son who had to be taken to school early today to get to his council meeting. I told him I thought we should start a podcast or web show called, iCouncil. There is a third frame to this Pajama Diaries cartoon, but I thought it fed too much into stereotypes just to get a smile.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:18 am February 3rd, 2010 in Humor, Media, Parenting, Women, leadership | 6 Comments
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Feb
2
And those two, Kelly Ayotte for the New Hampshire Senate and Jane Norton for the Colorado Senate, are in states that are already leaders in getting women to run and win and lead (i.e., New Hampshire’s majority female senate and Colorado’s legislature being 40% female).
Come on TIME – can’t you do any better? Or are you telling us just how lousy the recruiting is going for the right side of the aisle when it comes to women and minorities?
Full List
GOP CONGRESSIONAL CONTENDERS
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:45 pm February 2nd, 2010 in Gender, Government, Politics, Republicans, Sexism, Women, conservatives, leadership | 3 Comments
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Feb
1
The event is called Momentum 2010, the Ohio’s Women Summit.
Momentum 2010: Ohio Women’s Summit will be held in Columbus, Ohio on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2010. Momentum is being coordinated by the Governor’s Office for Women’s Initiatives and Outreach and First Lady Frances Strickland. The Summit will focus on strengthening our families and communities by promoting the advancement of women through education, economics, and health. In addition to our Ohio Women’s Summit we will host a Young Women’s Summit on Sunday March 7, 2010!
Visit their site for information on speakers, including Jennifer Brunner and Connie Schultz. Hope to see you there.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:22 pm February 1st, 2010 in Announcements, Gender, Ohio, Politics, Women, Youth, leadership | 2 Comments
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Jan
31
Hotline On Call says she’s the first female solo anchor for a Sunday morning program in 19 years, but doesn’t say who the last one was and I’m not remembering – anyone know without googling?
Video of announcement:
I got to introduce myself to Crowley at the 2008 Democratic debate in Cleveland and also watch her in the spin room. I’m a big admirer of her and wish her great luck. I hope she can make a difference. I’m not thrilled to read that the show is being cut from John King’s four-hour block to a one-hour version:
Crowley will inherit a markedly smaller “State of the Union,” which will go from a four-hour block (including an hour for “Reliable Sources”) to a one-hour show. Crowley will anchor “State of the Union” at 9AM with “Fareed Zakaria GPS” following at 10AM. Howard Kurtz’s “Reliable Sources” will air at 11AM, and an updated edition of “State of the Union” will air at noon.
Guess we’ll have to see how it shakes out.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:33 pm January 31st, 2010 in Announcements, Gender, Media, Politics, Women | 1 Comment
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Jan
30
I certainly can’t complain about no female options for Ohio Secretary of State:
About Maryellen O’Shaughnessy here and here
And for good measure, a view from the Right
Honestly, I believe this race is going to boil down to how to keep Jon Husted out of that office. He has been so political and so disingenuous regarding the entire “where does he live” thing, again, it’s like with Bill Mason (seriously, how many times are you really okay with accepting an elected official who is a law enforcement professional to say he wasn’t aware of some ethically debatable behavior or outright illegal condition and still feel it’s okay for him or her to go on in that law enforcement job?): Do they really fail to see how so many Ohioans see them and their circumstances? Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:16 pm January 30th, 2010 in Campaigning, Democrats, Elections, Ethics, Government, Jennifer Brunner, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse, Women, democracy | 2 Comments
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Jan
29
This article does a nice job outlining who is lining up and who is lining up behind whom to replace Ohio House Rep. Matt Dolan (R-98th) who was living in Geauga County and has moved to Chagrin Falls to be in Cuyahoga County in order to run for Cuyahoga County Executive. Specifically:
In the Democrat-majority of the Ohio House of Representatives, Hollington is the choice of the House Republican Caucus, state Rep. Bill Batchelder, R-Medina, who is the Caucus chairman and House minority leader, said Friday.
“Dick Hollington obviously will hit the ground running. The reason we’re picking him we is we know his background as one who has served three terms in the House. He’s only one of two former state representatives in the district, including Ed Ryder (who’s now the Geauga County Republican Party chair),” Batchelder said.
So far, former Claridon Township Trustee Mary Briggs is the only female and the only Democrat in the mix. Hunting Valley is partially in Dolan’s district and partially in the Ohio 17th.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:38 pm January 29th, 2010 in Campaigning, Elections, Government, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse, Women, leadership | Please comment
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Jan
29
The jury, who had listened to 5 days of testimony, took less than an hour of deliberation once closing remarks were made.
Yesterday, the jury was informed that they would not be ruling on a charge of voluntary manslaughter, a fear many pro-choice advocates expressed, as the sentencing could be as little as 5 years. Because of Roeder’s premeditated action and the fact that there was no immediate threat against him, Judge Warren Wilbert instead ruled that Roeder must be found either guilty or innocent on the charge of first degree murder in the death of Dr. George Tiller…
…In Roeder’s own testimony yesterday he repeated the fact that he did commit the murder of Dr. Tiller, as well as recite the steps that he took prior to the act, with plans that went all of the way back to 1993. He also stated that he did not regret his actions.
The prosecuting team has announced its intention to go for a “hard 50″ during the sentencing process…[which requires] that the convicted murderer be required to serve a minimum of 50 years in prison before even a possibility of parole.
Sentencing will be March 9th.
More from the Kansas City Star and read the Twitter stream of Ron Sylvester, a reporter of the Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, who tweeted the trial.
Statement of the Tiller Family
Video of the verdict (there are multiple other videos there from the trial)
Thoughts?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:41 pm January 29th, 2010 in Abortion, Crime, Law, Media, Religion, Social Issues | Please comment
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Jan
28
From Greenville Online.com today:
South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford, in perhaps one of her last official duties as first lady, says not enough women are involved in politics in the state.
Sanford told a state GOP luncheon featuring three former first ladies on Thursday that during her two decades in the state she has seen great strides for women in business and the political world.
But she told an audience of about 200 there is still a long way to go. She said very few women are elected to office in South Carolina and not enough are involved in the system.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:04 pm January 28th, 2010 in Campaigning, Debates, Elections, Gender, Government, Politics, Sexism, Statehouse, Women, conservatives, leadership, senate | Please comment
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Jan
27
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-state-union-address
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release January 27, 2010
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
U.S. Capitol
9:11 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Madam Speaker, Vice President Biden, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:
Our Constitution declares that from time to time, the President shall give to Congress information about the state of our union. For 220 years, our leaders have fulfilled this duty. They’ve done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. And they’ve done so in the midst of war and depression; at moments of great strife and great struggle. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:08 pm January 27th, 2010 in Barack Obama, Politics | 1 Comment
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Jan
27
You do not want to miss this. Chatter will feed to Twitter and Facebook (for me anyway for sure – still working on the Twitter side). At 9pm – bring your beverage of choice and chime in.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:27 pm January 27th, 2010 in Barack Obama, BlogHer, Blogging, Politics | Please comment
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Jan
27
And it will be right in my front yard. Yes, really.
I’m trying to learn how to best optimize this news which most people who know about these things tell me is really very good news, or could be. You can read more here at my In The Arena post, but if someone was putting hundreds of miles of fiber optics through your town, connecting two data centers hundreds of miles apart, what would you want to be sure you got out of it?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:59 am January 27th, 2010 in Cleveland+, Pepper Pike, Tech | Please comment
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Jan
26
You can read it here. Hattip to Marc Kovac of Dix.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:50 pm January 26th, 2010 in Ohio, Ted Strickland | Please comment
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Jan
26
Anyone who has ever said something nasty about community organizers has never met nor benefited from the life work of Bil Callahan.
And this blog post about the neglect behind the Cleveland home that blew up yesterday and has created homeless people is just the tip of the iceberg for how he continues to contribute:
Waaaay down at the bottom of the Plain Dealer’s online article about the tragedy [of a home that blew up in Cleveland yesterday, spreading a fire in the neighborhood leaving 15 families homeless] we find this:
James and Irene Garman sold the home in December 2008 for $13,500 to EZ Access Funding LLC, according to Cuyahoga County Auditor records.
That’s EZ Access Funding LLC of Newport Beach, California. 3920 Birch Street, Suite 105, Newport Beach 92660, to be precise. The same address as the Marc R. Tow Law Offices. And the Preferred Equity Group, LLC. And Preferred Default Management, Inc. And Orpheus Capital, LLC. And the Diamond Housing Group, LLC. And (get ready for this) the USA Wealth Institute, LLC. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:18 am January 26th, 2010 in Cleveland+, Crime, Economy, Ethics, Housing, Marketing, Media, Midwest, Ohio, Scandal, Social Issues, Transparency | Please comment
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Jan
25
The Ohio House schedule indicates that the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee (see members here) will be taking opponent and interested party testimony regarding the issue of oil and gas drilling regulation, and specifically SB 165, on this Wednesday, January 26, starting at 9:30am in Room 018 in the basement of the Statehouse. For those interested, the suggested way to prepare testimony is to describe your story, keep it to a very few minutes and review the testimony given last week by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (which you can see in the Scribd document below) in addition to SB 165 itself.
If you don’t feel familiar enough with the issue, listen to this WCPN Sound of Ideas show with pro and con representatives here. I also suggest watching this short trailer video about the pervasive expansion of drilling throughout the country as covered in the documentary, Split Estate, which will be screened this Friday, January 29, 6:30 p.m., at Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Dr., Room T129, Kirtland. Hattip Cleveland Scene.
Do you have an experience related to this issue to share? Please do. It can make a difference. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:58 am January 25th, 2010 in Cleveland+, Debates, Energy, Environment, Government, Ohio, Politics, Science, Statehouse, Utilities, WCPN/SOI, democracy, leadership | Please comment
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