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Jan
31
[Lipstick on a pig update] Steele cold silence from Ohio righty blogosphere
Filed Under Blogging, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, conservatives, leadership | 3 Comments
Couldn’t find a thing last night, still not finding anything today.
Not a word? Come on. Just one perfunctory post from the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County which is basically just a re-tread of a list of things you might not know about the new RNC chair, cut and pasted from US News & World Report?
Then again – if the RPCC is the only Ohio righty blog posting something about this change in leadership for the RNC, maybe that says it all.
(I am, of course, referencing how Michael Steele became the Republican National Committee chair yesterday.)
After losses in 2006 and 2008, I would have thought the Ohio rightosphere would be abuzz. How about you?
Well, at least now there’s a chance for Ohio Republican Party Chair Kevin DeWine to show how not racist Ohio really is - just like he said during the general election last year when he accused Governor Strickland and US Senator Sherrod Brown of slandering Ohioans by suggesting that Ohio is home to at least a few racists.
UPDATE: Here’s Kevin DeWine being quoted in an NPR story on the Steele selection:
The consensus emerging from Friday’s gathering was that though the party clearly needs some major cosmetic surgery, its basic tenets are just fine.
“Our core beliefs don’t differ from most Americans’,” said Kevin DeWine, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party. “But obviously there’s a disconnect between our image and our issues.”
“We’ve been too divisive, too strident and, at times, tone-deaf,” DeWine said.
Said Steele: “We have an image problem.” Wrongly seen, he said, as insensitive; unconcerned about minorities; unconcerned about the lives, expectations and dreams of average Americans.
Fascinating – so now, they’re going to go with the Andre Agassi, John McEnroe “image is everything” strategy? (see here for more analysis of the GOP’s failure in this attempt, highlighting Ohio’s John Boehner, House Minority Leader, no less)
My guess? Not gonna work. The GOP has blared through people like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter and Dick Armey and Sam Brownback what their “basic tenets” are.
Lipstick on a pig, folks – lipstick on a pig:
The Lipstick: Michael Steele.
The Pig: The GOP basic tenets.
Didn’t work when Sarah Palin became the lipstick and the basic tenets were the pig. Not sure how this is going to change much either.
Guys – it was a slogan – the reality of which was that Agassi and McEnroe, beneath it all, had the talent – only in their head was the image everything.
Because the other axiom in this equation about image is that perception is reality. And if you’re going to use an image, it’s going to become perception. And if in reality your basic tenets don’t embrace what you’ve now created as a perception, you is gonna fail, big time, with massive disappointment in those you thought you’d attracted with that image and perception.
Huge risks. Huge.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:53 pm January 31st, 2009 in Blogging, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, conservatives, leadership | 3 Comments
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Jan
31
Utah bill making post-20 week abortions second-degree felony homicide advances
Filed Under Abortion, Gender, Government, Law, Politics, Sexism, Statehouse, Women | 7 Comments
Utah is on the forefront of banning abortions and that includes criminalizing a doctor’s performance of the constitutionally protected medical procedure, but not criminalizing the woman’s act of seeking or getting the abortion.
First, the progress of the legislation:
Two of the four abortion bills that critics say are clear and decisive steps to completely outlawing abortion in Utah were approved in committee this morning on two 6-1 votes.
HB90 provides exceptions to abortions performed 90 days or more after the conception and amends current abortion law by providing that violating the exceptions in the bill constitutes the second-degree felony offense of “killing an unborn child.”
HB222 requires that at least 24 hours before a physician performs an abortion, the woman must be informed of any anesthetic or analgesic that would alleviate organic pain to the fetus. Sponsoring Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, said despite overwhelming evidence that fetuses feel pain, people still argue that they don’t.
The Salt Lake City Tribune examines the constitutionality while one of its columnists writes, “…I have a modest cost-cutting proposal of my own: Cut the legislative session in half. Don’t waste our time and money piling up redundant criminal penalties for abortion doctors…”
Now, remember when I made the big stink (fyi – more patriotic dissent for Mamalogues to note) over then-candidate Barack Obama’s failure to adequately and accurately discuss “mental distress” as it relates to abortion? And Mahablog even banned me from commenting because I kept pressing the point of how important it is to be sure that we are clear on the mental health aspect?
Well – here’s to that:
Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, has legislation that would make performing an illegal abortion a second-degree felony, the same penalty faced by those who cause the death of a fetus in the murder of a pregnant woman. Under the bill, abortions after viability, after 20 weeks or so, would only be legal only to protect the life or physical health of the mother, or in cases of a fatal fetal defect, as long as two physicians signed off on the diagnosis.
But the bill also would narrow the definition of a woman’s health to “irreversible impairment of a major bodily function,” removing any consideration of impact to a woman’s mental health.
Lovely. (You can read all that I wrote there and here and realize, I’m not talking about getting the blues, folks.)
Ray’s bill states that, to justify an abortion, two physicians would have to separately determine a fetus has a birth defect that would prevent it from surviving outside the womb, but [Salt Lake City family physician Laura Nell] Hodo said it may still force women to give birth to children who have no chance of long-term survival.
Standard.NET reports on how the bill works with current Utah law:
Under current state law, abortion is allowed only in cases of rape or incest, if the fetus cannot survive outside the womb or is unlikely to survive, or to save the mother’s life or preserve her health.
Abortions that don’t meet any of those standards can result in third-degree felony charges.
Under House Bill 90, sponsored by Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clinton, physicians who perform illegal abortions could be charged with second-degree felony criminal homicide.
“In my opinion, illegal abortion is the same as murder,” Ray said. “This is the right step for Utah to take to protect the lives of unborn children, because they don’t have a voice.”
Anti-abortion advocates hail the legislation as progress in the fight against the practice.
“We support any limits we can get on abortion,” said MaryAnn Christensen, secretary of the Utah Eagle Forum.
“The practice of killing our own offspring is barbaric and shouldn’t be embraced by any society.”
You can read more at Utah Legisture Watch which I give props to for having links to the bills I’ve mentioned:
These moves also relate to why I’m thrilled that South Carolina GOP chair Katon Dawson was not elected to be the national RNC chair yesterday, given that state’s lack of women in its legislature (not a single woman in its state senate) and its aggressive pursuit of banning all abortion: the South Carolina state representatives wants to push through an even more stringent version of the ultrasound law that Ohio is now saddled with. Can you imagine one of the two legislative bodies working on such a bill has being completely devoid of the gender that actually can be pregnant and give birth?
Major hattip to Sylvia M at Comments from Left Field who wrote this post about the Utah situation including this:
If you live in Utah or you want to send some strongly-worded letters to the Democrats in their House of Representatives about this bill, here’s the UT House website. Tell these representatives that doctors protecting women’s health is not an air quotation myth.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:42 am January 31st, 2009 in Abortion, Gender, Government, Law, Politics, Sexism, Statehouse, Women | 7 Comments
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Jan
30
What a leader looks like: Anne Mulcahy of Xerox, 2008 CEO of the Year
Filed Under Business, Gender, Tech, Women, leadership | Leave a Comment
What happens when women lead? I can’t answer that definitively but I’ve read about Xerox and its chief, Anne Mulcahy, before. She was recognized by Chief Executive magazine last June as the tops – the first time for a woman to receive this particular acknowledgement.
BNET has a cute tongue-in-cheek take of the award and the winner. In part:
Anyway, according to CE, Mulcahy was selected by her peers. The magazine apparently solicits nominations by email (I don’t know any CEOs who respond to email solicitation, but whatever), and then a panel votes. I guess the panel consists of last year’s winner and other CEOs, many of whom sit on each other’s boards. Quite an exclusive little club they’ve got going on there.
This is apparently quite a big deal at CE. There are articles, photo ops, an award dinner, a luncheon for the panel, and of course, the closing bell celebration at the NYSE. Do winners get a trophy of an executive with a briefcase and a really gigantic head, too?
And the winner is …
Where to begin on 2008’s winner? Let’s start with Xerox. First, who cares? Seriously, it’s a depressing story, if anything. One of the great innovative companies of our time which essentially gave all its ideas and intellectual property away and is now a forgotten B2B enterprise with a market cap of $6 billion, right up there with other once-important, has-been companies like Sun, Ford and US Steel.
Then there’s Mulcahy. If I hear another inspirational story about a wonderful manager who everybody loves but does little to improve shareholder value, I’m going to be sick. Wait, that’s not exactly true. When Mulcahy took the helm over 8 years ago, Xerox was a debt-ridden, $17 billion company with a $6 billion market cap and marginal profits. Now it’s a $17 billion company with a $6 billion market cap and marginal profits. For that, she received total compensation of over $13 million in 2007 … and an award. Not bad for a sales rep turned HR VP.
Well, I wouldn’t read too much into this whole CEO of the year thing. Past winners include the predictable likes of Frederick Smith (Fedex), Bob Welch (GE), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Andy Grove (Intel), and John Chambers (Cisco). On the other hand, 2003’s winner was Hank Greenberg of AIG, and 2002’s was Sandy Weill of Citigroup.
Yeah, it’s nothing. All of our nothings should be so big.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:29 am January 30th, 2009 in Business, Gender, Tech, Women, leadership | Please comment
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Jan
29
Fem2pt0
Filed Under Announcements, Blogging, Civil Rights, Economy, Education, Gender, Government, Health Care, Media, Politics, Race, Resources, Sexism, Social Issues, Tech, Whitehouse09, Women, Youth, activism, democracy, employment, leadership, social media | 1 Comment
I’ve had a badge on the right sidebar for a little while now. Here’s what it’s all about:
The Media and Technology Task Force of the National Council of Women’s Organizations invites you to join us in the conversation at the Feminism 2.0 Conference
February 2, 2009
Betts Theater
George Washington University’s Marvin Center
800 21st St. NW, Washington, DC 20052
Feminism 2.0 will bring together diverse women from across the nation, women’s advocacy organizations and online women’s communities, to further the connection between the experience, knowledge, formidable real-world grassroots networks and online advocacy tools of women’s advocacy organizations with the powerful and growing communities of women online.
Conference Goals
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To harness the power of women on the Internet to promote women’s issues.
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To create a forum – starting with the Fem2.0 website and continuing through the event – for women to discuss the issues that are of most concern to them today, and to encourage them to use the Internet to learn more, express their opinions about them and advocate for policies that benefit women and families.
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To create an opportunity for a “meeting of minds” across generations and media platforms.
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To unite women’s voices behind the issues that the vast majority of women support, such as education, healthcare, workplace fairness and economic security.
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To position women’s issues and their advocates for the incoming administration.
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To draw new audiences to women’s issues, especially those who are Internet-focused and can cross-pollinate to increase activism.
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Expand the audience of women engaged in online media activity and activism.
Where and When
February 2, 2009
Betts Theater, George Washington University’s Marvin Center, Washington, DC
800 21st St. NW, Washington, DC 20052
Conference fees: $60.00 general; $20.00 student
Link to register for the conference: http://fem2pt0.eventbrite.com
Register Now Space is Limited!!!!
Program Agenda
Website/Blog/Twitter
Twitter: Fem2pt0
Blog: http://www.fem2pt0.com
What Does Feminism Look Like on the Web?
The Internet and Women: Shaping a New Society
Audience
This one-day event will be attended by 30 to 50 key leaders in women’s advocacy and women’s online media, as well as by 250 members of the general public. Feminism2.0 is intended for all women interested in better policy for women, families and society.
From Our Membership of Conveners: What Fem2.0 Is About
“Effective advocacy isn’t just about organizations lending their name to an issue or speaking up on Capitol Hill. Advocacy is about all citizens concerned with equality being knowledgeable and aware of the current status of important issues and taking action on those issues. The work of AAUW builds upon more than a century of responsible public participation, and we support the efforts of Feminism2.0 to bring together the women’s community to create and mobilize passionate advocates for women and girls.”
Linda D. Hallman, CAE, Executive Director, AAUW
“Women have been pioneers for change long before the Internet, long before computers, and long before electricity. We have been advocates for women whose voices cannot find breath, and we have been champions of those who have no other advocate. The Internet won’t change that. But what it is changing is how we do what we do best, connecting with each other and making common cause to change women’s lives, one click at a time.”
Kim Gandy, NOW President
“Advocacy is the tool that women have used for decades to impact society and create change. In addition to media, technology, and the Internet, we have added social media as another asset to the advocacy toolkit. Organizing can happen on the ground or on cyber channels, but it doesn’t lessen the importance of women giving voice to issues important to them and their families. Supporting Feminism 2.0 builds upon our existing community while finding creative ways to expand it.”
Shireen Mitchell, NCWO Vice Chair and Media and Technology Task Force Chair
“It’s only natural that women are getting increasing attention as the majority of voters, the majority of Internet users and the controllers of the household purse strings. But women are using the Internet to raise their individual voices and prove that they are not a monolithic block who think, act or vote the same. Women have been highly engaged during this election season, and it seems like the perfect time to harness that energy, amplify those voices and seek action.”
Elisa Camahort Page, Co-Founder and COO, BlogHer
“When we as women and organizations unify and come together, our collective voices become an even more powerful instrument for creating change. And rather than being resistant to discovering our differences, we should instead celebrate our diversity and encourage dialogue, so that we can learn from each other – and embody a feminism that seeks to serve and embrace us all.”
Marianne Schnall, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Feminist.com
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:20 pm January 29th, 2009 in Announcements, Blogging, Civil Rights, Economy, Education, Gender, Government, Health Care, Media, Politics, Race, Resources, Sexism, Social Issues, Tech, Whitehouse09, Women, Youth, activism, democracy, employment, leadership, social media | 1 Comment
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Jan
29
[update] Pentacostal Pastor, 26 year old Joshua DuBois, to head Faith-Based Office
Filed Under Barack Obama, Campaigning, George Bush, Judaism, Ohio, Politics, Religion, Republicans, Social Issues, Taxes, Whitehouse09, conservatives | 6 Comments
UPDATE: The most recent AP report on this appointment, in six paragraphs of coverage, not once mentions DuBois’ status as a Pentacostal pastor or his age. Come on. The guy is heading up the faith-based office – I think that pastor thing is relevant and the age of 26, heading up a federal office? Also newsworthy. Sheesh.
Original:
I’ve never hidden my dislike for George Bush’s creation of the White House Office on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, renamed under Obama as the Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhod Partnerships. I also dissented when candidate Barack Obama talked about expanding the role of that office, should he be elected.
But while I have my own skepticism, I’ve also wondered, where is the conservative outrage over that office’s creation and now expansion in its diatribes about the growth of government, given how conservatives with platforms say the only permissible government responsibility is defense? There are few things more private and personal than religion and yet there it is – a Bush-created government entity that funnels federal taxpayer dollars to faith-based and community groups – but no demand from conservatives for its demise?
Now, the New York Times reports on the person chosen by President Obama, Pentacostal Pastor, 26 year old Joshua DuBois, to lead the office and its expansion:
The office, created by President George W. Bush by executive order at the start of his first term, is likely to have an even broader mandate in the Obama White House, said the religious leaders [who were speaking to the Times], who requested anonymity because the appointment has yet to be announced.
The White House declined to comment.
Renamed the Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, the office will not merely oversee the distribution of grants to religious and community groups, but will also look for other ways to involve those groups in working on pressing social problems.
Here’s an endorsement of DuBois:
“He is smart. He is calm. He is steady,” [UPenn Professor John J.] Dilulio said of Mr. DuBois, “and I think he’s very close to the new president. He’d be a good guy to do it.”
Who is the speaker? A professor of DuBois’ who DuBois “…tapped…for advice on the religion-based initiative last year and through the transition process” – who also happened to have been George Bush’s first chief of the very same office DuBois will now lead.
For more information on Pastor DuBois, here’s a profile from last summer done by the Boston Globe. An excerpt: Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:05 pm January 29th, 2009 in Barack Obama, Campaigning, George Bush, Judaism, Ohio, Politics, Religion, Republicans, Social Issues, Taxes, Whitehouse09, conservatives | 6 Comments
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Jan
29
Dick Armey lives up to first name w/overboard sexist remarks on Hardball
Filed Under Civil Rights, Culture, Gender, Media, Politics, Sexism, Women | 3 Comments
But I do want to note that before New York Times writer Bob Herbert addressed the topic of his segment on Hardball, which followed former U.S. Rep. from Texas, Dick Armey’s, he specifically issues a call for Armey to apologize.
Here’s Armey’s misogyny oozing out:
Here’s Herbert’s call for an apology:
So far, there is no apology from Armey that I can find. Walsh supposedly will be writing a blog entry about the incident.
Crooks and Liars has the written transcript of the insults from Armey and comment that Matthews eventually called Armey “overboard.” Imagine what must constitute “overboard” to Matthews.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:48 am January 29th, 2009 in Civil Rights, Culture, Gender, Media, Politics, Sexism, Women | 3 Comments
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Jan
28
Carnival of Ohio Politics #152 now posted
Filed Under Blogging, Carnivals, Ohio, Politics, Writing | 2 Comments
Many thanks to The Boring Made Dull for compiling this week’s edition of the Carnival of Ohio Politics #152. How many votes can I get to change it to “circus” until the 2010 U.S. Senate race candidates are settled?
TBMD has inserted a very fun theme accoutrement at this week’s post, even though it’s not the Ramones.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:11 pm January 28th, 2009 in Blogging, Carnivals, Ohio, Politics, Writing | 2 Comments
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Jan
28
From the Couldn’t Agree More Dept: “It’s time old goats like Hardball host Chris Matthews were put out to pasture”
Filed Under Gender, Media, Sexism | 4 Comments
Melissa McEwan nails the ongoing subtle and overt sexism in the media that can be traced not only to the failure for some men to evolve, but the failure of the media hierarchy to incorporate more diverse voices at the upper echelons:
Chris Matthews is a repeat offender, failing on many days to get through an entire hour of his show without making an ignorant or overtly prejudiced comment about women. He leers at his colleagues, gropes other talkshow hosts, debates whether Ann Coulter is hot, makes tired castrating feminist jokes, refuses to confront sexism on his own show, and has been routinely disrespectful or overtly hostile to Hillary Clinton and other women in politics. Eric Boehlert has documented that misogyny is, in fact, a pretty sweet business for Matthews.
Yesterday’s show was no exception, as Matthews discussed the stimulus package (or, as he calls it here, Obama’s “big package”) with Robert Wexler, a Democratic congressman from Florida, complaining that the money allocated for family planning is just a bunch of “odds and ends and cats and dogs”.
…
There is an inherent conflict in someone presenting the news (root word: new!) and clinging defiantly and pathetically to opinions of women that were already old when I was born nearly 35 years ago. Put him out to pasture already, MSNBC.
Hattip to Linda Hirshman.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:24 pm January 28th, 2009 in Gender, Media, Sexism | 4 Comments
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Jan
28
[audio, text, video] Ohio Governor Ted Strickland’s 2009 State of the State
Filed Under Economy, Education, Ohio, Politics, Ted Strickland, employment | Leave a Comment
Not too many blog reviews up yet, but here are some links:
I live-blogged it with Cover It Live here (thanks to Nick D of Buckeye State Blog for finishing it up for me)
Lisa Renee at Glass City Jungle live-blogged it in a post here.
Jim Siegal of The Daily Briefing (Columbus Dispatch blog) live-blogged it in a post here.
Full audio and text at WCPN is here.
Text of the State of the State from Columbus Business First is here.
Video of the State of the State.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:30 pm January 28th, 2009 in Economy, Education, Ohio, Politics, Ted Strickland, employment | Please comment
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Jan
28
Live-blog: Ohio’s State of the State 2009
Filed Under Blogging, Ohio, Politics, Ted Strickland | 4 Comments
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:02 am January 28th, 2009 in Blogging, Ohio, Politics, Ted Strickland | 4 Comments
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Jan
27
Colorado women rule! With 40% female legislature
Filed Under Elections, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Statehouse, Women, democracy, leadership | 4 Comments
But the real story is Democratic women. They outnumber Democratic men in the Senate and were able to win two leadership races expected to go to men. Half of the 38 Democrats in the House are women.
Their numbers are such that gender is almost a non-issue.
“It has taken a long time, but people are used to the idea that women can be in these positions,” said Rep. Beth McCann, D-Denver, elected to the House in 2008.
“It’s commonplace for us,” said Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver. “And I’m glad it is. I think having so many women lawmakers is a great thing.”
That bolded sentence represents wisdom that people who have studied leadership and diversity in leadership will tell you almost any time you give them a chance. One or two women is often seen and/or felt to be token and can lead to competition rather than support. That is what some research on women on corporate boards has shown. But when you start to increase above that level, you enter a completely different level of being able to work in groups and dispersed among all subgroups within a larger organization and then you can really have an impact in terms of having a different perspective, a different life experience and a different approach to many issues compared to male counterparts.
The breakdown, the also-rans and the bottom dwellers:
Colorado has the highest percentage of women state lawmakers in the nation. Forty of its 100 lawmakers are women.
* COLORADO SENATE
21 Democrats, 12 are women
14 Republicans, 1 is a woman [that is the same thing in our state senate - but worse: Ohio's state senate has 21 Republicans - out of a total of 33 seats - with just 1, out of 21!!! being held by a woman, Karen Gillmor, who actually served two state senate terms in the 1990s and then was elected in 2008; her husband was Congressman Paul Gillmor who passed away in 2007]* COLORADO HOUSE
38 Democrats, 19 are women
27 Republicans, 8 are women* STATES WITH HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN LAWMAKERS
Colorado, 40.0%
Vermont, 37.8%
New Hampshire, 37.3% [the state with the majority female state senate]
Minnesota, 34.8%
Hawaii, 32.9%* STATES WITH LOWEST PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN LAWMAKERS
South Carolina, 10.0% [the state with a senate chamber that has no women]
Oklahoma, 11.4%
Alabama, 12.9%
Mississippi, 14.4%
Kentucky, 14.5%Source: Colorado General Assembly; National Conference of State Legislatures
The other notable piece of information from the article:
[Policy specialist with the National Conference of State Legislatures, Katie Fischer] Ziegler said one reason Colorado might be leading the nation is that the White House Project, a national, nonpartisan organization that pushes to put women in leadership, has been “very active in Colorado.”
“They did a lot of recruiting,” she said.
So let’s go Ohio – I did my part, being on the steering committee and speaking at and attending Ohio’s very first White House Project Go Run! in June 2008.
Or, um, if you don’t have dessert on your mind, yes we can. (But I so have to try that Yes Pecan! because seriously, butter pecan has always been one of my most favorite ice cream flavors.)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:31 pm January 27th, 2009 in Elections, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Statehouse, Women, democracy, leadership | 4 Comments
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Jan
27
[video] Kaptur: Banks bail on proper use of bailout, why give more
Filed Under Business, Economy, HouseofReps, Marcy Kaptur, Ohio, Politics | 1 Comment
Hattip Votersthink.org.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:29 am January 27th, 2009 in Business, Economy, HouseofReps, Marcy Kaptur, Ohio, Politics | 1 Comment
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Jan
27
I can’t escape Portman-have you?
Filed Under Campaigning, Congress, Elections, Tech | 3 Comments
Now this is just getting obnoxious – someone who might be running for the next 20 months might want to think about that factor. At the top of my gmail today, just above the mailbox:
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:16 am January 27th, 2009 in Campaigning, Congress, Elections, Tech | 3 Comments
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Jan
26
Senate 2010: The I Give Up Version
Filed Under Congress, Government, Mary Taylor, Ohio, Politics | Leave a Comment
Just laughing, laughing, laughing.
My favorite part is that of all the possible challengers to the GOP early frontrunner, Rob I haven’t been in elected office for…how many years now? Portman, Mary Taylor is the one Joe names. Good – if I had a million dollars, I’d figure out a way to get her to run just to shake things up. But only if I could be sure that the Dem would still win. Come on, Mary – GO ROGUE!
Grin.
WE NEED TO SHAKE THINGS UP.
Don’t you think we need to shake things up?
Ugh.
I’m so sorry you can’t see my expressions.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:17 pm January 26th, 2009 in Congress, Government, Mary Taylor, Ohio, Politics | Please comment
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Jan
26
Survey: Are you a feminist?
Filed Under Gender, Women | 3 Comments
Jen Nedeau, Change.org’s Women’s Rights Editor, asked me to take and offer up for others to take this survey, Are you a feminist? There are plenty of responses you can choose if you equivocate (as I do) and also a place to offer your own idea of what a feminist is.
If you don’t want to read the post there but would prefer to go directly to the survery, go here.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:33 pm January 26th, 2009 in Gender, Women | 3 Comments
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Jan
26
Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones enters mix for US Senate race
Filed Under Announcements, Cleveland+, Congress, Government, Ohio, Politics | 2 Comments
WKYC Channel 3 New’s Tom Beres reported today that Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones is looking into running for Senator George Voinovich’s seat in the Senate in 2010. Jones said he is looking at the seat because Voinovich, a Republican, had previously announced that he would not seek re-election in 2010.
Jones, a Democrat, makes the claim that he could build support in Ohio’s large cities, and said that he will decide by early summer.
Here’s the KYC report, which includes this:
Jones is quoted as saying, “Barack Obama showed how this can be done in Illinois and I understand the formula.”
WKYC also states that Lee Fisher and Jennifer Brunner are “listed” as possible candidates. What does that mean, “listed”? By whom? No Tim Ryan, Marcy Kaptur or Zach Space?
Sigh – I need to get out of the horse racing – it’s not for me.
But don’t start betting on me to get out just yet.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:24 pm January 26th, 2009 in Announcements, Cleveland+, Congress, Government, Ohio, Politics | 2 Comments
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Jan
26
Kyle Sisk on Mandel: “he is ‘policy-light’, blindly ambitious & a great fundraiser “
Filed Under Campaigning, Elections, Government, Jennifer Brunner, Mary Taylor, Ohio, Politics, Predictions, Primary, Sarah Palin, leadership, treasurer | 4 Comments
Kyle Sisk writes clearly (except for that comma outside the quotation – I didn’t feel like putting [sic] in the subject line) – doesn’t use a ton of hyperbole, rhetoric, talking points or invective, and he also doesn’t substitute conclusory statements for actual points he wants to make in debates (we’ve had a couple of comment exchanges at his blog). These characteristics set him apart from the gazillion of political, conservative Ohio bloggers who use those other tactics in order to amplify their very frequently unoriginal thoughts.
Which is to say, when I read what Kyle writes, I feel like it’s original – similar to the Professor’s writing (but his begging for attention once in a while made me roll my eyes a fair amount, even though the content was absolutely above average; he’s on hiatus right now).
Anyway, here is what Kyle Sisk has to say about something I wrote about over the weekend - my state rep, Josh Mandel and running for state treasurer (a race which Buckeye State Blog also wrote about today):
Josh Mandel for Treasurer. I don’t know much about this guy (kind of like the dem Auditor candidate I wrote about last week David Pepper) so I went to handy Wikipedia…not good. He ought to water-board one of his staffers (Marines are still allowed to do that, right?) for his Wikipedia entry. It at least had a link to his website which was ok…B- on that. Better than most State Rep sites, but not as good as Kevin Coughlin’s site. I read his Bio on his site, but didn’t really learn anything I didn’t already know (Jewish Veteran in case you couldn’t figure that out by the last name and all the camo pics). I absolutely frigging LOVE the fact that it gives the GOP a candidate from Cuyahoga County (access to big $$$) who has done well in a not-so-Republican House District to say the least. I talked to a few friends “in the know” to get the low-down on Mandel and basically the word is: hard worker, fresh face/new blood, conservatives love him but he does well with I’s & D’s as well, he is “policy-light”, blindly ambitious & a great fundraiser (SOS site says he has almost $460K on hand…is that a typo???).
I’ll do some more poking around on this one, but in an Apportionment Board year I want candidates who can get votes, work hard and self-fund in the AG and TOS seats. We know Portman & DeWine can raise $ and it looks like this Mandel kid can do the same. [emphasis added]
What is so appalling to me about the reviews I’ve read so far about this race is the abject absence of considering the skill, talent, experience or education that voters should be demanding of someone who would seek that elected position. Nada, nunca, zero, zilch.
Mary Taylor won her state auditor race because of her experience and yeah, pushing that CPA thing didn’t hurt.
Jennifer Brunner won her secretary of state race because she’s been a judge and an elections lawyer for years.
Rich Cordray won the treasurer’s seat because he too had experience as…a treasurer.
Name me one thing Josh Mandel has accomplished that would indicate that he has any ability whatsoever to be the state treasurer – to actually carry out and perform the functions of that job. Unlike Sarah Palin, whom people said would, as president in waiting, at least be sitting “at the feet” of John McCain when it came to pretty much everything, when you get the top job, there’s no pair of feet for you to worship.
As an Ohio resident and voter – as well as a political blogger – even putting forth someone like Josh Mandel for treasurer is indicative not only of politics as usual, but it’s reinforcement of it.
Then again – those politics as usual for the GOP haven’t been working too well. Maybe I should just leave it alone.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:28 pm January 26th, 2009 in Campaigning, Elections, Government, Jennifer Brunner, Mary Taylor, Ohio, Politics, Predictions, Primary, Sarah Palin, leadership, treasurer | 4 Comments
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Jan
26
Below zero
Filed Under Cleveland+, Tech, Tools | 2 Comments
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| This is truly hysterical. I took this photo on Friday, January 16 after taking my kids to their piano recital as evidence that my car’s thermometer goes below zero. It was about 8pm at night. But I tried sending it from Mosnaps and after an hour or so of trying (it had worked without a hitch a few weeks ago), I gave up, contacted tech support and was told that they no longer will be supporting the blogger kind of use but rather will be making it a pay-for service for businesses. Now – a full ten days later – this shows up as auto-posted from my BB to this blog. Talk about ghosts in the machines. |
| Tags: weather |
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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:58 am January 26th, 2009 in Cleveland+, Tech, Tools | 2 Comments
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Jan
26
MMPI vp: Public will be involved to extent it’s okay w/commissioners
Filed Under Cleveland+, Government, Ohio, Politics, democracy, leadership, med mart | Leave a Comment
How reassuring is that statement, which was made by Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. Senior Vice President, Mark Falanga, this morning on WCPN’s Sound of Ideas (audio is already up)?
I’ll tell you how reassuring:
Here’s a reminder of what Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan (D) has said about public input as it related to another process of the Med Mart project:
“We are the elected representatives in a democracy. It’s not a direct democracy, it’s a representative democracy.
Alrighty then.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:50 am January 26th, 2009 in Cleveland+, Government, Ohio, Politics, democracy, leadership, med mart | Please comment
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Jan
26
Solon, sidewalks and “one of the last pastoral properties left in the city”
Filed Under Cleveland+, Government, OH17, OH24th, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics | Leave a Comment
Where have I heard that phrase before?
Since people like to talk about learning from history, I’ve got some history to share that the city of Solon and its residents would be wise to keep in mind as they battle over putting in bike paths, as mentioned in this Plain Dealer article, for a two and a half mile stretch on Bainbridge Road.
First, recreation paths are often needed precisely in the kinds of areas that Solon is considering due to traffic concerns, especially on scenic roads like Bainbridge Road that attract bicycle riders.
Second, at least Solon isn’t talking about completely destroying the meadows and woods along Bainbridge Road where they want to put the paths. Trust me – it could be worse.
Third, Bainbridge struggled over this rec path issue in 2005, when I wrote a cautionary note to them about Pepper Pike’s battle around rec paths.
Here’s the PD article on what is being recommended and what the residents want:
The Cuyahoga County engineer’s office, which is overseeing the $13.5 million project, recommended against installing sidewalks to the county line, according to a May 2005 letter to the city. That opinion reflected the results of a community survey.
Seventy-five percent of Bainbridge Road residents who responded voted against adding sidewalks east of Liberty so as not to take away from the “rural appeal,” wrote Jamal Husani, the county’s transportation engineer.
Husani also noted that the walkway’s eastern section — which would cost $300,000 — would serve few residents.
My caveat would be that I have no idea how that vote was ascertained but based on how it was done here in Pepper Pike, I wouldn’t trust it as an accurate measure. I wouldn’t dismiss it, but I would not take it on face value, at all.
Most notable to me in the article is the statement that the federal government will be paying for 80% of the work. That work is described in the article as follows (I suspect that local Sun papers have more specifics, I’ve not followed it before now): Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:19 am January 26th, 2009 in Cleveland+, Government, OH17, OH24th, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics | Please comment
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