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Jan
21
[update] BREAKING: Caroline Kennedy withdraws name from NY Senate race
Filed Under Congress, Gender, Politics, Women | 7 Comments
On Wednesday she called the governor, David Paterson, who is making the selection of who should succeed Senator Hillary Clinton. Her concerns about Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s deteriorating health (he was hospitalized after a seizure during the inaugural lunch on Tuesday ) prompted her decision to withdraw, this person said. Coping with the health issues of her uncle, with whom she enjoys an extraordinarily close bond, was her most important priority; a situation not conducive to starting a high profile public job.
She was planning to issue a statement on Wednesday evening.
More to come no doubt.
Thursday, 1/22/09, 5:24pm:
An AP article out late this afternoon sources a friend of Kennedy’s as saying that she wanted to withdraw, Paterson asked her to reconsider but she decided to withdraw from the appointment process. The reason, according to the source, was personal but not related to her uncle Ted Kennedy’s illness.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:31 pm January 21st, 2009 in Congress, Gender, Politics, Women | 7 Comments
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Jan
21
Carnival of Ohio Politics #151 now posted
Filed Under Blogging, Ohio, Politics, Writing | Leave a Comment
And no issues of whether there are 43 or 44 presidents!
Thanks to Ben of Keeler’s Political Report for compiling this week’s edition which you can read here at Carnival of Ohio Politics, #151.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:58 pm January 21st, 2009 in Blogging, Ohio, Politics, Writing | Please comment
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Jan
21
Obama calls Jordan, Egypt, Israel, W. Bank but no minutes left for Hamas?
Filed Under Barack Obama, Foreign Affairs, Gaza, Israel, middle east | 3 Comments
According to a statement from White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, the new president placed phone calls Wednesday morning to Olmert, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and King Adullah of Jordan.
The statement said that Obama “emphasized his determination to work to help consolidate the cease-fire by establishing an effective anti-smuggling regime to prevent Hamas from rearming, and facilitating in partnership with the Palestinian Authority a major reconstruction effort for Palestinians in Gaza.”
Obama in the statement pledged that the United States, working with the international community, “would do its part to make these efforts successful.”
He also communicated to the four leaders “his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term” and “his hope for their continued cooperation and leadership.”
Reuters has a longer article but mostly due to recapping what’s been going on.
I’m sure the president just ran out of cellphone minutes or something before calling Hamas, yes? Because frankly, just as I’ve been saying to pro-Palestinian folks that they can’t ignore the Arab League’s chaos or leadership vacuum in Gaza, we too cannot ignore the existence of Hamas. In operation, what does that mean – I don’t know – I wasn’t elected president. But if you’ve ever tried living like someone in your house just wasn’t there, it only works so long and for limited purposes. A longterm, permanent resolution must be sought, demanded and implements.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:44 pm January 21st, 2009 in Barack Obama, Foreign Affairs, Gaza, Israel, middle east | 3 Comments
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Jan
21
Recon: Arab parties can run in Israel’s elections
Filed Under Civil Rights, democracy, Elections, Government, Israel, middle east, Politics | 2 Comments
The Knesset action that sought to disenfranchise two Israeli Arab political parties from having candidates in the upcoming (February 10) elections made me livid.
Now comes word that Israel’s Supreme Court says that they can run:
On Wednesday, the court overturned the decision of Israel’s Central Elections Committee to ban the Balad and United Arab List-Ta’al parties from the Feb. 10 elections.
The nine justices on the court’s panel decided unanimously in the case of the United Arab List-Ta’al party and by a majority for Balad, according to Ynet.
The elections panel had disqualified the parties based on petitions claiming that the parties do not recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland and call for armed conflict against Israel. A 500-page appeal was filed Monday.
Unanimously.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:08 pm January 21st, 2009 in Civil Rights, democracy, Elections, Government, Israel, middle east, Politics | 2 Comments
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Jan
21
Attn Rick Warren: Obama supports repeal of federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
Filed Under Barack Obama, Civil Rights, Congress, LGBT, Liberals, Social Issues, Whitehouse09 | 2 Comments
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
And Phyllis Schlafly had this to say to about that, but I confess, I don’t quite get her logic. I think she is saying that Bill Clinton set up the 1994 turnover of the Congress to a GOP majority because he signed DOMA and welfare reform into law and therefore the liberals couldn’t forgive him. Then, she speculates, that if Obama reverses DOMA, he might risk a similar tidal wave of turning the Congress from blue to red because…she thinks the margin by which some Dems in Congress are in there is too small to risk losing conservative-trending voters?
I don’t know if I buy that. What do others think? Is that right? Does it mean that Obama’s assertion in this Whitehouse.gov presentation is just that, an assertion, but not something that could be achieved? What value does such an assertion have if there’s little chance of implementation, if the reality is that it could cost Democratic control of both houses?
This isn’t a forte of mine so comments are really desired.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:45 am January 21st, 2009 in Barack Obama, Civil Rights, Congress, LGBT, Liberals, Social Issues, Whitehouse09 | 2 Comments
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Jan
21
Ohio “women’s rights” group presses for Mary Taylor, Jennifer Brunner
Filed Under Barack Obama, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Social Issues, Whitehouse09, Women | 12 Comments
Last week, our senior Senator George Voinovich announced that he is retiring. This development was quite unexpected. Immediately, the jockeying began over who was going to run for his seat in 2010. I wrote a letter to newspapers all over the state as an Ohio member of The New Agenda:
“Now that Sen. Voinovich is not running for reelection, as a co-founder of the national nonpartisan women’s group, The New Agenda, we would like to call on both the Democratic and Republican Parties, and any independent parties, to nominate a woman to run as your nominee for the U.S.Senate in 2010. There are many outstanding and qualified women on both sides of the aisle who have proven that they can represent Ohioan’s interests quite ably. State Auditor Mary Taylor and Former Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Bradley come to mind for the Republicans as do Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and former Ohio House Minority Leader Joyce Beatty for the Democrats. Women are 51% of the population and yet only hold 16-17% of the seats in the U.S. Senate (depending on what happens with Sen. Hillary Clinton’s seat once she becomes Secretary of State). Other states have elected women to the Senate — isn’t it time for Ohio to jump on the bandwagon?”
So far two newspapers, The Columbus Dispatch and The Dayton Daily News, have called me to confirm that they will be printing the letter.
The post was written by Cynthia Ruccia whose name became known to me in the spring of 2008, when she became involved in efforts related to upsetment over Hillary Clinton’s primary trajectory (I was not fond of the tactics she embraced).
However, even though Sarah Palin misquoted and took out of context what Madeleine Albright said about women supporting women, the sentiment – that women do need to support women – is fair. Kudos for Ruccia getting the site and organization up and running. That’s obviously more than I’ve done and so I’ve requested an interview from The New Agenda to learn more about how the effort is progressing. I don’t know if it will be Rucchia with whom I’ll be speaking, but her email address notes her as an editor for the group’s blog.
One of the questions I want to ask The New Agenda – and which is at the root of why I put “women’s rights” in quotations – is about how the group came to calling itself a group for women’s rights, rather than a group for getting women into leadership. The fact that the group refuses to take a stand on abortion is what puzzles me on this point:
I’m a registered Republican, can I join?
The New Agenda is 100% non-partisan. We welcome men and women of ALL political parties. Democrats, Republicans, Green Party, Libertarian and any others.
What about choice?
We welcome men and women of all beliefs regarding reproductive rights.
For real? That’s novel. Why?
Choice is an issue that’s been used to divide women from one another and take away our power. The New Agenda is about working together on the issues we have in common. For that reason, we take no official position on choice and don’t plan to make it part of our platform. There are numerous organizations that are already devoted to the issue.
I’ve found that women are divided on abortion as well as other issues – and not because anyone is using the issues to divide us – we are in fact divided in our sentiments about them.
Take a look at the fair pay debate conservative blogger and former Lucas County Commissioner Maggie Thurber and I had this month. With fair pay legislation being listed as the number one goal for The New Agenda, I’m not quite sure how to interpret their efforts. Here’s the goal statement:
1. Enacting Fair Pay Legislation
Following passage of the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act by the House of Representatives (H.R. 2831), Senate Republicans in April 2008 blocked passage of the Act, which would have extended the statute of limitations for women and others alleging discrimination to sue their employers for discrimination in the workplace. The Ledbetter Act or similar legislation must be passed, along with legislation mandating equal pay for equal work. (See Fair Pay for Women: Ideas and Resources)
Now, the Ledbetter Act (HR 11), passed the House on 1/9/09 with only three Republicans supporting it – none of whom are women.
The tandem Paycheck Fairness Act (HR 12), also passed the House on 1/9/09 with ten Republicans crossing over in support – only one of whom is a woman.
Again, on the Home page, here is what The New Agenda seeks to do:
The New Agenda will bring about a systemic change in the way women are treated in the media, by the government, at the workplace, and at home. To achieve our goals, we will empower women by working towards parity in the government and in the workplace.
I look forward to an extended conversation with a representative of The New Agenda to better understand what it hopes to accomplish.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:02 am January 21st, 2009 in Barack Obama, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Social Issues, Whitehouse09, Women | 12 Comments
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Jan
21
[chart] If you think hemlines are hard to gauge, consider Orthodox neckline rules
Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment
Many thanks to A Mom in Israel for this post and graphic. I told her that I tried to wear #1 and #11 to my Orthodox relatives’ home in Israel when I lived there and they were okay with it, but their more observant relatives may have never invited me over in part because of my, ahem, immodesty.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:23 am January 21st, 2009 in Politics | Please comment
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Jan
21
[video] Images from the historic inauguration of President Obama
Filed Under Barack Obama, Whitehouse09 | Leave a Comment
TIME Magazine Inauguration Montage 2009 set to the composition played by the quartet at the inauguration yesterday. Notice how they just kinda skip over Chief Justice Roberts’ flub.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:09 am January 21st, 2009 in Barack Obama, Whitehouse09 | Please comment
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Jan
21
43 or 44 Americans have taken the oath of President?
Filed Under Barack Obama, Whitehouse09 | 1 Comment
President Barack Obama said yesterday that it’s 44.
The White House website says that “43 men have served as President of the United States.” They count Grover Cleveland’s two, non-consecutive terms as #22 and #24.
I say that only 43 different, sentient American individuals have taken the oath of President because Grover Cleveland is only one person.
What do you think?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:44 am January 21st, 2009 in Barack Obama, Whitehouse09 | 1 Comment
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Jan
20
The Inauguration of Barack Obama and the Austerity of Hope
Filed Under Barack Obama, Blogging, Democrats, Elections, Energy, Environment, Gaza, Gender, Government, Israel, Jill Biden, Joe Biden, leadership, Media, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, social media, Whitehouse09 | 6 Comments
I think the prose version of WLST’s The Inauguration of Barack Obama is just going to have to wait, if it ever gets written, because I’m just too tired. But if I don’t put down some thoughts now, I don’t expect that I ever will, and they won’t be as immediate as they are now. So, here goes.
First, the meta: THE INAUGURATION
Rick Warren - text
Rick Warren – video
Yo Yo Ma – Itzhak Perlman performance
Obama inauguration speech – text
Obama inauguration speech – video
Joseph Lowery – text
Joseph Lowery – video
First dance at Neighborhood Ball
COVERAGE
Trip to Washington leaves local group tired, jubilant
More Cleveland.com coverage with photos etc. (and on the PD’s blog here)
Twitter coverage: here and here (others who had great photos: Andy Carvin, Deanna Zandt (who is reporting this evening that the Youth Ball has been a big fail – she says they sold 7000 tickets but are only letting in 3000), Queen of Spain aka Erin Kotecki Vest)
Great photos at Newsday.com
More great photos at Boston.com (a very reliable source for good photography)
Wonderful photos of Sasha and Malia Obama during the inaug festivities over the last three days
Photosynth presentation of inaug photos from CNN – different 3D look
COMMENTARY
Bob Herbert op-ed today in the New York Times, I Wish You Were Here – about one of the greatest and possibly underrecognized allies of all time, Lyndon B. Johnson (many thanks and big hattip to Megan Smith who has a nice post about the inauguration here)
Got to get in my daily Sexism is Still Here post: Jewish clergy invited to inaugural prayer service are all men
The new Whitehouse.gov’s Women page under Agenda
More about the renovation of Whitehouse.gov
And finally, the Whitehouse.gov blog (no comments allowed and no bylines) and an article about it
MY IMPRESSIONS
I spoke at a wonderful gathering for public information officers (PIOs) who work in settings that involve children and families (DR court, juvie court, hospitals) that focused on the media. My session ran to 11:50 and then the hosts wired up the room so we could watch the inauguration – it came on just in time to hear Biden take the oath and we watched through the benediction. I followed many friends who are in D.C. through Twitter and also people I know around the world who were following the inauguration but from their homes or offices etc. It was a great way to get a sense of what things were like on the ground in D.C.
As I drove to Akron today for my presentation, I listened to NPR’s coverage and enjoyed it very much – I thought they did a very nice job mixing information with commentary and reflections and a real sense of how this inauguration differed from those that came before it.
As I watched Biden, I was thinking about what Hillary Clinton has said if anything about Jill Biden’s gaffe, but I haven’t found anything that addresses that. I couldn’t figure out what the hell Chief Justice Roberts and Obama were doing and then others started saying that Roberts flubbed it. Oy.
George Bush looked positively in post-partum depression – separation from the White House anxiety or something. He’ll get over it. It must be like having had a big event with everyone visiting – for eight years – and now everyone’s vacated, expect he’s the one vacating. And he looked rather vacant. Anyway – it was a bit of downer having him there only in contrast to the faces of everyone else.
Obama’s speech: I actually really, really liked it. I’ve heard some commentators say that they thought it was “ascetic” and while I do think that’s accurate, I would say that was austere in the sense of “markedly simple or unadorned <an austere office> <an austere style of writing>” - and these are austere times. I think that was appropriate. I will, however, note, that as much as I do not want to rain on anyone’s parade, in his third sentence, he made a mistake. Yes, a mistake. And, as readers of WLST may recall, I kind of have it out for Jon Favreau the speech writer – but I don’t know who is accountable for the error – here it is:
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.
Immediately, I thought, no – no. That can’t be correct. Maybe we have had 44 presidents, but there have not been 44 different Americans who have taken the presidential oath. I tweeted this thought and several people came to Obama’s defense immediately saying yes yes he is #44. Well, yes – that’s right. But that sentence is not right. Tonight, I received a tweet from a friend who linked to this:
A Political Wire reader notes that President Obama actually made a factual mistake in his inaugural address when he said, “Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.”
It’s actually 43. Although Obama is the 44th president, President Grover Cleveland served two terms which were not consecutive, making him both the 22nd and 24th president.
Now – I’m still not convinced that corrects it either – because we know that FDR and Clinton and Reagan – they served multiple terms too. So – how many Americans have taken the oath? According to this chart, it’s 43. But, I would say, that it is in fact, 42 – because Grover Cleveland is not two different people – even though he took the oath twice. For that sentence to be true, it should have been, “Forty-two Americans have now taken the presidential oath.”
Anyhoo, about that speech. I liked it a lot. My favorite line was about how foreign leaders should realize that their people will judge them not by what they destroy but what they build (“To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.”)
And my least favorite phrase was probably “our patchwork heritage.” I’m not liking the patchwork imagery – I think maybe they were shooting for rural voter appeal or something, homey, Christian – I don’t know. But I don’t think it quite matches the intent of who we come together for a variety of reasons to make our lives here and commit to living by the order of this society. But that’s a quibble – because in the next sentence, I really liked that he mentioned “non-believers.” I thought that was very cool.
Hope should be spare in times like these, lest our expectations lead to disappointment and failure. While those results are inevitable given the length of service and the enormity of what a president must accomplish, and the fact that he cannot accomplish it alone but must in fact work with Congress and to a lesser extent the U.S. Supreme Court via the laws of our land, nevertheless, I’m keeping a long list of what I hope will be accomplished, but expectations that if a certain number of them get attention, and an even smaller number see progress, that might be enough to say job well done.
But the guy’s not been in office even 24 hours yet and already I saw an ad on CNN from an energy company that used footage of Obama hawking clean coal – something I desperately want Obama to reconsider as worthy of any significant investment (other than to clean up what we’ve got, if not shut that down and replace it). I understand that some regulations have been stopped in their tracks – do they include the conscience rules? I don’t know.
And what about the Middle East?
Tonight – there are balls. Tomorrow, Obama will be feeling the weight of the balls and chains that Bush left behind. Hopefully, he’s got an administration and a Congress willing to lift a load.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:58 pm January 20th, 2009 in Barack Obama, Blogging, Democrats, Elections, Energy, Environment, Gaza, Gender, Government, Israel, Jill Biden, Joe Biden, leadership, Media, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, social media, Whitehouse09 | 6 Comments
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Jan
19
Sexism in the media? What sexism in the media? PD on display
Filed Under Culture, Debates, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Jennifer Brunner, Media, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Women | 3 Comments
Read it for yourself. It features two possible Democratic senate candidates:
Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who was a guest at a special VIP reception before the ball, said the night reminded her of “prom night.” Brunner said she bought her understated black dress at Rave in Cleveland’s Tower City.
Although he wasn’t there, Brunner said she planned to toast Gov. Ted Strickland.
“Ted has a really tough job ahead,” she said, referring to the state’s budget crisis.
Tim Ryan, congressman from Niles, said the ball was to celebrate the people who worked in the trenches to get Democrats elected over the past few years. Because of their efforts, he said, “We are able to finally get power and move forward.”
Oh well. Must have been an editorial filter thing that resulted in the female potential candidate being quoted about prom dresses and the male potential candidate being quoted about what the ball was intended to celebrate, unlike blogs that have no filters and are all biased and everything. Because I’m certain that both potential candidates were asked the same questions by the reporter.
I wonder what Tim Ryan was wearing, and where he bought it. And what Brunner thought the ball was intended to celebrate.
Ugh. I cannot believe the PD has learned nothing from the last two years of coverage of male and female political candidates. Unless of course their biased.
Naw.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:50 pm January 19th, 2009 in Culture, Debates, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Jennifer Brunner, Media, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Women | 3 Comments
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Jan
18
[photos] Presidential Inaugural Committee’s photostream from 1/18/09 events
Filed Under Barack Obama | Leave a Comment
Is excellent. Thanks to this tweet for the tip. Watch here. Check out the presidential port-o-potties:
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:35 pm January 18th, 2009 in Barack Obama | Please comment
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Jan
18
[text] Obama’s remarks at Lincoln Memorial concert, 1/18/09
Filed Under Barack Obama, Politics, Sexism | Leave a Comment
See them in full at the Plain Dealer’s blog. In part:
What gives me that hope is what I see when I look out across this mall. For in these monuments are chiseled those unlikely stories that affirm our unyielding faith – a faith that anything is possible in America. Rising before us stands a memorial to a man who led a small band of farmers and shopkeepers in revolution against the army of an Empire, all for the sake of an idea. On the ground below is a tribute to a generation that withstood war and depression – men and women like my grandparents who toiled on bomber assembly lines and marched across Europe to free the world from tyranny’s grasp. Directly in front of us is a pool that still reflects the dream of a King, and the glory of a people who marched and bled so that their children might be judged by their character’s content. And behind me, watching over the union he saved, sits the man who in so many ways made this day possible.
Probably incredibly more moving if you are there, or listening live. But every time I read an Obama speech, I now think of 27 year old Obama chief speechwriter Jon Favreau’s laughing face while he is squeezing a cardboard stand-up Hillary Clinton breast.
Just kind of discordant. Still.
FYI, here’s an NYT profile of Favreau from almost exactly one year ago, when he was 26.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:36 pm January 18th, 2009 in Barack Obama, Politics, Sexism | Please comment
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Jan
18
Haveil Havalim #201 The I-Love-Nauru Edition
Filed Under Blogging, Carnivals, Jewish, Writing | Leave a Comment
Many thanks to The Rebbetzin’s Husband for hosting this week’s carnival of Jewish blogging, more commonly referred to as Haveil Havalim, #201. It is long today so you better get started.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:59 pm January 18th, 2009 in Blogging, Carnivals, Jewish, Writing | Please comment
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Jan
18
[update] Mandel marches against FOCA & 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
Filed Under Abortion, activism, Civil Rights, Cleveland+, Congress, conservatives, Culture, Debates, Gender, Health Care, Law, OH17, Ohio, Politics, Women, Youth | 9 Comments
If you live in Ohio’s 17th legislative House district, you should be under no illusions that Representative Josh Mandel is a moderate conservative or Republican – he is as committed to the right as the reddest of the red. I reviewed several of his positions here and am adding to that review his continued pursuit of shutting down women’s reproductive choices, as mentioned in the Plain Dealer’s blog post about a rally in which Mandel figured prominently yesterday.
Just three months ago, Mandel was asked about his position on abortion. From the Cleveland Jewish News:
CJN: Where do you stand on abortion, civil rights for gays, and school prayer?
Mandel: While I respect people’s opinions on all issues, I am focused on growing the economy and reversing the exodus of jobs and people from the state. [emphasis added]
I also noted other 127th assembly actions Mandel took on reproductive rights:
On abortion: Mandel is a co-sponsor of HB 280 which would require abortion clinics to:
post the following notice in a conspicuous location in the office or facility that is accessible to all patients, employees, and visitors:
“NO ONE CAN FORCE YOU TO HAVE AN ABORTION. NO ONE – NOT A PARENT, NOT A HUSBAND, NOT A BOYFRIEND – NO ONE.
Under Ohio law, an abortion cannot be legally performed on anyone, regardless of her age, unless she VOLUNTARILY CONSENTS to having the abortion.
Ohio law requires that, before an abortion can legally be performed, the pregnant female must sign a form indicating that she consents to having the abortion “voluntarily” and “WITHOUT COERCION BY ANY PERSON.”
IF SOMEONE IS TRYING TO FORCE YOU TO HAVE AN ABORTION AGAINST YOUR WILL:
DO NOT SIGN THE CONSENT FORM
IF YOU ARE AT AN ABORTION FACILITY, TELL AN EMPLOYEE OF THE FACILITY THAT SOMEONE IS TRYING TO FORCE YOU TO HAVE AN ABORTION.”
Mandel was in Iraq when HB 314, the Ohio Ultrasound Viewing Option Law, was voted on in the House in 12/07. However, he lists the bill as one which he co-sponsored. The restrictions went into effect in 6/08:
Ohio’s Ultrasound Viewing Option Law became effective on June 20, 2008. The new law, H.B. 314, which was sponsored by Rep. Shannon Jones (R, Springboro), requires that, if an ultrasound examination is performed prior to or during an abortion, the abortionist must give the woman an opportunity to view the active ultrasound image of the unborn child and the opportunity to receive a physical picture of the ultrasound image.
“We are delighted that Ohio has adopted this common sense pro-life and pro-woman law”, said Mike Gonidakis, Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life. “Since women sometimes regret their abortions after later seeing an ultrasound of an unborn baby, this law will help some women avoid the emotional trauma of learning the truth about abortion too late. Just as x-rays are commonly shown to patients deciding on surgery, letting a woman see an ultrasound can help her make a more informed choice, and an uninformed choice is no choice at all”, Gonidakis said.
With that as a backdrop, here’s what he had to say at yesterday’s rally:
Since Obama told the Planned Parenthood Action Fund in 2007 that he would sign the [Freedom of Choice Act or FOCA] bill if elected, abortion opponents have been concerned about its future.
“He said he would sign it if it crosses his desk,” said Lou Koenig of Parma. “We’re going to make sure it doesn’t.”
State Rep. Josh Mandel, a Republican from Lyndhurst, and Ohio Christian Alliance President Chris Long also spoke against the bill, urging people to call, e-mail and send letters to their congressional representatives. On Saturday, participants filled out postcards to send to U.S. Sens. George Voinovich and Sherrod Brown.
For the record, Brown doesn’t expect FOCA to be on the Senate’s agenda (according to the PD’s blog post).
The continued attempt to curtail reproductive rights cannot stop time and so, on January 22, we will be celebrating the 36th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.
In Ohio, Freedom of Choice Ohio and the National Council of Jewish Women in Columbus are sponsoring a large event to help “protect access to safe, legal reproductive health services.”
The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice issued a statement by Reverend Veazey, its CEO, that says in part:
In this economic crisis, which is hitting the most vulnerable the hardest, it is an ethical imperative to serve the common good. In marking the 36th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision on January 22, I call on the faithful to protect the lives of women and children by fighting to ensure that reproductive health care is accessible and that abortion services are safe, legal, and available.
The doubters and dividers have lost no time in demanding that reproductive health services be cut back – in the name of economy and righteousness. Cutting back services is wrong, morally and fiscally. The reality is that the cycle of poverty often revolves around unintended and unwanted pregnancy.
A woman living in poverty is four times as likely to have an unintended pregnancy and five times as likely to have an unintended birth as her higher-income counterpart. The link between family planning and overcoming poverty is well established. Comprehensive reproductive health services contribute to better health for infants, children, and women and improve social and economic opportunities for women and their families.
And, last week, NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation released its annual report, Who Decides? The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States.
Ohio received an F - which, I imagine should please Mandel, so I’m not quite sure what additional insults he’s interested on having inflicted on women who seek to exercise reproductive rights.
[The report] grades each state on women’s reproductive rights, summarizes related laws, and outlines legislative trends. This year’s release comes days before two key events: the historic inauguration of pro-choice President-elect Barack Obama and the 36th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision, Roe v. Wade.
Some key policy findngs from the report:–In 2008, 23 states enacted 39 pro-choice measures – four of these were Prevention First measures, or policies that help prevent unintended pregnancy.–Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin enacted Prevention First measures in 2008 that are aimed at improving birth-control access or teaching teens accurate sex education all toward the goal of preventing unintended pregnancy.–In Wisconsin, Gov. Jim Doyle signed into law a bill ensuring that sexual-assault survivors receive information about and have access to emergency contraception (EC) in emergency rooms, making Wisconsin the 14th state to enact such policies.–In 2008, 16 states enacted 24 anti-choice measures.–Oklahoma passed an omnibus bill that allows certain individuals and entities to refuse to provide abortion services, requires women to view ultrasound images before providing abortion care, and prohibits certain health-care professionals from providing abortion services. This was just one of six anti-choice measures Oklahoma enacted in 2008.You can read our release here.And access the online-version of the report here.You can also download the full report pdf here.
Given how Mandel supporters often emphasize how many Democrats they believe live in the 17th district, it’s hard to believe that he believes that his opposition to women’s reproductive choice represents what the district desires.
UPDATE: More evidence of what wasted energy espousing opposition to FOCA is compared to so many needs that could use the voice of a state rep who won in a landslide:
By the way, while Obama was busy not ramping up the culture wars, House Republicans spent the day collecting 105 signatures on a letter they sent to Obama demanding he withdraw his 2007 pledge to sign the Freedom of Choice Act–legislation that he will not be signing because Democrats don’t plan to bring it up for a vote in Congress and it’s not even on the list of top ten priorities the abortion rights community sent the new president. Not that you’d know it from listening to conservative radio or the Catholic bishops…but more on that in a future post. [emphasis added]
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:07 am January 18th, 2009 in Abortion, activism, Civil Rights, Cleveland+, Congress, conservatives, Culture, Debates, Gender, Health Care, Law, OH17, Ohio, Politics, Women, Youth | 9 Comments
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Jan
17
UK blogger declares, “Today is Marcy Kaptur Day”
Filed Under Campaigning, Congress, Democrats, Elections, leadership | 2 Comments
Blogger Mike Philbin writes that, “as you’ll see from my other blog entries I’m on a Search For Truth and Marcy’s just the right sort of candidate to catch this ‘truther”s eye.” For evidence, he’s posted multiple videos of Ohio U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-9) being a feisty femme fatale in his post, “Today is Marcy Kaptur Day.”
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:16 pm January 17th, 2009 in Campaigning, Congress, Democrats, Elections, leadership | 2 Comments
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Jan
17
Ohio GOP’s “new candidates”: White male, white male-oh, & another white male
Filed Under Campaigning, conservatives, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Government, leadership, Mary Taylor, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Sexism, Voting, Women | 7 Comments
Here’s the subject line for an Ohio GOP email:
New Chairman, New Candidates for 2010
First red flag that there will be nothing new in the included Ohio GOPTV video?
This past week also saw the announcement from Senator George Voinovich that he will retire at the end of his term in 2010 and the entrance of former Congressman and U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman into the U.S. Senate race.
Eh. Okay – I’ll humor myself, I thought – maybe, maybe there’ll be something that actually meets the definition of “new” in there. Check it out for yourself first:
Could anything look less new?
John McClelland – not new
Kevin DeWine – not new
Bob Bennett – not new
George Voinovich – not new
Rob Portman – not new
And just for fun, I’ve added in two other not new names that keep being mentioned as new:
Jon Husted – not new
Kevin Coughlin – not new
More fun still, try to play a one of these things is not like the other game with the folks pictured (which is why, if you figured it out, I didn’t put the photos in order of how I list the people). One has black hair. Two are retiring. One is in court trying to figure out where he really lives. Eh – nothing really remarkable when it comes to standing out in a voter’s mind as someone you want to vote for.
For a communications director, seems like McClelland needs to check out a dictionary:
Definitions of “new” on the Web:
- not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered; “a new law”; “new cars”; “a new …
- fresh: original and of a kind not seen before; “the computer produced a completely novel proof of a well-known theorem”
- raw: lacking training or experience; “the new men were eager to fight”; “raw recruits”
- having no previous example or precedent or parallel; “a time of unexampled prosperity”
- new(a): other than the former one(s); different; “they now have a new leaders”; “my new car is four years old but has only 15,000 miles on it”; “ready to take a new direction”
- unaffected by use or exposure; “it looks like new”
- newfangled: (of a new kind or fashion) gratuitously new; “newfangled ideas”; “she buys all these new-fangled machines and never uses them”
- in use after medieval times; “New Eqyptian was the language of the 18th to 21st dynasties”
- Modern: used of a living language; being the current stage in its development; “Modern English”; “New Hebrew is Israeli Hebrew”
- (of crops) harvested at an early stage of development; before complete maturity; “new potatoes”; “young corn”
- newly: very recently; “they are newly married”; “newly raised objections”; “a newly arranged hairdo”; “grass new washed by the rain”; “a freshly cleaned floor”; “we are fresh out of tomatoes”
- unfamiliar; “new experiences”; “experiences new to him”; “errors of someone new to the job”
Now, an Ohio Democrat, winning the senate seat that Voinovich is vacating. That would be new. And a woman Dem winning – that would be newer still.
However, as most regular readers of WLST know, I harbor a desire to see Ohio State Auditor Mary Taylor totally mess with these so-called leaders in the Ohio GOP and round up supporters and commitments and go for that nomination, because that would be new too.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:35 pm January 17th, 2009 in Campaigning, conservatives, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Government, leadership, Mary Taylor, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Sexism, Voting, Women | 7 Comments
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Jan
17
Andrew Wyeth, RIP
Filed Under Culture, RIP, Social Issues | Leave a Comment
I don’t agree with assessments of Andrew Wyeth’s work that label it “draw and kitschy” but toward the reviews of it as “profound reflections of 20th Century alienation and existentialism.”
This Washington Post obit includes a photo gallery of Wyeth and his work. Here’s one of his most famous images, Christina’s World:
The Christian Science Monitor has republished its review of Wyeth’s 1976 exhibit but the Village Voice’s suggestion for how the work impact’s young art students really could apply to all of us:
For young art students, Wyeth’s austere hand and arid eye merits a legacy exactly as instructive as the frenzied steam-heat of Pollock or the depressive megaton weight of Rothko, his contemporaries and foils in the era of ’40s high Modernism. The fact he chose to speak quietly and seek beauty was its own kind of bravery. Wyeth believed that all could benefit from knowing sentimental reverie, and the man had a point.
Particularly that last line.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:10 am January 17th, 2009 in Culture, RIP, Social Issues | Please comment
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Jan
16
The Nation’s Alterman: “If Jeebus is truly my amigo, Marcy Kaptur runs…wins”
Filed Under activism, Congress, Democrats, Government, leadership, Ohio, Politics, Women | Leave a Comment
In Eric Alterman’s column today, Sort of Slacker Friday at The Nation, he provides a round-up of thoughts, including this one in his “Short Takes” section:
Part The Third: I can’t say I’ll miss George Voinovich one way or the other, but the fact that he made John Bolton’s life miserable for even a second makes me wave at least a little fondly in his direction. If Jeebus is truly my amigo, Marcy Kaptur runs for this seat and wins, but I can’t see it.
I can understand where he’s coming from. I don’t read Alterman regularly so I’m not aware of any backstory for his Kaptur affinity, but earlier this month, The Nation named her Most Valuable House Member in the magazine’s Most Valueable Progressives of 2008 of listing:
MOST VALUABLE HOUSE MEMBER: Marcy Kaptur
When Democratic leaders in the House buckled in the face of Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson’s call for a no-strings-attached bailout for big banks, it was Kaptur who rallied the opposition–successfully blocking Paulson’s first proposal in the House and forcing minor improvements in the plan. Ultimately, Paulson got most of what he asked for – and the banks pocketed hundreds of billions without aiding beleaguered homeowners or stalling the downward spiral of the economy. Kaptur warned that this would happen, as part of an ongoing critique of the bailout scheme. Throughout the fight, the Toledo Democrat’s speeches on the House floor were as visionary as they were populist–making the longest-serving woman in the House something of a YouTube phenomenon. For this, she will get no credit from Democratic party leaders. That’s too bad, as her record on economic issues–especially trade and agricultural policy–is one of consistently being right when just about everyone else was wrong. To a greater extent than anyone else in the House, she has defined the distinction between Main Street and Wall Street as something more than a slogan; and she is one of the few Democrats who actually understands that the only economic “fix” for America will be the one that begins on Main Street.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:05 pm January 16th, 2009 in activism, Congress, Democrats, Government, leadership, Ohio, Politics, Women | Please comment
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Jan
15
BREAKING: Cease fire reports coming in
Filed Under Gaza, Israel | 8 Comments
More as I get it but here are two reports of it:
1. Jameel says it’s a two-week that should start within 72 hours.
2. Fox News says it’s a year-long, agreed to by Hamas in Egypt:
Hamas has told Egypt that the Islamic militant group agrees to a year-long ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported.
Hamas says its agreement to a ceasefire is conditional on Israel withdrawing all of its forces withing five to seven days, according to Reuters.
The proposal calls for the immediate opening of all Gaza crossings with international assurances that they will stay open.
…
Instead, Israeli forces would remain in place during a 10-day truce until details on border security are worked out, Egyptian and Palestinian officials close to the talks told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of the closed-door negotiations.
Under the Egyptian proposal, Hamas would back off its demand that Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza and borders be opened immediately as part of any halt in fighting.
Those international forces are critical but remember, UNIFIL has not been well-respected much of the time. I know that was the case in Lebanon for many years.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:33 pm January 15th, 2009 in Gaza, Israel | 8 Comments
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