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Mar

11

Obama creates Council on Women and Girls, Valerie Jarrett to lead


I’ve been getting word of this announcement since yesterday afternoon, so it’s almost a bit anti-climactic.  However, don’t let my blasé “it takes a lot to impress me” attitude dissuade you from recognizing what a big deal this actually is. You can read the full announcement from the White House after the jump.

While I hear and fully expect that nearly all women’s groups will be happy about the council’s creation, there is a cautiousness and a curiosity about “what it all means” to be found in several reactions:

New York Times writer and blogger, Lisa Belkin at Motherlode:

There is no one more vocal than I about the fact that women and men experience the realms of family and work differently (you can find some examples of my thoughts here and here.) But I think that too many of the problems women and girls have in the world stem from the fact that the problems are considered “their” problems — “women’s problems” — rather than problems that both genders share.

…

What women need is a system that allows stepping out and stepping back in without penalty. And for those of us who can’t afford to leave — and that means most of us — we need a system that allows for flexibility and control over our lives. That system must factor in periods of great ambition and achievement, mixed with periods of slow but steady work, all with the understanding that ups and downs make a career, and don’t automatically knock you off the track.

While women have had the more visible juggling act in the past few decades, and have led the demands for change, all they are really asking is to be able to earn a living and care for their children in a ratio that isn’t perfect, but is less lopsided than the status quo. Giving them that means giving it to girls AND boys, too — and to the women AND men they will grow up to be. And a system like that will change men’s lives as well.

Feministing:

I’m cautiously excited about this…I really want to know more.

The New Agenda:

Now I know the reactions here will be mixed. Those of us who voted for President Obama will think this is a fabulous choice. Those of us who were fans of SOS Clinton when she ran will view a certain irony that Jarrett is given a top spot in the area of promoting women’s issues. Those of us who voted for Sen McCain will likely fall into the latter category.

But I personally view this as a positive development. I say, let’s give Valerie Jarrett a chance to do some good. This is, after all, what we have been asking for in a sense — even if Jarrett is not everybody’s first choice (and who would be).

Of course, no surprise,  the very first sign of cynicism came from the media: The Fix’s Chris Cillizza who wrote:

Obama has both personal — his wife and two daughters — and political reasons to make this sort of high profile move to ensure that women’s needs are being addressed by his administration.

In 2008, 53 percent of the electorate was female and Obama carried that group 56 percent to 44 percent over Arizona Sen. John McCain. That is a significant improvement from Sen. John Kerry’s (D-Mass.) performance in 2004 when women made up 54 percent of the electorate and the Democrat won them by only three points.

Obama and his team know that if he can maintain his 2008 margin among women in his reelection race in three years time, he will be sitting pretty. Expect then more symbolic moves like the establishment of the Council to demonstrate Obama’s commitment to women and women’s issues.

I like Chris’s writing very much, but I think he went overboard here on the analysis that concludes with describing the council’s creation as a symbolic move.  For example, Jen Nedeau at Change.org’s Women’s Right site, makes the case for how the Council can be more than just a symbol:

I certainly hope the Council is more than just a tool to get Obama re-elected. Or a symbol without any real political capital. After all, women didn’t earn the right to vote to just sit around and look pretty, now did they?

Personally, I would like to see the Council be able to address issues such as:

  • Confirm more female federal judges to the bench (particularly with SCOTUS if we lose Ruth Bader Ginsberg).
  • Fight the battle over women’s access to contraception and abortion, which are often too close to being jeopardized as written about by Jessica Arons this week.
  • Push for the passage of the Global Democracy Promotion Act within Congress to defuse the Global Gag Rule from being used as a political football in future administrations.

This decision comes at the heels of an announcement by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to nominate a new post of ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues. It has been reported that Obama intends to nominate Melanne Verveer, CEO of an international nonprofit, to the job. For the most part, I think that all of these movements are VERY positive and indicate that there will be a greater consideration for women within the White House.

Another thought to remember is that there’s a call for a Presidential Commission on Women.  That entity would be one that gathers ideas and opinions from thinkers external to the White House and the beltway.  Working with the council, some progress might truly be able to be accomplished, especially if Obama’s success at communicating with and appearing to listen to all stakeholders, as during his campaign, can be duplicated.

The announcement:

The mission of the Council will be to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families. The Council will be chaired by Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor, and will include as members cabinet-level federal agencies. The Executive Director of the Council will be Tina Tchen, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Public Liaison at the White House.

“The purpose of this Council is to ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy,” said President Obama. “My Administration has already made important progress toward that goal. I am proud that the first bill I signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. But I want to be clear that issues like equal pay, family leave, child care and others are not just women’s issues, they are family issues and economic issues. Our progress in these areas is an important measure of whether we are truly fulfilling the promise of our democracy for all our people. I am confident that Valerie Jarrett and Tina Tchen will guide the Council wisely as its members address these important issues.”

The White House Council on Women and Girls will ensure that agencies across the federal government, not just a few offices, take into account the particular needs and concerns of women and girls. The Council will begin its work by asking each agency to analyze their current status and ensure that they are focused internally and externally on women.

In particular, the Council will work to enhance, support and coordinate the efforts of existing programs for women and girls. The Council will also work as a resource for each agency and the White House so that there is a comprehensive approach to the federal government’s policy on women and girls. The priorities will be carried out by working closely with the President’s Cabinet Secretaries and relevant agency offices that focus on women and families.

During its first year, the Council will also focus on the following areas:

The White House Council on Women and Girls will meet regularly, and will serve as a forum for all involved agencies to focus on women.

Initial members of the Council include:

The Secretary of State;
The Secretary of the Treasury;
The Secretary of Defense;
The Attorney General;
The Secretary of Interior;
The Secretary of Agriculture;
The Secretary of Commerce;
The Secretary of Labor;
The Secretary of Health and Human Services;
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
The Secretary of Transportation;
The Secretary of Energy;
The Secretary of Education;
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
The Secretary of Homeland Security;
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations;
The United States Trade Representative;
The Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
The Administrator of the Small Business Administration;
The Director of the Office of Personnel Management;
The Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors;
The Director of the National Economic Council; and
The Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

In addition to the initial list of members, the President may designate additional heads of other Executive Branch departments, agencies, and offices..

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:14 pm March 11th, 2009 in Announcements, Barack Obama, Gender, Government, Whitehouse09, Women 

Comments

One Response to “Obama creates Council on Women and Girls, Valerie Jarrett to lead”

  1. 1 Sarah Granger on March 11th, 2009 9:12 pm

    Great post, Jill. You really covered all of the key points and viewpoints well. The coming months will show us what the White House will do. I look forward to your continued commentary.

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