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Aug

31

UPDATE(s): Totes responds re: OH Supreme Court, breastfeeding & pregnancy

Filed Under Business, Civil Rights, Courts, Ethics, Gender, Health Care, Illness, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Science, Sexism, Social Issues, Statehouse, Voting, Women, employment, leadership | 5 Comments

A few updates/notes:

1. Buckeye State Blog was indeed the first (and only one of two Ohio political blogs anywhere on the spectrum) to write about the case, Allen v. totes/Isotoner Corp.. On that day, I did pass its link on through women-focused listservs and it has been picked up since then, including on Change.org’s Friday Femme Fatale round-up – many thanks.

2. The decision came out just as OSU’s Institute on Women, Gender and Public Policy released a report on how poorly Ohio is doing vis a vis women.

3. That Danielle blogs here about her exchange of emails with totes (yes, small T) regarding the Allen case.  For those catching up, this case says that breastfeeding does not constitute part of pregnancy and therefore is not protected under Ohio’s pregnancy discrimination law, since, you know, breastfeeding isn’t part of pregnancy.

4. Danielle then goes even further in this post, digging in and discussing the lower court opinions, facts and then the Ohio Supremes’ abject failure to deal with biology.

5. You can read the opinion, but especially please read the dissent by Judge Pfeifer.

6. As a lawyer, a social worker and a mom who worked through all three of her pregnancies and pumped at work during two of them whenever I needed to within reason, including in airport bathrooms and during conference sessions when my mother would bring my infant to me, I have to tell you – there is almost nothing totes could say that would change my mind regarding how bad a legal decision the all-Republican Ohio Supreme Court made.

I agree that the facts do have relevance and importance, however, it is the crux – this idea that breastfeeding has no connection or not enough of a connection to pregnancy as to be connected to pregnancy discrimination that baffles most people who read the opinion.  It is just a completely nonsensical, impractical and not reality-based reading of the law and life.

Additionally, it is the arguments that Judge Pfeifer raises that should have been asked and answered at the lower court:

Any court’s method of analyzing cases should be (1) whether the plaintiff stated a cognizable cause of action and (2) whether the facts of the case support the alleged cause of action. It is unclear why, on this question of great general interest, this court has embarked on a backwards analysis, letting stand the appellate court’s holding that LaNisa Allen was fired for leaving her post without permission rather than for pumping her breasts in the employee washroom, thus leaving unanswered the question of whether she even asserted a cognizable cause of action. The trial court proceeded properly, although its conclusion was
incorrect: it found as a matter of law that Ohio’s pregnancy discrimination laws do not apply to protect breastfeeding mothers once their babies are born. It did as it should in ruling on a summary judgment motion: it gave the benefit of the facts to Allen and ruled on the law.

Somehow, the appellate court lost its way, and this court has followed. In its six-paragraph decision, the appellate court concludes that Allen was not fired for pumping her breasts: “Rather, she was simply and plainly terminated as an employee at will for taking an unauthorized, extra break (unlike the restroom breaks which were authorized and available to all of the employees, appellant included).” Allen v. totes/Isotoner Corp. (Apr. 7, 2008) Butler App. No. CA2007-08-196. The appellate court does not explain why Allen’s trips to the restroom outside scheduled break times were different from the restroom trips
other employees made outside scheduled break times. There is no evidence in the record about any limit on the length of unscheduled restroom breaks and no evidence that employees had to seek permission from a supervisor to take an unscheduled restroom break. There is evidence only that unscheduled bathroom breaks were allowed and that LaNisa Allen was fired for taking them. What made her breaks different?

We accept cases not necessarily because of how the result might affect the parties in the individual case, but because of how a holding might affect other persons similarly situated. Ohio’s working mothers who endure the uncomfortable sacrifice of privacy that almost necessarily accompanies their attempt to remain on the job and nourish their children deserve to know whether Ohio’s pregnancy-discrimination laws protect them.

I would hold in this case that employment discrimination due to lactation is unlawful pursuant to R.C. 4112.01(B), that clear public policy justifies an exception to the employment-at-will doctrine for women fired for reasons relating to lactation, and that LaNisa Allen deserves the opportunity—due to the state of the record—to prove her claim before a jury.

7. So – Ohio state legislators – who is going to be the first to produce a bill to redress this situation?  Or are you really going to make me run for the Ohio House 17th in order to get this done?

8. How many more reminders do we need that we have got to elect more diverse judges to the high court in Ohio?

9. And last but not least, I’ll be on Live from the Left Coast with Angie Coiro in about 45 minutes to discuss this case.  You can follow in the live-chat here or you can listen here, or do both.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:38 pm August 31st, 2009 in Business, Civil Rights, Courts, Ethics, Gender, Health Care, Illness, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Science, Sexism, Social Issues, Statehouse, Voting, Women, employment, leadership | 5 Comments 

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Aug

31

All-GOP Ohio Supreme Court rules breastfeeding unconnected to pregnancy

Filed Under Abortion, Civil Rights, Courts, Culture, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Health Care, Law, Ohio, Parenting, Republicans, Sexism, Social Issues, Women, democracy, leadership, marriage | 31 Comments

Who knew!?

You know, I’ve been pregnant three times, gave birth to live, healthy babies three times and nursed each of my three babies.  If breastfeeding my babies was not related to pregnancy, someone tell me what was going on with my body, k?

Kate Harding at Salon.com has an excellent take-down and analysis of this gobsmackingly narrow decision regarding Totes/Isotoner’s pregnancy discrimination that defies common sense.

In the strictest legal sense, the ruling is logical: Allen admitted she took unauthorized breaks, and that’s a firing offense. If she can’t prove that someone said, “Ha! Now’s our chance to get rid of her for being a woman!” then apparently, she can’t prove discrimination. But it’s manifestly weaselly to suggest that her “insubordination” can somehow be separated from the fact that she was lactating, especially since they were responding to a decision that included this colossal eye-roller:

“Allen gave birth over five months prior to her termination from [Isotoner]. Pregnant [women] who give birth and choose not to breastfeed or pump their breasts do not continue to lactate for five months. Thus, Allen’s condition of lactating was not a condition relating to pregnancy but rather a condition related to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding discrimination does not constitute gender discrimination.”

Of course not.

ZOMG.

Hey, you know – Totes obviously has no idea just how many women wear Totes-like socks during labor and delivery.  Do they really want every hospital to stop purchasing those items from them?  How about hotels, spas – also places lactating and pregnant women like to go – often for non-pregnancy related occasions.

Let me tell you something, Totes – you don’t think breastfeeding is connected to pregnancy?  Well – I don’t think wearing your brand of socks is connected to keeping my tootsies warm anymore.

Game on.

NB:  Anyone ask the thousands of doctors across the country, who tell women to breastfeed as long as possible because of the health benefits of breastfeeding to the babies, how they feel about this decision and whether breastfeeding is connected to pregnancy? And how about how our country ranks embarrassingly high on infant mortality, with countries like Germany, South Korea, Britain – oh, and Cuba doing better? Nah – guess Totes could care less about that.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:09 pm August 31st, 2009 in Abortion, Civil Rights, Courts, Culture, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Health Care, Law, Ohio, Parenting, Republicans, Sexism, Social Issues, Women, democracy, leadership, marriage | 31 Comments 

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Aug

29

Brookings, Fordham Institutes’ reps plead for attention for public school gifted students

Filed Under Civil Rights, Education, Government, Law, Parenting, Politics, Social Issues, Youth, activism, democracy, leadership | 4 Comments

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute often speaks to issues related to charter schools and wrote an extensive and critical but constructive report in 2006 on specifically Ohio’s charter school system (which has helped it earn my respect, because they seem to recognize that sure, charters can be huge enhancements to a system but the Ohio deployment has been fraught with misdirection and misapplication of the intent behind the movement – 50% of rated charters are in academic emergency or academic watch).

This week, the New York Times ran this op-ed, “Smart Child Left Behind,” written by Tom Loveless, “…a fellow at the Brookings Institution and a member of the task force on K-12 education at Stanford’s Hoover Institution,” and Michael J. Petrilli, “…vice president for national programs and policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.”  I could not agree more with pretty much every assertion and conclusion, including this:

It is clear that No Child Left Behind is helping low-achieving students. But it is also obvious that high-achieving students — who suffer from benign neglect under the law — have been making smaller gains, much as they did before it was enacted. Alas, this drug is producing no miracles.

No doubt, some will claim victory: We are closing the achievement gap between our top and bottom students! But is that our only national goal in education? What might happen if federal law encouraged educators to improve the performance of all students? Our analysis of the federal data identified tens of thousands of high achievers who are black, Hispanic or poor. They are excelling at their studies, often against great odds. Shouldn’t we be addressing their educational needs?

As we look for ways to improve No Child Left Behind, we must recognize that our top students still have much to learn.

Emphasis is mine.  I pray and wish that it would be that of many, many others as well.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:48 am August 29th, 2009 in Civil Rights, Education, Government, Law, Parenting, Politics, Social Issues, Youth, activism, democracy, leadership | 4 Comments 

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Aug

28

Americans who do justice to health care debate, elected officials & fellow Americans

Filed Under Civil Rights, Debates, Democrats, Government, Health Care, Mitt Romney, Politics, Social Issues, Statehouse, democracy, leadership | 4 Comments

Maria is right – you probably haven’t seen clips of this townhall or read about it anywhere else, certainly not in as well-written a  description as she offers.

Go read the whole entry.  Again, just because we can engage in ways that push the envelopes of decency and legality, doesn’t mean we should.

I also think that the lesson of the Massachusett’s Democrats who thought they were outsmarting former Gov. Mitt Romney by changing the law so that he could not appoint anyone to a U.S. Senate vacancy should be a lesson to everyone who makes stands on pure personal politics, rather than on reason and what’s best for the stability of our social and political contracts.  Difference of political ideology is one thing.  Setting law that could exist in perpetuity solely to gain or maintain political advantage will come back at you in the end.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:17 am August 28th, 2009 in Civil Rights, Debates, Democrats, Government, Health Care, Mitt Romney, Politics, Social Issues, Statehouse, democracy, leadership | 4 Comments 

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Aug

27

US House district by district prediction of health care reform impact

Filed Under Government, Health Care | Leave a Comment

I hadn’t seen these before, and here are links to the Ohio delegation predictions, all from the Committee on Energy and Commerce (all pdfs):

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:48 pm August 27th, 2009 in Government, Health Care | Please comment 

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Aug

27

Women in Ohio not doing well, WOC doing even more poorly

Filed Under Civil Rights, Economy, Education, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Research, Sexism, Social Issues, Women, leadership | 1 Comment

Many thanks to OSU’s Institute on Women, Gender and Public Policy for the report it released yesterday, Women and Girls in Ohio: Education, Economic Status and Politics.

You’d think you were reading about a third world country.  

Educational Attainment, Median Earnings, Focus on Girls

osuedattnmnt

osumedianearnings

osufocusongirls

On the more positive side, Lisa Renee posted the announcement about women who’ve been inducted into Ohio’s Women Hall of Fame.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:08 am August 27th, 2009 in Civil Rights, Economy, Education, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Research, Sexism, Social Issues, Women, leadership | 1 Comment 

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Aug

26

Women’s Equality Day 2009

Filed Under Civil Rights, Democrats, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Women, intolerance, leadership | Leave a Comment

It was the best of times it was the worst of times? That’s kind of how it feels if you’ve been following the gains and setbacks of women over the last century, let alone the last several months.

Here’s a round-up of worthwhile reading about today’s commemoration of Women’s Equality Day:

What it is, from the Huffington Post:

…a celebration of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution which acknowledged the right of women to vote.

And from About.com’s Women’s History guide.

See also the National Women’s History Project.

Ohio Secretary of State and Democratic primary contender for U.S. Senate 2010, Jennifer Brunner’s statement

Leader’s Moment of Decision Led to Women’s Equality Day is Gloria Feldt’s reminder to us that men have helped along the way via a well-known but important anecdote

Women and Politics writes, “We’ve come a long way…maybe”

Today’s Worplace, a Workplace Fairness blog, talks about continuing the fight

And in just a few minutes, I’ll be participating in a White House conference call with Health and Human Services director, Kathleen Sebelius and Tina Tchen in honor of the day.  The call is described as

…a call to update you on the Council on Women and Girls and discuss health reform’s impact on women.

[and]

…talk about progress on the Council report and the impact that health reform will have on women. You can check [out the report] here…: http://healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html.

Finally, from Ohio’s own Lisa Renee Ward, at The Heart of Glass City Jungle, information about a Women’s Equality Day celebration in Columbus:

On Wednesday, August 26, a full-day of activities at the Ohio Statehouse will celebrate Women’s Equality Day. At noon, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner will address the group followed by a statement from State Auditor Mary Taylor and a program on the passage of the 19th amendment granting women’s suffrage.

…

This event is sponsored by Ohio Women Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to informing the public about the needs of women in Ohio.

I know that event has been in the works for quite some time and I hope it went off without a hitch.  If photos or reviews of the event pop up online, I’ll update this post with them.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:50 pm August 26th, 2009 in Civil Rights, Democrats, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Women, intolerance, leadership | Please comment 

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Aug

24

KY Dems hope Robin Webb, candidate in tomorrow’s special election, can help turn its state senate blue

Filed Under Campaigning, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Government, Politics, Statehouse, Women, leadership, senate | Leave a Comment

ElectWomen, one of my favorite resources about women in politics, is featuring an article on Robin Webb, a state representative in Kentucky, who is running in a special election tomorrow to fill a state senate seat.  

She has a very compelling life story which you can learn a bit about in this 2006 radio spot by NPR, called, “Working in a Coal Mine.” It highlights Webb’s pre-political life – as a coal miner from the age of 18 to 25.  She eventually went to law school and landed in the statehouse, but she grew up in a holler just a few counties north of where I did volunteer work (Red Bird Mission in Beverly).

You also can see a couple of Youtube videos, “Why I’m Voting for Robin,” here.  And you can read numerous newspaper pieces on her race here, including one about how four former KY governors campaigned for her over the weekend.

Finally, it’s this information about what’s going on behind the scenes in the race (reported in the link above about the govs support for her) that is most relevant to Ohio’s Democrats:

Webb, a state representative since 1999, faces Russell dermatologist Jack Ditty, a Republican, in the race to replace longtime GOP state Sen. Charlie Borders. Borders resigned last month after Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear gave him a posh position on the Kentucky Public Service Commission that pays more than $100,000 a year.

The move was widely seen as the first step in a broader initiative by Beshear to break the GOP’s hold on the Senate, where Republicans now outnumber Democrats 20-16.

“If we don’t win this race, it’s going to take a lot of wind out of our sails,” Patton told about 150 people gathered in a high school auditorium.

Before the Borders departure, another Republican, Sen. Gary Tapp of Shelbyville, announced that he won’t seek re-election next year. If Democrats could pick up the Borders and Tapp seats, the GOP’s majority would dwindle to 19-18. And if Beshear is able to lure other entrenched Republicans out of the Senate with offers of lucrative positions, independent gubernatorial candidate Gatewood Galbraith said, the balance of power could be tipped to the Democrats.

“I think it’s pretty obvious to anyone who has been watching it,” Galbraith said.

I’m not sure whether I’d advocate for our top Democratic officials to be making these moves, but could it beat waiting around until redistricting?

In the meantime, best of luck to Webb in tomorrow’s election in Kentucky.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:21 am August 24th, 2009 in Campaigning, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Government, Politics, Statehouse, Women, leadership, senate | Please comment 

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Aug

23

On women running the world: “A woman would bring an extra dimension to that task-and that’s a sensitivity to humankind”

Filed Under Civil Rights, Foreign Affairs, Gender, Government, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Social Issues, Voting, Women, leadership | Leave a Comment

Do not miss this week’s New York Times Magazine, “Saving the World’s Women.”

The subject line quote above is from the Q&A Deborah Solomon did with Africa’s only female leader, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Her advice to the U.S. on having a female president:

Why do you think we’ve never had a female president in the United States?
I have to ask you that question. You’ve got to vote for her.

Other excellent reads in the issue:

The Power of the Purse – women using philanthropy to help women and the world economy

A New Gender Agenda – an interview with Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Feminist Hawks – a study of how abuses against women are being used – and abused?

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:13 pm August 23rd, 2009 in Civil Rights, Foreign Affairs, Gender, Government, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Social Issues, Voting, Women, leadership | Please comment 

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Aug

23

Ohio, casinos and the Plain Dealer: 10/15/06 and today

Filed Under Cleveland+, Economy, Government, Ohio, Politics, Social Issues, Taxes, Ted Strickland, Voting, casinos, leadership | 7 Comments

On October 15, 2006, as part of my 57 Reasons to Vote No on Issue 3 (aka Ohio Learn and Earn, aka another casino ballot issue to change our state constitution), I wrote:

…I’m dropping the Plain Dealer subscription I’ve had longer than I can even remember (at least 13 years) as a result of the endorsement. However, I cannot emphasize enough that I’m doing so, not because the PD supports Issue 3. I’m doing so because their endorsement is insupportable, just on the basis of what it states.

The paper has no excuse for not being harder on this state. Those five men named on the mast head, including a chief marketing person, are the brains of the paper and people look to them. If the reasoning represented in that editorial is the best the PD editors can do, then their opinion of what readers should buy from them – as to why to vote a certain way, and the low threshold that the paper is willing to construct for why an issue or a candidate should be supported, or not supported for that matter, have both sunk below what I expect, even at a minimum, from a paper its size in a city that needs strong leadership and brave reporting.

…I’m going to miss it. I’ve defended it. I’ve wanted to make it better by just writing letters to the editor or getting an op-ed in. But the endorsements this year have failed to demonstrate any consistency in how they are reasoned.

Endorsements should be where the brains of the paper shine and show why the editors are the editors, are leading and should lead. The Plain Dealer has failed me as a reader on all accounts.

I know who wrote that 2006 editorial and I don’t know where Brent Larkin stood on it.  But his editorial today, “Ohio will lose if casino issue passes,” represents to me what should have been the editorial on Issue 3 in 2006.  Here are his reasons for rejecting the casino issue this year:

-it’s a risk, and it would be worth-taking at a certain price but not the price being offered this year; in 2006, the PD also argued that it was a risk but decided the risk was worth taking at the 2006 Issue 3 price (voters rejected Issue 3)

-Larkin says the price to be paid under the current initiative is not the right price because:

1. It’s bad public policy because of the monopoly nature of the plan. (Many of us argued it was bad public policy because of the monopoly nature of the plan in 2006.)

2. The issue doesn’t require the casino owner to pay high enough taxes and licensing fees, especially in comparison to how this is handled in other states. (Same argument was used by many of us in 2006.)

3. Larkin reserves the most ire for Gov. Ted Strickland and the racino/slots at racetracks piece of the deal.

Ohio’s seven horse racing tracks will pay $65 million each to build slot machine parlors on their properties. The racetrack deal, engineered by Gov. Ted Strickland and his minions in the legislature, represented public policy at its worst.

Jeffrey Hooke, a Maryland-based casino expert and investment banker, said a fair price for each casino license would be in the $300 million to $500 million range. Hooke described the governor’s deal with the racetracks as “the greatest taxpayer ripoff in Ohio history.”

Strickland has made a mess of Ohio’s gambling climate. Any governor with a modicum of vision could have seen this coming and pushed a ballot issue that required a bidding process for casinos and racetrack slot machines.

I have my own issues with Strickland and his caving to casinos and slots but that’s a whole ‘other blog, let alone single entry.

4. Casinos backers may spend up to $50 million to push their arguments.  In 2006, that was probably the very first thing I complained about and I wrote at least a few blog posts about the craziness of the money being spent just to try to get our constitution changed on behalf of a few who already are “haves,” just not in Ohio.

Larkin’s conclusion:

Their points are well taken, but they don’t overcome evidence arguing that Issue 3 just isn’t a good deal for Ohio’s taxpayers. Vote against it. 

Mr. Larkin, I’m thrilled that you’ve written this column and the PD has published it.  And I feel affirmed that your arguments against the casino initiative this November echo everything many of us said and wrote in 2006 (and last year, while we’re at it) and continue to believe.  But I will never understand how that 2006 editorial in support of Issue 3 was considered to be strong enough in its logic to be published, given that, if anything, our situation is even more dire now and in need of risk-taking, of some kind, though not the casino kind.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:13 am August 23rd, 2009 in Cleveland+, Economy, Government, Ohio, Politics, Social Issues, Taxes, Ted Strickland, Voting, casinos, leadership | 7 Comments 

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Aug

10

Ohio GOP Senate leadership to Shannon Jones: Come on down!

Filed Under Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Statehouse, Women, conservatives, senate | 5 Comments

From the Dayton Daily News:

Republican leaders have tabbed state Rep. Shannon Jones to take over the Ohio Senate seat left vacant by the death of former Sen. Bob Schuler.

…

The four applicants were Jones, R-Springboro, Tom Brinkman Jr., a former state representative from Mt. Lookout; Patrick McQuiddy, a pilot from Lebanon; and Michelle Schneider, the former mayor of Madiera and former state representative.

The entire Republican caucus will vote to confirm Jones at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11, and she will be immediately sworn into office.

The one thing the DDN doesn’t mention, nor do any of the other articles? That Jones will be only the second female in the GOP-laden state senate.  There are 21 GOP state senators in Ohio.  Until Jones is confirmed, only one of the 20 now seated is a woman – Karen Gillmor.  Even the Plain Dealer wrote an editorial about this dearth (though at that time, Senate prez Bill Harris had a very lame response).

Best of luck to Shannon Jones.  Kyle – you can add another photo to your collage now that won’t look like all the others (I have this thing about how interchangeable the GOP electeds look).

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:56 pm August 10th, 2009 in Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Statehouse, Women, conservatives, senate | 5 Comments 

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Aug

7

Breaking: Joshua Schaffer announces for Ohio House 17th

Filed Under Campaigning, Elections, Government, OH17, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics, Statehouse, leadership | 5 Comments

I received the following communication today from Joshua Schaffer and publish with permission:

I am writing to inform you that I plan to run for Josh Mandel’s seat in November 2010.

In a follow-up communication, Schaffer acknowledged that “nothing is 100%,” and then wrote, “I certainly intend to run.”

Walton Hills Mayor, Marlene Anielski (R), announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination a little over two months ago. News coverage of her run indicates that the current holder of the seat, Josh Mandel (R, Lyndhurst) will vacate and that he has already voiced his support for her candidacy. Mandel currently is campaigning to be the Republican candidate for State Treasurer.  There are no other declared candidates for that seat as yet though expectations are that current treasurer, Kevin Boyce (D), will run to retain the seat to which he was appointed by Governor Ted Strickland (D) after Attorney General Rich Cordray (D) was elected to the AG post in November 2008.

Schaffer was last in political news in the district when he pulled petitions to run for Pepper Pike City Council in 2007.  The best place to learn more about this politically ambitious young man is probably his Facebook page (but he should feel to drop links in the comments to where he’d like people to go for more information).

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:38 pm August 7th, 2009 in Campaigning, Elections, Government, OH17, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics, Statehouse, leadership | 5 Comments 

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Aug

7

Politifact: health care critics’ claims “exaggerated or completely false” including Boehner’s abortion funding fears

Filed Under Barack Obama, Congress, Economy, Government, Health Care, Illness, Media, Mental health, Ohio, Politics, Social Issues, democracy, leadership, social media | 5 Comments

I haven’t blogged about the health care debate much.  I’ve been watching it go by on Twitter, I caught some on cable news last night, I hear it on the radio and read it in the paper.  I even liveblogged it while President Obama was in Shaker Heights. It’s nearly impossible to avoid it, to be honest.  

But this evening, the radio had what I think is the most relevant information for right now: a report on NPR called, “Separating Fact From Fiction In Health Care Debate.” The piece centers around the St. Petersburg Times’ PolitiFact operation and this key finding:

“…much of the dialogue is being set by the critics who are making some very strong claims about this, and when we check them out, we find that many of them are exaggerated or completely false,” he says.

Both the NPR piece and the PolitiFact website cover the extent of the false assertions and also point out where claims made by proponents, including President Obama, are also wrong.

One of the most egregious errors is the critics’ claim that abortions will be funded.  And the prime critic is none other than Ohio’s own John Boehner, Republican representative (OH-8) and House Minority Leader. Read more

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:09 pm August 7th, 2009 in Barack Obama, Congress, Economy, Government, Health Care, Illness, Media, Mental health, Ohio, Politics, Social Issues, democracy, leadership, social media | 5 Comments 

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Aug

6

Peter Lawson Jones on Cuyahoga County Reform

Filed Under Cleveland+, Government, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics | 8 Comments

Last night, at the Pepper Pike Democratic Club, Peter Lawson Jones, one of the three Cuyahoga County Commissioners, addressed the group.  He spoke about the two county government reform efforts that will be on the ballot for county residents this November.

He is an excellent speaker and I’ve appreciated that, from time to time at least, he has not voted in lockstep. When the tax for the MedMart project was being spirited through in short order two years ago, he was the one commissioner who supported the county residents who wanted to vote on whether the tax should be imposed or not.  He did not shy away from the public taking to forums and addressing the inadequacies and, frankly, anger, many residents felt due to the patriarchal way Tim Hagan and Jimmy Dimora treated what they viewed as their right to initiate a tax so long as it was under a certain amount.  The entire petition process to get such a tax hike on the ballot is another issue, but at least Jones didn’t just go along.

Last night, Jones described both ballot initiatives but he made the case for the commissioner-sponsored ballot effort.  Their proposal would result in the formation of a charter commission that would make a recommendation that would then be implemented.  He said that the commissioners themselves would have no control over the proposal produced by the commission.  (Names of 15 potential members of the charter commission are to be released on Tuesday, according to this WCPN article from yesterday.) Read more

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:58 pm August 6th, 2009 in Cleveland+, Government, Ohio, Pepper Pike, Politics | 8 Comments 

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Aug

5

It’s coytoins for Mouthpiece Theater: Cillizza apologizes, but Milbank still needs How to Apologize 101

Filed Under Blogging, Gender, Media, Politics, Sexism, Social Issues, Women, intolerance, leadership, social media | Leave a Comment

Howard Kurtz and Chris Cillizza both posted information today (here and here, respectively) related to the Washington Post’s removal of a piece of video work that Cillizza and senior WaPo political writer, Dana Milbank.  In it, they try to spoof President Obama’s beer summit and match politicians with beers. You can read the backstory here.

This action comes just hours after Politico and MediaBistro ran items about a letter, signed by 32 women and women organizations – including me, that was sent to WaPo Executive Editor, Marcus Brauchli.

There’s still the matter of their second video, posted yesterday, in which they seem to want to spoof their own Adventures in Satirical Political Vlogging.  That video offers no apologies but rather places blame for the attention to the offending material at the fingers of bloggers. Read more

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:04 pm August 5th, 2009 in Blogging, Gender, Media, Politics, Sexism, Social Issues, Women, intolerance, leadership, social media | Please comment 

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Aug

3

It’s not for me to say but…State Senate GOP: Let there be women!

Filed Under Campaigning, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Sexism, Statehouse, Women, conservatives, leadership, senate | 2 Comments

Here’s the news story and here are the facts: our Ohio State Senate had 21 Republicans, with just one woman when Sen. Schuler passed away. Now his vacancy is to be filled. At least two GOP female politicians, Shannon Jones (been in since 2007) and Michelle Schneider (a former mayor and a state rep who was term-limited out in 2008) have indicated interest in the position. Schneider was the majority whip until termed out and Jones may be best known for introducing and getting passed the “Joe the Plumber you can’t view people’s records” law.

Is there any good reason whatsoever that one of those two, if not any other woman in GOP politics, should not get the vacancy?  If you’re going to say, “the best person will get the seat,” don’t waste your breath. Both of those women meet whatever minimum requirements the GOP considers to comprise “the best person.”

Do it do it do it do it do it.  I know you can.  Raise that ratio to 10% – the GOP’s female representation in the Ohio State Senate goes from less than 5% to almost 10% with one seat.  Come.On.  Pretty please? I so do not want Ohio’s legislature to become any closer to looking like the one in South Carolina.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:49 pm August 3rd, 2009 in Campaigning, Gender, Government, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Sexism, Statehouse, Women, conservatives, leadership, senate | 2 Comments 

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Aug

3

This is What a Sexist Looks Like: The Journalist’s Edition

Filed Under Blogging, Gender, Government, Hillary Clinton, Humor, Media, Mike Huckabee, Parenting, Politics, Sarah Palin, Sexism, Social Issues, Women, Writing, activism, leadership, social media | Leave a Comment

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart was famous for many things, but possibly his most famous quote had to do with hardcore pornography in the case, Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964).  The quote underscores the definitional value of imagery when, otherwise, words fail us or people just don’t get it:

I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so.

But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that. [Emphasis added.]

And so the appeal of videos like  “This is what a feminist looks like” should be no surprise.  Mike Huckabee had What A Proud American Looks Like. And of course, even still photos can get tagged for being demonstrative of something we might not otherwise be able to put into words, even if we wouldn’t agree that it’s the only image that fits the subject title.

Last year’s video by the Women’s Media Center compiled nearly six minutes of journalists’ sexist attacks issued during just the 2008 presidential primary.  Most Americans hadn’t even heard of Sarah Palin at that point, but journalists have caught up in treating her in sexist ways. Read more

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:58 am August 3rd, 2009 in Blogging, Gender, Government, Hillary Clinton, Humor, Media, Mike Huckabee, Parenting, Politics, Sarah Palin, Sexism, Social Issues, Women, Writing, activism, leadership, social media | Please comment 

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Aug

1

UPDATE: National Federation of Republican Women comments on men outgunning women in “Young Guns”

Filed Under Campaigning, Civil Rights, Elections, Gender, Government, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Sarah Palin, Sexism, Social Issues, Voting, Women, democracy, leadership | 12 Comments

On Thursday (7/30), I wrote a post called, GOP continues to starve female leadership pipeline: Sessions’ Young Guns are 12 men, 1 woman.  I’ve not been able to find anyone else in the political blogosphere wonk world writing about this, not from the right or from the left and yet I continue to be fascinated by the imagery we now have in the vernacular:  Sarah Palin, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Meg Whitman, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Nikki Haley versus…U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions putting forward a slate of GOP potentials that include 12 men and just one woman.  

What is with that, I keep wondering.  How can the women in the GOP be okay with this, I ask.

So instead of just perseverating on the question, I wrote both SarahPAC and the National Federation of Republican Women.  

I’m a freelance writer and political journalist who would like to get an official statement from the National Federation of Republican Women on the fact that the NRCC’s “Young Guns” list of GOP politicians who will be supported to run against incumbent Democrats is comprised of 12 men and just one woman.

Given that your organizations’ description on the front page of its website states, “We strengthen the Republican Party by recruiting, training and electing candidates,” could you please tell me the NFRW’s position on the NRCC strategy and its selection of just one woman?

SarahPAC sent me a form letter telling me how busy they are and they will get to me eventually.  However, I did receive a prompt response from the NFRW and here’s what they wrote:

 Hello, Ms. Zimon:

Thank you for asking the NFRW to comment. Here is a statement from Shirley Sadler, president of the National Federation of Republican Women:

“The NFRW fully supports the ongoing efforts of the National Republican Congressional Committee to recruit strong candidates for the upcoming congressional races, and we are confident in their ability to find the best candidates to run for office. We will continue to support the Republican Party by doing our best to recruit, train, and elect candidates in our role as one of the largest and most influential women’s political organizations in the nation.”

Many thanks,

LISA ZIRIAX
Communications Director
National Federation of Republican Women
124 N. Alfred St .
Alexandria ,  VA   22314
(703) 548-9688
(703) 548-9836 – FAX
lziriax@nfrw.org

I am very appreciative of the NFRW responding, but, as you might imagine, I’m extremely disappointed at how predictable and devoid of attention to the very specific question I asked, especially since the NFRW itself says that its membership is tens of thousands of women who work to recruit, train and elect candidates.  

Oh, I know, I know – they don’t say FEMALE candidates.  But you’ll have to excuse me while I explain in specific terms: I do not accept armies of women supporting armies of men-only political wannabees.  Not in 2009.  Not after all that Sarah Palin put out there re: cracking more glass in the ceiling etc.  The blinders on their being so blatantly hypocritical drives me nuts.

You know, Corazon Aquino died this week.  She powered a revolution in the Philippines that led to its democratic government.  Others tried to overthrow her seven times, according to the obits. She wasn’t even that radical or left-wing in her ideology.  And this issue of women supporting women – it’s not scary.  It’s not earth-shattering and it’s not going to harm our children or our country.

It’s okay. Really.  It’s really, really, REALLY okay.  

Thinking about how the language of fear has been issuing forth from Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and so many others on the right lately, and some of the left as well – because they aren’t getting what they want or didn’t get what they wanted – makes me wonder about this final question:

If this is how fear of having a non-white person with a name that doesn’t sound like an airplane pilot’s manifests itself, can you just imagine what’s going to happen when that person is a woman?  

Want a glimpse? Review how Sonia Sotomayor has been treated, review how Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin have been treated.  Put all of the worst of all that together and how people in general and the media in particular would be treating a female president, and frankly, it’s just plain shameful.

Pete Sessions and the NFRW’s support of him are doing women no favor whatsoever.  The PR that they put out and portend to stand behind is even worse.

It does not have to be this way and I look forward to seeing the breakthroughs that get accomplished via the 2010 and 2012 election cycles. I know the women working on those breakthroughs are out there – and they include those of us highlighting these instances like Sessions’ selections.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:36 am August 1st, 2009 in Campaigning, Civil Rights, Elections, Gender, Government, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Sarah Palin, Sexism, Social Issues, Voting, Women, democracy, leadership | 12 Comments 

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