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May
27
Activism is Not a Four Letter Word and EPA Hearings This Week Prove It
Filed Under Energy, Environment, Moms Clean Air Force, Politics | 1 Comment
So maybe you thought that having Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, on The Daily Show would be quite the highlight of the week:
But running a close second? The EPA’s three public hearings on mercury rules, one each in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Chicago (you can listen to audio of some of the testimony here). Reports indicate that they were all exceedingly well attended. From Business Week in regard to the Philly hearings:
Several hundred people, from environmentalists and physicians to mothers and fishermen, testified before a panel of federal environmental officials in Philadelphia on Tuesday to urge the passage of proposed new standards to limit the amount of air pollution that coal-fired power plants can release into the atmosphere.
The Environmental Protection Agency listened to hours of public comment Tuesday on rules to curb emissions of mercury, arsenic, lead, nickel, chromium and acid gases from coal-fired plants. Testimony was mostly in favor of the regulations, which proponents said will reduce airborne toxins that contribute to respiratory illnesses, birth defects and developmental problems in children.
And from the Chicago Tribune on the city’s hearings:
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:13 pm May 27th, 2011 in Energy, Environment, Moms Clean Air Force, Politics | 1 Comment
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May
26
Refresher Course on Gender-Neutral Punching
Filed Under Campaigning, Elections, Gender, Media, Politics, Sexism, Women | Leave a Comment
Evolve. Now.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:58 pm May 26th, 2011 in Campaigning, Elections, Gender, Media, Politics, Sexism, Women | Please comment
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May
25
From the Women’s Media Center:
It’s no secret that several of MSNBC’s commentators and anchors have espoused some moderately sexist to severely misogynist views over the years. In 2008, we went after Chris Matthews’ derogatory coverage of Hilary Clinton‘s presidential race, resulting in MSNBC’s decision to demote him from the anchor chair of election coverage to become a strictly political commentator. One thing was clear: Matthews crossed the line too many times.
Then, that same year, David Shuster was suspended by the network for comments about Chelsea Clinton being “pimped out” by the Clinton campaign, using a prostitution metaphor.
Yet, the networks’ “progressive” male anchors and commentators aren’t learning their lessons. Just yesterday, Ed Schulz called incindiary right-wing talk show host Laura Ingraham, a “right-wing slut” and a “talk slut” on the air. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:04 pm May 25th, 2011 in Media, Politics, Sexism | 1 Comment
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May
25
Great Advice on Candidates, Campaigns and Social Media
Filed Under Campaigning, Elections, Politics, social media | 1 Comment
Julie Barko Germany has written an excellent, succinct article, published at Brazen Careerist, about the use of social media by political candidates, especially before and during their campaigns. In “How Not to Ruin Your Political Career on Social Media,” Julie provides essential tips from those who know: potential and former candidates, a current elected and a well-known Republican digital media guru. It’s well worth your time - whether you’re the one figuring out how to use social media as oppo or a tool for winning. Many thanks to Julie for including me.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:30 am May 25th, 2011 in Campaigning, Elections, Politics, social media | 1 Comment
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May
25
NY-26 Postmortem
Filed Under Campaigning, Women | Leave a Comment
I just left a comment on my BlogHer.com post that said essentially the exact same thing as Chris Cillizza this morning re: how it is that Kathy Hochul, the Democratic candidate, won in a district that is so far +R:
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:20 am May 25th, 2011 in Campaigning, Women | Please comment
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May
25
Vote for Top 25 Political Mom Blogs
Filed Under Blogging, Parenting, Politics, Writing | Leave a Comment
I’ve been featured before, and left off before, and while I can be a great competitor, I do try to stay grounded away from listmania – but it is nice, now and then, to learn and have it reaffirmed that I’m not just writing for myself (though I do wish I was writing even more for myself these days!).
Writes Like She Talks has been added to the Circle of Moms effort to name the Top 25 Political Mom Blogs. You can check out the list here and you can vote for WLST here, once a day, each day, through June 13 if that’s your wish.
Many of my favorites are already on the list but what I really love is that after blogging for nearly seven years, I’m finding new blogs about politics that are written by women.
Now if I could just convert some of them to candidates and political office holders.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:47 am May 25th, 2011 in Blogging, Parenting, Politics, Writing | Please comment
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May
24
Now – there are a bunch of “wait! wait!” urges everyone will hear and that’s fine. But according to the call by the AP, Kathy Hochul was up over 6% with more than 75% of the vote in. This was a heavily Republican-leaning district, with two other candidates who EACH spent more than $2 million of their own dollars, and still lost.
And still – many are going to say that House Rep. Paul Ryan’s radical budget plan that ends Medicare.
You think what?
(Oh – and I love that a woman is taking over shirtless Chris Lee’s seat)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:14 pm May 24th, 2011 in Politics | Please comment
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May
24
Two Women, One Winner: Watching Results for NY-26, Corwin v. Hochul
Filed Under Campaigning, democracy, Elections, Gender, Government, leadership, Politics, Voting, Women | Leave a Comment
I confess – I’ve been really addicted to the upstate Western NY special election that is culminating this evening. It seeks to provide a replacement for disgraced former House Republican, Chris Lee – last seen without his shirt on in a cellphone photo.
I’ve written a post about it for BlogHer (you can read it here) and there are a lot of great links about the predictions, the tamping down of expectations, and where to watch live coverage this evening. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:41 pm May 24th, 2011 in Campaigning, democracy, Elections, Gender, Government, leadership, Politics, Voting, Women | Please comment
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May
20
Telling What is Compelling
Filed Under activism, Energy, Environment, leadership, Moms Clean Air Force, Parenting, Politics | 1 Comment
This morning, I had coffee with a friend who is a mom, a lawyer and a constituent of mine. She also happens to be a woman who, with a group of other women who had supported John Kerry in Ohio only to see his candidacy fall short, formed what is now what I would consider to be the preeminent women’s caucus in our region if not our state, the Cuyahoga Democratic Women’s Caucus.
Although she is perpetually, like so many of us, in the midst of several other very time-sensitive situations that demand her attention, we made ourselves find time to sit down together to talk about an issue that is identical to what I believe the Moms Clean Air Force is all about: getting people to care, notice and take action, at whatever level they can muster, in regard to issues we believe are critical to not only our quality of life, but our children’s and our children’s children’s quality of life. For my friend and I, this issue is getting women into public service, politics and positions of leadership. And equally vital to me is the MCAF end goal of taking action and moving others to take action in order to guarantee no backsliding and only forward motion in protecting our environment, primarily in the MCAF case, clean air.
How do we do this, my friend and I asked – how do we get women to care about politics, let alone consider running for office? As we were trying to brainstorm (in between getting sidetracked onto a number of other topics that excite us), it occurred to me that this question is very similar to the questions we ask ourselves in the MCAF effort: what can we tell you that will compel you? Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:18 pm May 20th, 2011 in activism, Energy, Environment, leadership, Moms Clean Air Force, Parenting, Politics | 1 Comment
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May
13
The Best Answers to “WTF!?” When It Comes to Fracking & Clean Air
Filed Under Education, Environment, Moms Clean Air Force, Politics | 4 Comments
There are so many ways to teach kids these days when it comes to nearly any subject. Increasingly, I find myself saying to my kids, especially when they ask me something that I know I can’t answer all that well (if at all, once in a while), “Why don’t you Google it?” or, “That sounds like something you should look up on the computer.”
We’re still a card-carrying library kind of family (just last week I got a new card and this week, I am waiting for a 1954 book by Eleanor Roosevelt, Ladies of Courage, that will be delivered to my suburban Cleveland branch library from a Toledo library, all courtesy of the integrated Ohio Internet catalogue system). But the Internet can’t be beat for speed and variety, especially when it comes to different teaching tools – text, visuals, audio, interactive sites all contribute to the answers.
So, given all these resources at our fingertips, you really have to ask why Scholastic, as in the Scholastic book fairs parents and kids all remember (as well as textbook and picture book and chapter book fame) went this route to educate our kids about the coal industry. From yesterday’s New York Times article, “Coal Curriculum Called Unfit for 4th Graders”: Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:21 pm May 13th, 2011 in Education, Environment, Moms Clean Air Force, Politics | 4 Comments
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May
11
Reality Check: Gillibrand & Mandel both in office for five years
Filed Under Campaigning, Elections, Josh Mandel, leadership, Politics, senate | 2 Comments
Seriously.
This occurred to me as I was following the incredible leadership that U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D, NY) has been showing in her support of Kathy Hochul in the NY-26 congressional race. Money quote:
“Gillibrand’s support should bode well for Hochul, if Gloria Steinem’s introduction is any indication. “Like Bella Abzug and Shirley Chisholm before her, she doesn’t hold her finger to the wind,” Steinem said. “She is the wind.”
This year, Gillibrand is running to win her seat for a full six-year term, while newly elected Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel filed papers, less than three months into his latest job, to run for office for the fifth time in seven years, and for the fourth different position.
People – though not usually me – like to shove business templates over government structures. So, what would business say about an applicant whose resumé details someone who can’t stop looking for the next job, and in fact, excels at job hunting, but has noticeably short tenures in previous positions?
I just cannot get over how incredibly, remarkably and demonstrably different the tenures of two elected officials, both seeking six-year terms in the U.S. Senate, can be over the exact same number of years in office. (I’m not even throwing in that Gillibrand was pregnant with and gave birth to her youngest child of two during her time in the U.S. House.)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:10 pm May 11th, 2011 in Campaigning, Elections, Josh Mandel, leadership, Politics, senate | 2 Comments
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May
6
Mother’s Day Blog Carnival
Filed Under Moms Clean Air Force, Parenting, Women, Writing, Youth | Leave a Comment
The Moms Clean Air Force is hosting a Mother’s Day-themed blog carnival through Sunday, May 8 (you know, Mother’s Day!? – get it) to honor our efforts today on behalf of the world we hope to create and one day leave behind for our kids in the proverbial tomorrow.
Got something to say about that? Said something already, or thinking about it? Please follow the directions here and add to the voices we’re making heard on the incredible importance of environmental issues, and clean air in particular.
This year, mothers need to think big about what we want for Mother’s Day, because there’s just too much at stake. Threats to the natural environment – the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat – are threats to our very motherhood, which is our ability to love and nurture our children and see them grow safely into adulthood.
Please join the MCAF blog carnival, A Mother’s Day Gift, and share your hopes and dreams about what kind of world you want your kids to grow up in. This should take the form of a letter from you to your children about what YOU want to give THEM for Mother’s Day.
And Happy Mother’s Day.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:17 pm May 6th, 2011 in Moms Clean Air Force, Parenting, Women, Writing, Youth | Please comment
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May
6
All Politics Are Local, But Only Some Politicians Are Women
Filed Under democracy, Gender, Government, leadership, Ohio, Politics, Youth | Leave a Comment
Miesha Headen, Richmond Heights City Council Member (at-large) and Theresa Allen, Blanchard Township Trustee (First female trustee in the history of her county – unbelievable in 2011) beat me hands down with sound bits – that darn I’m so long-winded thing. How’d I ever get this far?
Listen to the entire podcast (I’m just doing it now) here or tomorrow on 88.7 (WJCU).
[And for those who do listen? Dan corrects me and then I correct myself on the children statement - pick up your jaw and you'll hear it, okay? Good.]
Really honored to be on with these two women. And, I should say, I hope I never have to run against either of them – they are tough.
Also many thanks to Dan Moulthrop and the crew at Civic Commons. Please keep doing what you’re doing.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:22 am May 6th, 2011 in democracy, Gender, Government, leadership, Ohio, Politics, Youth | Please comment
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May
5
Air Quality Awareness Week – Without the Awareness or the Quality in NE Ohio
Filed Under Cleveland+, Government, Health Care, Law, leadership, Moms Clean Air Force, Ohio, Parenting, Politics, Research, Resources, Science, Social Issues, Utilities, Women, Writing, Youth | 1 Comment
Norm Roulet’s lengthy, in-depth post at REALNEO, “Happy Air Quality Awareness Week? Not in Cleveland, where air quality is poor, and awareness is worse! Meaning Modeling Matters!” is one of an abysmally few pieces of evidence that May 2 through 6 has been Air Quality Awareness Week.
Other pieces of evidence (scant themselves) that folks in Ohio would be made aware, during an effort dedicated to awareness, come from the Ohio EPA and Earth Gauge at WKYC (Channel 3). But that’s all I could Google up – I hope I’ve missed other coverage, because these results are terribly disappointing.
Worse yet, however, is that the scant publicizing of Air Quality Awareness Week is not nearly as disappointing, or upsetting, as how bad our air quality in Ohio actually is (although the number of inhalers I see in my youngest child’s elementary school nurse’s clinic indicates backs up this assertion without the need for much else, if you ask me). Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:39 am May 5th, 2011 in Cleveland+, Government, Health Care, Law, leadership, Moms Clean Air Force, Ohio, Parenting, Politics, Research, Resources, Science, Social Issues, Utilities, Women, Writing, Youth | 1 Comment
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May
4
In May 2011, Male Voter Still Thinks Male Candidate Can Do Better Job Than Female
Filed Under democracy, Gender, Government, leadership, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Women | Leave a Comment
And his chosen candidate in the primary is about to face a woman (the excellent Hollie Hinton, the Strickland administration’s director of women’s outreach and initiatives). Lovely.
While many Republican voters stayed home on Tuesday, a few came out to the polls, including Dave Smalley, who was torn about how to vote.
Smalley voted for Everson, but said the decision was difficult. He said he liked Eallonardo’s ideas, but couldn’t cast his ballot for the female candidate.
“I wanted to vote for her but I voted for him,” he said. “Right now, I think a guy could do a better job … We need somebody, hopefully, who will be more firm in decision making.”
Mr. Smalley (and everyone else) should listen to The Civic Commons radio program this weekend that features three of Ohio’s girl politicians. Sigh.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:50 am May 4th, 2011 in democracy, Gender, Government, leadership, Ohio, Politics, Sexism, Women | Please comment
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May
3
UPDATE: Ohio Alliance for Charter Schools Chief: “There’s no accountability”
Filed Under Courage, Crime, democracy, Education, Government, John Kasich, Josh Mandel, leadership, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Transparency, treasurer, Youth | Leave a Comment
UPDATE: Via Plunderbund, here’s an excellent Ohio.com editorial from today that chastises the Ohio House Republicans’ latest shenanigans with charters and demands that someone in elected office step up and stop it.
Original post:
And he’s not saying this in a good way, at all. And he is not fringe and he is not alone.
Read the entire article in the Dispatch today, “GOP bill reduces charter schools’ accountability.”
And then be sure to refresh your memory of how White Hat Management, the most notorious for-profit charter school operator in Ohio, received $17 million of your money for ghost students.
Oh, and before you go on, recall the editorial from the Cincy Enquirer in 2009 about how money and charters don’t mix.
On what planet in what universe do some of these people elected by Ohioans, charged with spending Ohioans’ tax dollars, LIVE ON? (And Josh Mandel – you support charters, who clearly support you – what do you have to say to this evisceration of accountability with our money, given that you are the Ohio Treasurer? Fascinating note – the news article that reported on Mandel’s appearance at Ashland Univ. where he reportedly mentions support for school choice, charters and the elimination of the estate tax is now available only in its cached form.)
This quote from the lobbyist for White Hat and its chief, David Brennan, is textbook rhetoric, obfuscation and scamming:
[Tom] Needles said the charter-school concept is to allow greater flexibility and fewer restrictions so schools can be innovative and improve student learning.
Letting the Ohio Department of Education grant permission for charter schools to open and eliminating sponsors will direct more money into the classroom and remove another layer of bureaucracy, he said.
Let’s get something straight: The layer that needs to be removed is the FOR-PROFIT layer that sends my money into David Brennan’s profit coffer that then ends up back in the millions of dollars he gives to the very elected officials who are championing his garbage legislative proposals to help him earn more profit, not direct money to classrooms. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:37 am May 3rd, 2011 in Courage, Crime, democracy, Education, Government, John Kasich, Josh Mandel, leadership, Ohio, Politics, Republicans, Transparency, treasurer, Youth | Please comment
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May
3
5/2 Gifted Education Advocacy Update
Filed Under Education, Government, Statehouse, Transparency, Youth | Leave a Comment
From Ann Sheldon of the Ohio Association of Gifted Children, an absolutely relentless champion for Ohio and Ohio’s students. I’ve printed out the list of Senate Finance Committee people and contact information. Please do the same and look at your schedules for time to provide testimony in writing and/or person:
Advocacy Update – 5.2.11 And Now We Wait (and Prepare for Senate Finance) — Thank you to everyone who testified, emailed and phoned House Finance Committee members over the past week. You may stop calling now! Amendments to the budget have been submitted. House leadership will likely meet to decide what is in and what is out. Tomorrow they will meet at 4:00 PM to accept an omnibus amendment, which is a very long amendment filled with a variety of smaller amendments that have been accepted by House leadership. There may be a few additional amendments offered by Republicans, and then the Democrats will begin to offer their amendments, all of which will likely be “put upon the table.” This is a procedure which avoids a negative vote on the amendment, but essentially sets the amendment aside without consideration. While I know there are a few amendments that have been submitted to help us, I do not know if they will be accepted or not. I will let you all know when I know. Read more
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:32 am May 3rd, 2011 in Education, Government, Statehouse, Transparency, Youth | Please comment
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May
2
Tell Them NO NOW: Ohio’s Republican-Led Legislature Set to GUT, Eliminate Nearly All Gifted Education Funding
Filed Under democracy, Education, leadership, Politics, Statehouse, Youth | Leave a Comment
And not just funding, but, literally, any trace of literal or figurative support for there to even be gifted education in Ohio. The current version of legislation being considered by the Ohio House will almost completely eviscerate any and all acknowledgment that students with such educational needs even exist: it guts the requirement that our state even identify children as having this category of educational need – and potential.
Potential.
Who would propose, support and vote for people who would gut even the requirement to asses kids’ specific learning needs, at all – regardless of what end of the learning spectrum they are on?
Please. Read this advocacy alert and save our students and state. Barely 10 years ago, when Bob Taft was in office, this state showed great vision and understanding of the role these students play in Ohio’s future – and the role Ohio should play in these students future.
If Governor Kasich, House Speaker William Batchelder and Senate President Tom Niehaus, and other Republican recipients of for-profit charter school money (a movement which potentially may be receiving these literally tens of millions of dollars being completely pulled from gifted education) get their way, these students’ future will be erased as ever having been a priority – high, low, or anywhere in between.
Find and contact your legislators now.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:06 pm May 2nd, 2011 in democracy, Education, leadership, Politics, Statehouse, Youth | Please comment
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