{On The Issues Magazine}
Healthcare Compromise: Low-Income Women Get Bumped
According to the Guttmacher Institute “nearly half of all pregnancies to American women are unintended and four in 10 of these end in abortion.” Guttmacher also reports that unintended pregnancies have increased by 29 percent among poor women while decreasing 20 percent among higher-income women.
When you review these basic statistics it becomes increasingly clear that the provisions in both the House bill and Senate bill would hurt low-income women, who are primarily non-white. The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research notes, “Latina and Native American women are the most likely to have limited family incomes while 41 percent of African American women, 28 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander women and 29 percent of multiple-race women have low incomes. In comparison, 16 percent of white women are in low-income families.”
{Women’s Media Center}
Will Fundamental Rights or Fundamentalism Prevail in the Health Care Battle?
Boxer outlined in an email on Sunday how the current bill will extend health insurance coverage to 31 million more Americans, prohibit insurance company discrimination based on gender or pre-existing condition, end upward increases in insurance premiums, increase funds for community health centers—which would enhance primary care for more than 25 million people who have traditionally been uninsured or underinsured—require insurance companies to spend at least 85 percent of their income on patient care, and, according to the Congressional Budget Office, cut the federal deficit by $132 billion.
But Boxer failed to mention the potential loss of abortion rights when she sent these facts out to her constituents asking for donations to reward her efforts with the Manager’s Amendment.
Currently, 17 states opt in to paying for abortion through Medicaid, indicating they will leave such coverage intact with the offerings through the exchange. It is unclear how the remaining 33 states will react, which makes it possible for abortion rights to be completely stripped from the hands of low income women by the predominantly male-led state legislatures.
While one of the national non-profit plans in the exchange should cover abortion, that choice is not left with women individually, but given to the state. If a state opts out of abortion coverage in the exchange, this would leave Planned Parenthood clinics as the only viable option for those seeking access to abortion without a private insurance plan.
For the second time in the health care reform process, reproductive rights are being traded in for “greater good” of health care reform. How did this all happen?
{Women’s Rights Blog at Change.org}
Between August 2008 and December 2009, Nedeau was the editor for the Women’s Rights Blog at Change.org. She wrote daily blog posts on the state of the feminist movement as it related to politics, technology and social norms. She also had many prominent interviews with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Gloria Feldt, Sheryl Wudunn, Ann Cashion and Anna Post, among others.
{Smart Blog on Social Media}
Can social media save the radio star?
Over at Air America Media, we’ve been looking for ways to expand our reach. That starts with investing in on-air talent such as Rachel Maddow, Ron Reagan Jr. and Ana Marie Cox. It also means hiring a team of digital media editors to produce content. And it means investing in the Web as a platform. Air America recently re-launched its Web site, which offers six news channels of content and commentary, and a new design that attracts readers, while integrating our audio, video and text content.
Finally, Air America is integrating itself within the world of social media primarily through Twitter and Facebook, as well as driving content through social news sites. Air America is working to see if social media can save the radio star.
{Oxfam International}
Control Arms at the UN: What’s happening?
Throughout discussions at the United Nations (UN) on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) ConflictVoice has been shining a light into the murky world of diplomatic discussions.
Oxfam and others have gathered together a group of independent bloggers to meet with diplomats and help engage the wider world with what goes on at the UN. Highlights were posted on www.conflictvoice.org.
{Women In Media & News}
Why Women in Media Matter to the Future of Progressive Leadership
Women in media are crucial to the future of progressive leadership because they can often best represent the issues that matter most to progressives. Women own a large stake in issues of equality, civil rights, a stable economy, a clean environment, accessible health care and education, among other progressive topics. More women need to be seen on television, read in newspapers, heard on the radio and seen in new media forums in order to make a positive impact in the progressive movement. However, just as consciousness raising and media appearances matter – it is also incredibly important to stop and take a moment to thank those who ensure that the infrastructure exists to make this progress possible. Pozner founded WIMN to strengthen that infrastructure and transform the media landscape for women. For eight years, Women In Media & News has worked to increase diverse women’s presence and power in the public debate.
{The New York Times}
Fighting the Non-Identity of Generation “Why”
In Rick Perlstein’s essay, “What’s the Matter with College?” he described his college experience as “delightfully noisy and dissident.” In many ways he had the experience I had hoped to achieve. Perlstein’s essay suggests that college today is just another false product on the market over priced and poorly made. It suggests that Generation Y has been schemed and swindled into getting a [goddamn] bachelor’s degree. And that today’s college students need a refund and a reason why the so-called “college” experience has disappeared. As if in a eulogy speech to baby boomers everywhere, I could almost hear him say with a sigh, “All you young people have left is a melancholy gathering of blackboards, classrooms and chairs.”
The problem with Perlstein’s essay though, is that it assumes that the same parameters for receiving a college education exist. It is 2007, not 1967. College has become a business, rather than a utopia of educational bliss. There are more people than ever before going to college. Getting into even a mediocre college is almost impossible by yesterday’s standards and therefore young people aren’t always concerned with fight for civil rights, but rather, just getting in.
{Washingtonpost.com}
Socialist Sanders Poised to Win a Senate Seat
As Republicans attempt to motivate their base with dire predictions of a Congress run by uber-liberals like Nancy Pelosi, they seem at peace with the fact that a Vermont socialist is poised to take a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Vermont Rep. Bernard Sanders, according to most polls, is far ahead in his bid to win the seat being vacated by Sen. Jim Jeffords, the former Republican who went “independent” in 2001 after switching his support to the Democrats.
{CARE2 FrogLoop}
How to Avoid the Elephant Stampede (And Other Crisis Communications Tips)
You can’t wait until you see a herd of elephants charging at you before you decide how to react. By keeping your ear to the ground and listening carefully to the movements in your environment, you’ll be in control when the stampede hits and you won’t get run over. Essentially, this means not only checking your Google Alerts, but also knowing the influencers in your community. These influencers will be the first ones to react positively or negatively to information and share that information with their networks. RSS feeds are your friends. Make sure you are hooked up to an RSS reader such as Google Reader or Netvibes to monitor everything from Twitter to Blogs to what stories hit the front page of Digg. Even something small could lead to something big if you know the networks of the people in your ecosystem.
{Grand Central Political Magazine}
Could A Little “Sex” Help Female Political Candidates?
While drawing a connection between Hollywood and politics may seem far-fetched, the two have often been intertwined. For example, Playboy heir, Christie Hefner has held an instrumental role in the founding of EMILY’s List, The Chicago Network, and The Committee of 200. In the 2004 election, Rahm Emmanuel’s Red to Blue Program created a bi-coastal revolving door of money and influence via his brother’s contact list, the Hollywood agent, Ari Emmanuel. (Both Emmanuel brothers also have television counterparts – Rahm as Josh Lyman character on “The West Wing” and Ari as Ari Gold, in HBO’s “Entourage”). Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush embraced the idea of an “entertainer-in-chief” with Bill’s saxophone serenade on Arsenio Hall and Bush as John Wayne’s doppelganger.
The next female who wants to be commander-in-chief could try to embrace her gender as a plus, rather than a minus. Simple things such as an upside down stiletto could easily take the place of the “V” in “Vote for Me” as a start. Instead of stuffy suits, add some fashion to the political stage and allow a popular female designer to dress the candidate for a day. Work with Mommy Bloggers, admirable female celebrities, female sports stars, and sorority girls to create the solid base of female support to carry the campaign. Most importantly, meet women in their element. Organize the female electorate such as Mobilize.org did with a voter registration drive at the Sex and the City Movie Premieres. Or host a Cocktail Caucus at CHANEL similar to what Polichicks Online has done.
{Workplace Fairness Blog}
Workplace Fairness: Hot or Not?
It is the oldest adage in advertising: sex sells. But when does selling products with sex go too far?
In late August, LUSH Cosmetics led a protest against environmentally damaging product packaging by encouraging shoppers to go “naked” by purchasing products free of packaging. While this is a cute concept for a company whose products traditionally lack the common saran wrap sequence seen with other bath and beauty wares” the company also asked their employees to get naked to promote the cause.
While LUSH makes a compelling case against excess packaging” it contributes to two percent of overall greenhouse gases, plastic uses eight percent of the world’s oil resources, the U.S. consumes 79.6 million tons of packaging each year (over half of which still ends up in landfills)” the company crossed the line when it asked workers to educate others by eliminating their clothing.
The campaign may have made headlines, but did it really advance LUSH’s bottom line?
{Stateline.org}
National Guard Sacrifices Hit Home
All but one state – Delaware – has lost National Guard troops in the U.S. war on terror. Pennsylvania has suffered the highest number of losses – 31 of a total 480 Guard deaths since Sept. 11, 2001, while North Dakota’s 13 deaths are the highest per capita in the country.
In an unprecedented show of support for the troops, state legislatures throughout the country are recognizing their service with a variety of benefits.
No smoking. No drinking. No talking on cell phones while driving. Now, the latest no-no in state laws aimed at underage teens is indoor tanning.
Spurred by worries about skin cancer, Utah and Virginia this year joined 25 other states in placing limits on teens seeking a bronze glow from the ultraviolet lights of a tanning bed. North Dakota’s Legislature is putting the final touches on a measure to also clamp restrictions on tanning salon patrons under age 18.
Most of the laws require underage teens to get mom’s or dad’s permission to lie under the tanning-bed heat lamps that emit intense UV light. A handful of states completely ban access to artificial UV light in salons for those younger than 13, 14 or 16. Others require teens to bring along a parent or a doctor’s prescription.