Obama’s Economic Team Lacking Something? WOMEN!!!
November 7, 2008
by Amy Siskind
|President-Elect Obama will hold his first meeting today at 2:30 p.m. EST with his economic team.
Although women represent 51% of the population, only 23% of the attendees will be female. We might add that not a single woman appears to be under consideration for Treasury Secretary. This country is thankfully full of talented and capable women who should be considered, so we must ask “Where’s the Parity?”
Here is the list of attendees for the meeting:
Joe Biden, David Bonior, Warren Buffett, Roel Campos, William Donaldson, Roger Ferguson, Jennifer Granholm, Anne Mulcahy, Richard Parsons, Penny Prizker, Robert Reich, Robert Rubin, Eric Schmidt, Lawrence Summers, Laura Tyson, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Paul Volcker.
As relates to our story yesterday on Larry Summers for Treasury Secretary, please send your thoughts to Valerie Jarrett, who is part of Obama’s Transition Team at vjarrett@barackobama.com. While you’re at it, tell Valerie that we want parity in cabinet selections!
A friend alerted me to a petition, We Need Real Change, detailing the many reasons Obama should not give Larry Summers that post.
I want to admire your approach, but find it slightly lacking in reality. He didn’t listen to you then, when he wanted your votes. Why would he listen to you now?
Damn.The women don’t like Larry. When he shows up, just tell him I’m out of the office will you sweetie?
I suppose there will much raging silence on this coming from the NOW camps, though there was some token response to this at Huffington, of all places wouldn’t you know. I imagine too by now there is speculation and maybe even a bit of wagering in certain quarters as to how long before NA runs out of steam. The question nobody at Obama’s meeting is willing to ask: how long until it is safe to raise taxes? No, not yet time to wave the big T word in front of the adoring Public. The automotive sector is starting to feel the pinch too by the way – DANA Corp. is going to lay off 5,000 quite soon, 1/7th of their workforce but this of course impacts other segments of the industry.
Gbl, the Obama cadre didn’t expect as many irate women as there are but they were given a green light when the sexist trashing of Hillary and the voting thuggery went unquestioned and unchallenged within their ranks. They had the green light of favorable poll numbers too but ex post facto, the numbers (62%) show voters angry at a Republican Administration and a bad economy. It is a critical stretch to assume full faith is being extended to Obama and the irate voices of women will be heard, make no mistake about that. Read the Post “Our Work Togehter is Getting Results” and it shows some clout made manifest and the New Agenda is just starting out. I don’t know what other tactics and strategies could give the NA more grounding in reality but your insights and observations I’m sure would be most welcome.
The majority of democratic women who supported Hillary Clinton chose to go back to the DNP without any demands, except protecting Roe v. Wade. Well women haven’t progress since 1973 by their own choice. They got what they wanted another democratic in office. Demand nothing get nothing in return. All we have is our collected voices, instead of walking away from the table, women stayed waiting for crumbs. Good luck! I voted for Hillary then to McCain/Palin!!! NOW and all the other women’s groups were weak again and again…when your sole goal is only reproductive rights, then we progress no further than 1973.
A tally shows NA tactics and strategy instrumental in bringing considerable heat to bear on the punk that fostered the drilling video with its atrocious sexism and a community college had their feet held to the fire over it, and took appropriate action – the Palin effigy was brought down, the FBI did an investigation and a Mayor’s office responded to this atrocious bit of sexism – Nike Shoes was made to respond and disavow themselves from Terry Tate and his vicious bit of sexism – the WaPo has put the name of NA out in print – Amy Siskind has been on FOX. This all comes from an organization that is quite young and initiated itself with few in numbers. It’s quite remarkable and I am still waiting to hear how NA ’s mission, goals and methodology is in any way even “slightly lacking in reality” (gbl).
I want to suggest we contact NOW and encourage them to contact the Obama camp as well.
LOL, well Zee, I’m not speaking to NOW at the moment. Someone else will have to do it.
I think women in congress, even a few female governors, have to get involved somehow and all together make it known that we expect gender parity. One of the problems is that excuses are always going to be given, there’s a war, the economy is crashing, we have other priorities. When it comes to parity, every shiny thing on the ground becomes a more important priority.
Look at the ERA, what’s it been, 40 yrs? Soon as we get time we’ll ratify it. Meanwhile the Iraqi constitution had to write in 30% parity because every expert will tell you, you cannot have a healthy thriving democracy without women in government. Well that applies to the US, too. Iraq got an equal rights amendment and a law demanding gender parity before the US did.
As I expected, Obama’s cabinet is shaping up to be nothing more than the all too familiar old boys’ network. Too bad he doesn’t have the chutzpah to make bold choices like:
Sec. of State — Sen. Hillary Clinton
Sec. of Energy — Sen. Mary Landru
Sec. of Interior — Gov. Janet Napiliano
Attorney General — Geraldine Ferraro
Homeland Security — Gov. Arnold Swartzenager
“LOL, well Zee, I’m not speaking to NOW at the moment.”
Well, yttik, apparently they read here because they just put out a call for their members to contact Obama and encourage him to appoint more than a token number of women! heh.
Oh, ms mississippi! Ah-nold is not on Obama’s good list after he mentioned the One’s scrawny legs and suggested squats. Yeah, it was a cheap shot, but it was also good advice, since apparently body builders best build from the bottom up.
In calling names to play the game, women, of course are SURPRISED under represented, way under!!
Tell me if I missed one.
52 : 9? What is wrong with this picture???
Robert
Richard D
Chuck
Jack
Timothy
Paul
Lawrence
Bill
John
Richard L
Chuck again
Richard Ho
Eric
Janet *
Artur
Deval
Philip
Kathleen M *
Lisa*
Mary*
Kathleen S *
Tom
Howard
Kathleen S
Jane*
James
Earl
Mortimer
John K
Tony
Ken
James Lee
Bill
Tom K
Jane H *
James B
Susan *
Colin P
Jim H
Arne
Tom V
Tom B
Charles S
John S
Gene
Jason
Jim
Valerie *
James C
George M
David B
Andy
I just wrote a definitive post on Larry Summers, with a link to his original transcript. The mainstream media coverage is a whitewash and that it was not just a women’s group that was upset- the entire scientific community was outraged.
http://tinyurl.com/6627vf
UFem, good job!
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