Please Join Me for a Women’s Forum in Your Area
by Jennifer on 11.23.2009
When 39 Democratic members of Congress joined with Republicans to pass the anti-choice Stupak-Pitts amendment to the House version of health care reform on November 7th, a firestorm of outrage swept across the country. The Stupak-Pitts amendment was an attempt to do through legislation what anti-choice forces have failed to do through the courts. Using the urgency of the need for reform of our nation's health care system, they tied passage of a bill to a legislated and unconstitutional assault on a woman's right to privacy and to make choices about her body and her health.
This was an egregious mistake.
The amendment forbade insurance companies in the newly created pool from receiving payments from federal subsidies if the companies offered insurance for abortion--to anyone, even if women paid separately for the coverage. That's when many women--and many men--said enough is enough.
The Stupak-Pitts amendment reflects a fundamental disconnect between the policies of our nation and the real status of women in our society. Women represent not only a slight majority of our population (51.5%) but a majority of voters (53% in the 2008 general election). As revealed in a study conducted by the Center for American Progress, "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Changes Everything," women are now more than half of all U.S. workers. Mothers are the primary breadwinners or co-breadwinners in nearly 2/3 of American families. Almost 40% of working wives are making as much or more than their husbands.
Yet, government policy remains stuck in an idealized past, where the typical family was a married-for-life couple with a full-time breadwinner and full-time homemaker who cared for the children and kept the house without pay. Most employers fail to acknowledge or accommodate the daily juggling act their employees perform. Many employers are oblivious to the fact that their employees are now more likely to be women. Many employers ignore the fact that men now share in domestic duties. And, as revealed by the Stupak-Pitts amendment, women's fundamental health care concerns are too readily devalued and used as pawns in a political process that affects real people.
Women still make up only 10% of corporate boards and 17% of the U.S. Senate. As distinguished scholar Linda Tarr-Whelan has documented, a critical mass of women in leadership roles is necessary before we achieve the kind of balanced leadership that reflects the shared experiences and values of men and women in the decision-making process. Only with increased numbers of women in elected office can we expect to see addressed women and family-centered concerns such as childcare, paid sick leave and family leave.
In response to the Shriver Report and concerns about women's health care, I have commenced a series of Women's Forum Panel Discussions throughout Ohio to hear from women and men about their views and experiences with issues specific to women's health care, flexibility in the workplace, child care and elder care.
It's real, and it's happening to real people. It's time our government policies reflect this.
The Women's Forums will address problems facing women and men and their families today, including what changes are needed to U.S. policies to address them.
Please join a panel of local women and me to discuss what is happening and how changes in government policy can make a difference for our working families. Women's Forums will be held on December 1st at 7:30 pm in Marietta, December 3rd at 7:30 pm in Lancaster, December 8th at 7:00 pm in Toledo, December 9th at 7:00 pm in Dayton, December 7th at 7:30 pm in Cleveland, December 14th at 7:30 p.m. in Cincinnati, December 15th at 7:30 p.m. in Steubenville, and December 17th at 7:30 pm in Columbus. Please click here to visit our campaign website and register to attend the Women's Forum that is most convenient for you.
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you and learning how you think a change in national policy can best improve your and your family's lives in these critical areas. Our nation depends on each one of us, and I hope you'll be a part of the Ohio discussion.
With warm regards,
Jennifer Brunner
Ohio Secretary of State and
Candidate for U.S. Senate
P.S. Male breadwinners traditionally have not also borne the primary responsibility for child care and elder care. What changes are necessary to accommodate the reality of shared responsibilities for such care?
Health care, up to this point, has been provided primarily through employment. Often, it is a key issue in a family's decision about who works outside the home and how to meet responsibilities caring for children and aging parents. As the health care reform debate continues, more employment issues emerge about hours, pay, benefits, and leave time. What changes are needed so that employees can continue to be productive while also tending to their family care-giving responsibilities?
Please sign up to attend a Women's Forum to discuss how we can make a difference, influence Washington to develop comprehensive policies, and speak with a clearer voice on these and other issues of concern to our working families.