Women can multi-task, which means we can have intelligent, stimulating debate on this site and get lots of other things done at the same time.

So if the ‘Council’ ever has a meeting and anything that matters comes up for a vote, look who will have the most votes.

“While the new council does not have Cabinet rank, the whole Cabinet, from the Secretary of Defense to the US Ambassador to the United Nations, is required to serve on it.” “The members are all Cabinet Secretaries and the heads of numerous federal agencies.” http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=855

So is it now about 75% men in Obama’s cabinet? They will be automatically on the Council and able to outvote anything the women might come up wtth. (Is the gender parity any better among the “heads of numerous federal agencies”? — Of course as he needs in future, Obama could make a new executive order defining just which of those heads are on the Council from one meeting to the next.

Headed by two cronies, peopled by a large percentage of male appointees…. Very safe design….

It’s good news, but all it does is restore a provision for “for low-income women and college students” that was taken out of an appropriations bill in 2007.

What we should be keeping the pressure on, is something for expanding family planning that was labeled ” $200 million for condoms” and taken out of the fall Stimulus bill at Obama’s insistance (over Pelosi’s protests. There’s also a provision to let states iirc get into a Medicare birth control program with less red tape: a large net savings of paperwork expense.

Here’s more on the restoration:

http://www.plannedparenthood.o.....-21021.htm
January 2009
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) introduces the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act, a bipartisan, no-cost solution to the problem of birth control pricing. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) introduces a similar bill in the Senate.

March 2009
A no-cost provision to fix affordable birth control is added to the appropriations bill. Thanks to Planned Parenthood supporters, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) fails in his attempt to try and strip the provision out of the bill. The appropriations bill passes the Senate and is sent to President Obama for his signature.”

Even though Tchen did not “support the woman” in 2008 (in fact she was a major fundraiser for the man), she does seem to have at least a little credit in women’s issues.

During law school, she was state vice president of the National Organization for Women and was one of the leaders in writing and lobbying successfully for the Illinois Criminal Sexual Assault Act, according to the Chicago Lawyer.
swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/12/chicagoan_tina_tchen_going_to.html

Maybe TNA should start with interviewing Tchen.

Exactly, Flora. Let’s see how she reacts and we can learn a lot by just listening. If we can ask questions, even better.
Yes, we need to build alliances with her first; it’s an opportunity to offer our goals and to show her what we EXPECT of her.

kitkat: I understand exactly where you are coming from. I view Jarrett as a means to an end. She has the position, the power, the President’s ear. If we want to get things done and get people to act—she’s got the “name on the letterhead,” but WE need to write what goes into the letter. So let’s make the best use of this opportunity and not waste it. If you are correct in your assessment, I would like to find out sooner than later if Jarrett does not turn out to be a women’s advocate or the position is just windowdressing—I don’t want to wait another FOUR years.

I agree with two out of three. But … build alliances with whom? With Jarrett? The interview should offer her pillows?

I’ve been puzzling over why it was “no way no how” to Kim Gandy for a post in the new administration — but TNA seems to be rolling over for Jarrett.

I’m not defending Gandy. She didn’t ‘support the woman’ presidential candidate in 2008. But Gandy at least had many years in the women’s movement, had supported many womens issues — and Jarrett has no such credits.

That’s a great idea! We’ll learn something just from how Jarrett reacts to the invitation: whether she responds at all, agrees, makes conditions….

Let’s have an entry about what questions she should be asked. Here’s a start:

1. When if ever will the Family Planning money (which Obama had removed from the Stimulus) be put up for passage?