President Obama Signs Order Creating Women's Council

[lame54]

Run time: 07:14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxA4FdyUll8   Posted on YouTube: March 11, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: March 12, 2009 By DU Member: lame54 Views on DU: 433

 
In his latest gesture on women's issues, President Obama signed an executive order this afternoon creating a White House Council on Women and Girls.

“The purpose of this council is to ensure that American women and girls are treated fairly in all matters of public policy,” Obama said in a statement. “My administration has already made important progress toward that goal. I am proud that the first bill I signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. But I want to be clear that issues like equal pay, family leave, child care and others are not just women’s issues, they are family issues and economic issues. Our progress in these areas is an important measure of whether we are truly fulfilling the promise of our democracy for all our people. I am confident that Valerie Jarrett and Tina Tchen will guide the Council wisely as its members address these important issues.”

The council, the White House says, "will provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families."

It will be led by close Obama adviser and friend Valerie Jarrett.

"I sign this order not just as president, but also as a son, a grandson, a husband and a father, because growing up, I saw my mother put herself through school to follow her passion for helping others," Obama said. "But I also saw how she struggled to raise me and my sister on her own, worrying about how she would pay the bills, educate herself and provide for us."

He said he signed the order (read it here) to honor all the women who came before him, such as his grandmother who was a bank vice president but was denied promotions because of her gender. He and said the fight for gender equality is far from over, citing pay disparities, domestic violence, and the relatively few women in Congress and in the executive offices of major companies.

"I think we need to take a hard look at where we're falling short, and who we're leaving out, and what that means for the prosperity and the vitality of our nation," said Obama, who as part of International Women's History Month also last week with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton jointly announced a new post of ambassador at large for women's issues around the world.

[cooolandrew]

1. Women suffer more under conservative governments sure some do fine but stats say women>

are safer and better off under the Democratic party. Basically we're generally all better off but there are many women specific issues that are pushed aside under the conservative's government irresponsiblity.

[monmouth]

2. I'm sure it can't be done but the idea of 3-4 men, sitting on a panel

discussing women's issues i.e. abortion, child birth, women's pay, etc. needs to stop. If that's going to be the discussion then dammit I want women to do the talking and discussing, not men.....

[burning rain]

3. The more I see of Michelle Bernard, the less fond I am of her.

Of course, Independent Women's Forum is a known conservative outfit, and she's upfront about being a free-marketeer, but it's irritating how she tries to come off as reasonable and modern and humane while seeming to tout a line that free market fundamentalism is swell as long as it screws men and women equally. It's also getting a bit old how she constantly feels the need to state that she's a black woman, as though sex and ethnicity by themselves give one credibility, or that people wouldn't otherwise notice.