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Greetings!
With the presidential election a little over a month away it is important that we share the dynamics of the impact of public policy, politics and the economy on the whole family. Here is what you will find in this issue:
Best wishes,
The National Association of Mothers' Centers (NAMC) provides programs that empower mothers, fathers and caregivers to find solutions that work for their families, their work lives and their personal lives.
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The Crossroads
Where, you may ask, do motherhood and public policy intersect? Great question!
Thanks to those ace researchers at the Center for American Progress, the answer is just a click away. A quick glance at these 5 fact sheets points out how the activity in our homes is directly impacted by the laws on our books - or in many cases, the laws NOT on our books. You can get the skinny on paid sick days, family medical leave, workplace flexibility, the wage gap, and child care policy. Here are some extracts:
- Legislation that would help narrow the wage gap has been stymied by Congress.
- Only about half (55.9 percent) of workers can alter their schedule or the location where they do their work should they need to.
- Women are less likely than men to have paid sick days.
- The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 was an important accomplishment providing unpaid, job-protected leave to recover from a serious illness, care for a new child, or care for a seriously ill spouse, parent, or child, yet only half of all workers in the United States are covered and eligible.
- More than two-thirds of Americans agree that the government or businesses should be doing more to help fund child care for working parents.
Read the fact sheets, and think about the practical moves we could make in a society that really values families.
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 Why Have Kids?
The answer to that question launches a discussion about our expectations, motherhood myths, how we see ourselves and how others see us. Author, mother, blogger, and activist Jessica Valenti of Feministing.com has a good chin wag on this hour long broadcast from WAMU.
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Winning Women's Votes
More women-themed radio, this one about women's votes in the Presidential campaign. Can we control the outcome of the election? Do we value the same things, and vote the same way? When we say it's all about the economy, do women understand that to include access to contraception and reproductive health? Listen in while you surf the web.....
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Presidential Politics
How did President Obama's last four years compares with what he told us he would do during his first Presidential campaign?
There were some hits, some misses, and lots of incompletes. The American Association of University Women have kept score in a number of categories, such as education, school bullying, women's health, work-life balance, civil rights, economic opportunity, among others. Give it a look here as you get ready to head to the polls next month.
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The idea that men have reached the peak of their power and are headed down has been floating around for awhile now. Some writers, like Maureen Dowd (Are Men Necessary?) and Liza Mundy (The Richer Sex) talk about a power flip putting women on the ascendant. They see us on the brink of a different era, when women's higher education and unique traits render them better positioned to lead the new economy. Hanna Rosin promotes a similar theory in The End of Men, but I remain unconvinced. After women have children - and most of us do - the gains we've recently secured evaporate. Current power structures, access to wealth, and the gendered nature of care will keep women in a secondary position for quite some time. Consider Heather Boushey's review of the Rosin book, The Fat Lady Ain't Sung Yet, and see what you think.
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