Recession Takes a Toll on America's Women

Wed Apr 23, 04:07 PM

Every American has been hit by the current economic recession in one way or another—home foreclosures, lost jobs, and rising costs of food, gas, and health care. But now it’s becoming clear that the recession is affecting one group particularly hard—women.

Last week the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee released a report [PDF] that found America’s women are facing a perfect storm of economic risk. It found:

In contrast to previous recessions, in which women have typically fared somewhat better than men, this recession is hitting women harder than men. They are suffering more job losses and larger reductions in wages than the general population.

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–Erie Meyer | Permalink

Senator Kennedy speaks at an Oakland, CA rally for Barack Obama

Wed Feb 6, 03:56 PM

See two video clips of Senator Kennedy’s speech at a rally for Barack Obama in Oakland, CA here.

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–Erie Meyer | Permalink

Barack Obama

Mon Jan 28, 11:09 AM

Barack Obama inspires me.

That’s why I’m about to take the stage with him here in Washington and endorse his campaign to become the next president of the United States.

It’s that simple. Through Barack, I believe we will move beyond the politics of fear and personal destruction and unite our country with the politics of common purpose.

All Democrats in this race have strong ideas to address the challenges before our country. But Barack is the candidate who can inspire Americans to act and bring us together to achieve those goals—an economy that works for everyone, health care for all, and at long last ending the war in Iraq and bringing our troops home.

Join me and become part of the Obama campaign today:

http://www.democraticmajority.com/obama

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–Erie Meyer | Permalink

Giving needy young children a real head start

Mon Nov 19, 04:05 PM

When you ask parents what they want to accomplish in life, their answers always include opening doors of opportunity for their children, so they can grow up healthy and safe, graduate from high school and college, and achieve the American dream.

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–Erie Meyer | Permalink

The Surpreme Court's wrong turn -- and how to fix it.

Mon Nov 19, 11:04 AM

From The American Prospect:

Last May, the Supreme Court faced a textbook case of pay discrimination. Lilly Ledbetter was one of a few women supervisors working at a Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company plant in Gadsden, Alabama, and she remained at the plant despite her bosses’ bias against women. One even told her that “the plant did not need women,” that women “caused problems.” For almost two decades, the company systematically downgraded her performance evaluations to pay her less than male colleagues who performed the same duties. Her pay eventually fell 15 percent to 40 percent behind her male counterparts.

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–Erie Meyer | Permalink

STAND AGAINST TORTURE

Tue Nov 13, 09:36 AM

The following email was sent by Senator Kennedy:

Dear Friend,

Waterboarding and every other form of torture is wrong. Now we have a chance to make this crystal clear in U.S. law.

President Bush’s nominee for Attorney General, Michael Mukasey, claims current law is not specific enough for him to stand up and stop President Bush’s misguided policy. He won’t have any more excuses after this legislation passes.

Here’s what’s happening. I’ve introduced the Torture Prevention and Effective Interrogation Act to make one basic reform: apply the Army Field Manual—which prohibits brutal techniques like waterboarding—to all U.S. government interrogators, not just those in the Department of Defense. With this simple measure, we will clarify the law this Administration has so shamefully distorted.

Stand with me against torture:

http://www.democraticmajority.com/torture

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–Erie Meyer | Permalink

I oppose Michael Mukasey

Fri Nov 2, 10:42 AM

A blog post from Senator Kennedy

Waterboarding is torture. Torture is unacceptable. Period.

If Michael Mukasey won’t stand up to President Bush and tell him that, then he doesn’t deserve to be Attorney General.

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–Erie Meyer | Permalink

STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON THE NOMINATION OF MICHAEL MUKASEY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

Wed Oct 17, 10:43 AM

Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin hearings on the nomination of Michael Mukasey to be the Attorney General of the United States. The nomination comes at a critical time. The next Attorney General will make decisions on issues of vital importance to all Americans. The nation faces challenges on national security, civil rights and civil liberties, criminal justice, immigration, and many other pressing topics. Unfortunately, the Department has failed to meet these challenges under this Administration. Instead, as the scandal over the firing of U.S. Attorneys has shown, the Department has spent the past few years playing politics with the rule of law, and the nation’s interests have suffered as a result.

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–Jill McCarthy | Permalink