Kathleen Sebelius: HHS Secretary (NOT Bredesen - Thank the Goddess!)

Kathleen Sebelius will be the Secretary of Health and Human Services according to White House sources. Obama will make the announcement on Monday.

This is a win-win. We get a highly qualified WOMAN, and Phil Bredesen doesn't get to do harm to the nation like he did to Tennessee.

Raw Story reports:

Since Daschle withdrew his nomination, Sebelius – a former Kansas health commissioner who is currently the Democratic governor of a largely Republican state – had been a top contender for the position. But while Daschle was to also head a new White House Office of Health Reform, Sebelius will only become secretary if her nomination is approved by Congress, the administration official said. Someone else will oversee the White House's effort to reform health care, which Obama focused on during his ambitious address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday.

[Governor Sebelius] is the first daughter of a governor in U.S. history to be elected to the same position her [father] held.

Gender Politics News Obama Tennessee HHS Phil Bredesen TennCare Cuts

Whose Privacy Matters? Rihanna vs. Chris Brown (Video)

Smita Satiani examines the different levels of privacy or respect accorded to Rihanna and accorded to Chris Brown and then provides a sober assessment of our male-dominated culture's rationalization of terrorism or violence against women. They say, 'we've come a long way baby,' yet the culture continues to operate on the assumption that boys will be boys and violence against women is not terrorism, it's not a hate crime, it's just something we have to live with. Besides, she was probably asking for it. The video clip of Rihanna under the microscope serves as Exhibit A. I recommend reading the entire post. Here's an excerpt:

Holed up in an 8th floor suite of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Chris Brown managed to stay reasonably clear from the majority of press and public following his alleged attack on girlfriend Rihanna. Not until days later did he release a statement of apology, and according to the LAPD, we will likely never see his mug-shot . While it is fair to say Brown’s image has been criticized, his privacy, in many instances, has been preserved.



We cannot say the same for Rihanna. Going where no major news outlet had yet gone, The LA Times revealed Rihanna’s identity as the victim, calling it “fair game.” Immediately, many charged Rihanna to report and prosecute, claiming she had to do it for the “restoration of her own self-esteem.” A week later, a bloodied and beaten picture of her was leaked on TMZ with the appearance of an official investigation photo, probing a LAPD internal investigation . And when I didn’t think it could possibly get any worse, yesterday, the NY Daily News ran a story entitled “Chris Brown learns anger management; could Rihanna use it too?,” inferring that Brown’s violent attack might simply have been a reaction to Rihanna’s temper.

TGW: Battered Rihanna Photo: Hate Crime Evidence

Terrorism Misogyny Chris Brown Feminist Politics Gender News Violence Against Women Hate Crime

Macho Deputy Assaults Teen Girl (Video)

In the video clip below, Deputy Paul Schene assaults a 15 year old girl. The deputy is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 195 pounds. Deputy Schene has the assistance of another cop because, as everyone knows, it takes two big strong men to overpower one little 15 year old girl. Paul Schene's problem was that when the girl kicked off her shoes, one of them struck his delicate ego-inflated leg. That's on the tape too. Gawd I hope macho Deputy Paul Schene is impotent.


Feminist Politics Gender Police Brutality Washington News

The Washington Post Hates Women

Searching for Eleanor Roosevelt . . .

Ten Op-eds in two days and every blessed last one of them authored by a man. And we're not talking about some hick newspaper in some backward southern town. Yesterday, Media Matters' Jamison Foser complained that out of ten Washington Post Op-eds, only "One is by a liberal":

Yesterday's Washington Post featured op-eds by Henry Kissinger, David Broder, Bill Kristol, David Ignatius, and George Will. Today's brings op-eds from George Will, Michael Gerson, Charles Krauthammer, Michael Kinsley, and Eugene Robinson.

One might think that at some post-adolescent point, the extremely male-dominated nature of the national discourse would become painfully embarrassing to the perpetrators. One would be wrong. And I base that conclusion on my many years of watching absolutely nothing change.

Whether the national debate is the 1990s discussion about all those lazy women on welfare or President Obama's stimulus package or all the many things wrong with Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sarah Palin, the people talking the loudest, the people dominating the conversation are always and forever men.

Back in the bad old days when women were oppressed, Eleanor Roosevelt's solution to the problem of men dominating the conversation was to talk only to women reporters. Eleanor barred male reporters from her press conferences. Since she talked only to women reporters, newspapers had to, um, hire women. Thanks to Eleanor, the guardians of male supremacy were actually forced to permit women to cover politics instead of fashion and food.

But those were the bad old conservative days. Today we have 3rd wave feminism. Today we are so freaking liberated that no one would dream of emulating Eleanor. Would they?


Photo: Eleanor Roosevelt holds a press conference.

Feminist Politics Gender Male Dominated Media News Women's History Eleanor Roosevelt Women Reporters

Herstory: Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight

Speaking of the forthcoming Women's History Month, I don't know how I missed this delightfully intriguing book since I'm a huge fan of children's books about feminist trailblazers. I'm putting this one on my wish list! Supposedly Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dreams Taking Flight is for ages 5 to 10, but in my house books like this are suitable for in-the-womb to end-of-life.

Kathleen Krull also authored A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull, and Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels and What the Neighbors Thought). And Amy June Bates also illustrated Susan B. Anthony: Fighter for Women's Rights.

Bookish Ruth writes:

As a young girl, Hillary Rodham dreamed of being an astronaut. Although life would ultimately take her down a different path, her dreams served her well later in life. In Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight, author Kathleen Krull and illustrator Amy June Bates share the story of a little girl who followed her dreams and became an inspiration to millions of women of all ages.

Beautiful watercolor art and inspiring quotations accompany Krull's writing. We follow Hillary through her early education all the way to law school, from her time as First Lady of Arkansas to the First Lady of the United States, all the way to her historic run for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Hillary faced many obstacles along the way, but her hard work and determination to succeed are an incredible example to young girls with big dreams.


"Once there was a girl who wanted to fly. She dreamed of zooming in a spaceship up through the clouds into outer space, learning new things about Earth. She wrote to the national space agency to volunteer. But it was 1961, and some paths were still closed to women, such as the job of astronaut."

Feminist Politics Gender Madam Secretary Hillary Clinton News Women's History Feminist Trailblazer Books for Girls

Obama's Budget: A Progressive Agenda

In these hard times, this is some good news and it's enough to give my progressive heart hope:

The budget that President Obama proposed on Thursday is nothing less than an attempt to end a three-decade era of economic policy dominated by the ideas of Ronald Reagan and his supporters.

The Obama budget — a bold, even radical departure from recent history, wrapped in bureaucratic formality and statistical tables — would sharply raise taxes on the rich, beyond where Bill Clinton had raised them. It would reduce taxes for everyone else, to a lower point than they were under either Mr. Clinton or George W. Bush. And it would lay the groundwork for sweeping changes in health care and education, among other areas.

More than anything else, the proposals seek to reverse the rapid increase in economic inequality over the last 30 years. They do so first by rewriting the tax code and, over the longer term, by trying to solve some big causes of the middle-class income slowdown, like high medical costs and slowing educational gains.

More relieved bleeding-heart liberal reviews:

Paul Krugman: Climate of Change: [F]ears that Mr. Obama would sacrifice progressive priorities in his budget plans, and satisfy himself with fiddling around the edges of the tax system, have now been banished.

Robert Reich: Finally a Progressive Budget: President Obama’s new budget is, well, audacious . . . it represents the biggest redistribution of income from the wealthy to the middle class and poor this nation has seen in more than forty years.

MyDD: The Return of Fairness in America: The budget proposals seek to reverse the rapid increase in economic inequality over the last 30 years.

Progressive Agenda Barack Obama Liberal Politics Universal Health Care Inequality News

Herstory: I Wanna Be (President!) (Video)

This one's for Women's History Month. One day every month will be Women's History Month, but only if we work for it. This video - from wherestheline08 - features women leaders from around the world, as well as a few of the many female presidential aspirants in the historically male dominated U.S. -- Victoria Woodhull, Margaret Chase Smith, Shirley Chisholm, Patricia Schroeder, and our own most recent and most awesome feminist trailblazer - Hillary Rodham Clinton. Enjoy.



Please go over to YouTube and vote for this video!

See: Jo Freeman's The Women Who Ran for President

Women's History Feminist Politics Gender Hillary Clinton News Sexist USA Feminist Trailblazers

Kenneth the Page’ From NBC’s ‘30 Rock’ Responds to Comparisons With Bobby Jindal (Video)

Funny!


Jindal Politics News Jimmy Fallon

If Obama Messes With Social Security . . .

Quote of the Day

"The Left, including yours truly, will create an epic 360 degree shitstorm if Obama and the Dems decide that cutting Social Security benefits is a good idea."

-Atrios

It's true. If Obama dares, all differences on the left will be forgotten. Finally, we will get that elusive unity pony.

The New York Times:

In advance of the fiscal responsibility meeting, the president last week shelved a plan to appoint a Social Security task force to recommend ways to ensure the program’s long-term solvency, after protests from Democratic leaders in Congress, especially the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi of California, and from liberal activists who want to head off any reductions of future retirees’ benefits.

Nancy Pelosi Liberal Democrats Barack Obama Politics Social Security News Entitlement Reform

Obama Budget To Create $634 Billion Health-Care Fund

It's not single payer, but Obama's budget will include a $634 billion "reserve fund" for health care reform. Turns out higher taxes on the affluent are going to a very good cause.

Paul Krugman thinks it's promising:

Since the last two posts were very down on the administration, let me say that the initial leaks on health care are encouraging. . . It’s beginning to look as if Obama’s really going to go through with this — and if he gets us to universality, his legacy will be secure.

And this from Ezra Klein is interesting.

In last night's speech, Obama said: "Let there be no doubt, health care reform cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year." via

Progressive Agenda Barack Obama Politics Universal Health Care News

Jane Hamsher Finds a Current Photo of Jim Cooper (DINO-TN) – Here It Is

After Jane Hamsher of firedoglake pointed out that Jim Cooper didn't get invited to Obama's Fiscal Responsibility Summit for good reasons, "Cooper flack John Spragens" defended the Blue Dog over at the Nashville Scene blog.

Spragens expressed the wish "that Jane would use Jim's current photo."

Jane did that. And I thank her for it.

Jim Cooper is my Congressman. He's supposed to represent liberal Nashville but the entitlement reform king votes like he represents the folks over at Michelle Malkin's blog. As the country continues to move to the left, the long cherished dream of dumping Cooper grows a little brighter every day.

"There's no incumbent I'd love to see primaried more than Jim Cooper." -- Kos

Is Blue Dog Jim Cooper a Liar or a Tool? -- Jane Hamsher

Politics Tennessee Democrats Bluedog News Nashville Jim Cooper

Sexist Swine Rush Limbaugh Wonders Why Women Despise Him - Here's Why

Speaking of sexist creeps who pollute the public airwaves with misogyny, there are rules against broadcasting offensive garbage during the hours when children are the possible audience. But it is perfectly acceptable for sexist swine like Rush to use the public airwaves to defame and denigrate women and girls at any and all hours of the day. Women will never attain equality while it is acceptable, and even profitable, to pollute the culture with misogyny!

A new poll finds that 37 percent of women have a favorable opinion of sexist creep Rush Limbaugh. If true, I'm deeply sorry for 37 percent of women. But never mind that, Rush can't understand why so many women despise him and so he claims he is going to hold a "Female Listener Summit" to ascertain why he is viewed as the repulsive sexist creep that he is:

We’ll have a summit of all the women in this audience — or as many of them as we can get into breakout groups — and perhaps devote an hour in an upcoming program to calls only from women who genuinely want to talk to me. They can be liberal, conservative. They could be non-audience members, could be audience members. But I want some of these women to start telling me what it is I must do to close the gender gap — or, if not what it is I must do to close the gender gap, what it is I’ve done that has caused the gender gap; assuming the gender gap is true and that the poll is true. . . I own the men, and what must I do now to own women?

Why do women dislike Rush Limbaugh? Here's your answer Rush, in your own hateful words:

Sexist comments by Rush Limbaugh -- Hillary Rodham Clinton:

"She sounds like a screeching ex-wife. ... Men will know what I mean by this."

"Mrs Clinton Testicle Lockbox is big enough for the entire democratic heirarchy."

"Will this country want to actually watch a woman get older before their eyes on a daily basis?"

"I don't know why the B-I-itch is staying in."

Sexist comments by Rush Limbaugh -- Nancy Pelosi:

"[If Pelosi] wants fewer births, I have the way to do this and it won't require any contraception: You simply put pictures of Nancy Pelosi ... in every cheap motel room. ... That will keep birthrates down because that picture will keep a lot of things down."

Sexist comments by Rush Limbaugh -- Elizabeth Edwards:

"Edwards might be attracted to a woman whose mouth did something other than talk."

More sexist comments by Rush Limbaugh:

"Some of these babes, I'm telling you, like the sexual harassment crowd. They're out there protesting what they actually wish would happen to them sometimes."

"If I were Bob Woodward, I would be on a lookout for Mrs. Clinton and her testicle lockbox."

Amanda Terkel at Think Progress has more sexist comments from Rush -- including this gem:

“She’s actually a very smart cat. She gets loved. She gets adoration. She gets petted. She gets fed. And she doesn’t have to do anything for it, which is why I say this cat’s taught me more about women, than anything in my whole life.”

Women Defamed Misogyny Patriarchy Sexist Media Politics Gender Hillary Clinton News Nancy Pelosi Elizabeth Edwards Public Airwaves

Bobby Jindal Bombs (Video)

This is the Republicans' new rising star?? Bobby Jindal's response to Obama's speech was so bad it was embarrassing. Shorter version: Government was a miserable failure under George W. Bush, so government will always be a miserable failure. And tax cuts are the solution to every freaking problem!

Jindal's delivery was so atrocious that it was difficult to pay attention to his actual points. In a word, right-wing bloggers are calling Jindal's rebuttal -- awful. People are comparing Jindal's performance to 30 Rock's Kenneth. In the words of Fox News' Juan Williams:

It came off as amateurish, and even the tempo in which he spoke was sing-songy. He was telling stories that seemed very simplistic and almost childish.

And Matthew Yglesias:

Bobby Jindal apparently believes it’s appropriate to address the citizens of the United States in a tone that suggests we’re all nine years old.

Watch it and cringe:


Full text of Gov. Bobby Jindal's Republican response

Barack Obama Politics Speech Bobby Jindal Republican News

Obama’s First Address to Congress - Ambitious, Optimistic

Wind turbines and solar panels, health care reform (universal) this year . . . catching up to Germany and Japan in solar energy, catching up to Europe in education, bringing the troops home by 2010. . . and more . . . Obama said:

We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.

It was downright astounding to hear a president so ambitious, so determined to actually solve the problems we have been living with for seemingly forever. In my lifetime, I have never heard a president express such optimistic ambition. For sure there will be much to criticize about the specifics, but it felt good to hear the optimism and the determination to rise to the many challenges.

We have more cynicism in this country than is good for the soul.

Hillary looked great! And so did Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Kate Phillips at The Caucus live-blogged Obama's optimistic and amazingly ambitious speech.
NY Times: Obama Assures Nation: ‘We Will Rebuild’
Full text of Obama's speech to Congress and the nation

Barack Obama Politics Speech News Energy Education Healthcare

Gov. Bredesen (D?-TN) May Reject Stimulus Funds Just Like His GOP Buddies

So Governor Phil Bredesen says he may join with his good old GOP buddy governors and reject stimulus funding that would extend and modernize the state's antiquated unemployment insurance program.

Actually I was kind of waiting for this. I mean when your so-called Democratic Governor slaughters health care rights for hundreds of thousands of sick, poor, elderly and disabled Tennesseans, why the hell would he lift a finger for the unemployed?

Can we please get some actual Democrats from the Democratic wing of the Democratic party in this Republican cursed state?

And over at Politico, Bredesen is still pining for that HHS position. In your freaking dreams, Phil "No Medicine" Bredesen, in your freaking dreams and everybody else's nightmare!

Yglesias: Phil Bredesen Joins Forces With Dixie Wingnuts to Stick it to the Unemployed

Stimulus Obama News Unemployment Healthcare News Politics DINO Tennessee HHS Phil Bredesen TennCare Cuts Universal Health Care

Jim Cooper (D-TN) Snubbed by Obama?

My Congressman, Jim Cooper is the bluedog who was one of eleven Democrats to vote with the Republicans on the Stimulus package. Oddly enough, Jim Cooper is the one who persuaded Obama to hold the Fiscal Responsibility Summit, and Cooper is one who was NOT INVITED to said summit.

Obviously, Cooper was not needed because the Republican viewpoint was adequately represented by the Republicans.

Jane Hamsher has the details:

Here's a weird one. Obama agreed to host a "fiscal responsibility summit" because Jim Cooper was pushing for one in December, and it was a way to get Blue Dog support for the stimulus bill.

But when the list of invitees to the summit was released today, no Jim Cooper.

What happened in the meantime? Well, Cooper threatened House leadership in the WSJ by saying the Blue Dogs could join with either Republicans or Democrats to pass the legislation they wanted. Then he took a swing at Nancy Pelosi and said he was encouraged to do by the White House. He voted against the stimulus the first time around, and Pelosi's group Americans United For Change started running ads against him for doing so in his district.

Politics Tennessee Democrats Bluedog News Nashville Jim Cooper Stimulus

Worst U.S. Senator - Jim Bunning (R-KY) - Predicts Death of SCOTUS Justice

No one liked Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) before the jerk predicted that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg would be dead within nine months!

The fool's pathetic apology did not help.


Justice Ginsburg Returns to the Bench

Kentucky Politics Ruth Bader Ginsburg News

Al Sharpton Wins: Rupert Murdoch Apologizes for Chimp Cartoon

Yesterday Al Sharpton and the NAACP swore to keep on protesting outside the New York Post until Rupert Murdoch's right-wing newspaper feels some serious financial consequences for running the infamous chimp cartoon.

Today Rupert Murdoch apologizes. Read it in the New York Post.

This is how it's done, Kim.

Protesters Burn Copies of New York Post

Cityroom: Murdoch Apologizes for Chimp Cartoon
Gawker: Rupert Murdoch: I'm Sorry My Paper Is So Racist
New York Post needs a history lesson on racism

Race Protest Politics Chimp Cartoon Stimulus Obama News Progressive Politics

Gov. Jennifer Granholm to Jindal: “We’ll Take Your Money”

What is it about living in the South that makes Governors reject millions of dollars meant to aid the unemployed? It must have something to do with living in the lap of luxury and having all your needs met like we do here in the South.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Gov. Schwarzenegger are first in line for the money rejected by GOP Governors like Louisiana's Bobby Jindal and Mississippi's Haley Barbour.

Bobby Jindal will accept the money that raises unemployment benefits by $25 a week. Jindal will not accept funds that extend the length of time one can receive benefits, or the funds that make it easier for folks to qualify for unemployment benefits by updating the rules for qualifying (which in some states may not have been done since the freaking 1930s!).

It's obvious that 8 long years of making life hard for ordinary people was just not enough for Bobby Jindal. Pity all those unemployed folks in Louisiana and Mississippi, but for people in other states, this money and the attendant rule changes will be a lifesaver.

Louisiana Unemployment Insurance Politics Mississippi Stimulus Obama News

Alan Keyes is a Raving Lunatic (Video)

If Rush Limbaugh could use some competition in the crazy department, here it is. Sounding like a raving lunatic, Alan Keyes calls Obama a "radical communist" and an "abomination" who will cause the United States to "cease to exist" unless he is stopped. Let's hope there are no raving lunatics out there who take Keyes words to heart. If there are any responsible GOP leaders left, they should renounce these wildly irresponsible and dangerous comments or they could carry Keyes off in a straight jacket.


Obama Politics Rightwing News Republican Rhetoric

Sean Penn Wins Oscar: "You Commie Homo-Loving Sons of Guns" (Video)

I thought this was the best Oscar night we've seen in a long time. Who knew Sophia Loren was still with us?? Kate Winslet won Best Actress. And she did it with grace and beauty, observing that all the other nominated goddesses were awesome. The Slumdog cast took Best Movie and 7 other Oscars. It felt like a new movie every time they came on stage. Sean Penn won Best Actor for MILK. And just like he always does, Sean Penn stood up for justice. He deserves to win every year, in my totally objective non-biased opinion!



You Commie homo-loving sons of guns! I did not expect this, but I — and I want to be very clear that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me. Often. But I — I am touched by the appreciation and I hoped for it enough that I scribbled down — so I have the names in case you were Commie homo-loving suns of guns. And so I, I wanted you to thank my best friend Sato Masuzawa. My circle of longtime support, Mara, Brian, Barry and Bob. The great Cleve Jones. Our wonderful writer, Lance Black. Producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks. And particularly, as all us actors know, our director either has the patience, talent and restraint to grant us a voice, or they don’t, and it goes from the beginning of the meeting to through the cutting room, and there is no finer hands to be in than Gus Van Sant.

Finally, for those — two last finallys — For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, and, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren’s eyes if they continue that way of support. We’ve got to have equal rights for everyone.

video via Queerty

Academy Awards Politics Gender Movies Gay News Human Rights MILK

Oscar Poll: Best Movie

The LA Times is live blogging the Oscars. Best Movie is supposed to be a wrap up for Slum Dog Millionaire. What ever happened to the days of suspense and surprise?




And now for something completely different - a movie about women. Yesterday, Melissa Leo won best female lead in Frozen River (with writer/director Courtney Hunt!) at the Independent Spirit Awards. True to tradition, the best movie award went to a movie about a brother, The Wrestler.


Academy Awards Politics Gender Movies Best Actress News Frozen River

Maxine Waters on Real Time: Escalating the War In Afghanistan Isn't the Change We Wanted (Video)

Bill Maher's sexist HBO show, Real Time was back on the air Friday night. I missed it, and this time I missed more than Bill's usual misogyny. Rep. Maxine Waters announced to Bill's liberal audience that the Congressional Progressive Caucus is set to communicate to Obama their alarm and fear of his apparent plan to expand the war in Afghanistan.

Other things I missed include the all time record breaking and astounding number of women (!) on Maher's show. Tina Brown, Chrystia Freeland and Maxine Waters were all on the same show!

I can't help wondering how many photo-shopped nude photos -- of Tina Brown, Chrystia Freeland and Maxine Waters -- Bill displayed and joked about before the misogynist laughingly brought the women out. [snark]


It's not very often news breaks on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, but the season premiere Friday night did just that. Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat who co-founded the Out of Iraq Caucus, told Maher she is concerned about President Obama's announcement he is sending 17,000 more troops and support to Afghanistan. She was a Hillary Clinton backer during the primary fight, but said lots of complimentary things about Obama on Maher's show until she started talking about Afghanistan.

Waters said the members of Congress' Progressive Caucus plan to tell Obama about their fears. "We don't want to substitute Afghanistan for Iraq," she said. "We don't want to send our young people off to war without really understanding what we're doing ... what I'm worried about is an expansion," Waters said.

Obama backs Bush on terror prisoners
Guantánamo Meets Geneva Rules, Pentagon Study Finds
Daily Kos Troop Surge in Afghanistan Means No Progressive Consensus
Why is Obama Poised to Escalate a Bad War?

Misogyny Patriarchy Bill Maher Politics Gender Real Time Obama News

Sexist Media: Why Aren't Hillary Clinton & Sarah Palin Changing Diapers?

Check out this actual real live online sexist poll over at US News & World Report's Washington Whispers page.

Because what we really want to know about Hillary Rodham Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin is:

Shouldn't these bitches be taking care of somebody's children?

Which one of these uppity women is the best mom and why isn't she at home doing her motherly duty?

I see lots of people are attributing the sexist poll to the right-wing slant of U.S. News and World Report. In other words, all the sicko sexists are in the other tribe! Sorry, only the blind and unconscious and thoroughly stupid believe that.

via Media Matters & memeorandum

Misogyny Patriarchy Feminist Trailblazer Politics Gender Madam Secretary Hillary Clinton News Nancy Pelosi Michelle Obama Sarah Palin

Hillary: About Her Relationship with Bill

Quote of the Day

“I am very lucky because my husband is my best friend and he and I have been together for a very long time. Longer than most of you have been alive. And we have an endless conversation.

We never get bored. We get deeply involved in all of the work that we do and talk about it constantly and I just feel very fortunate that I have a relationship that has been so meaningful to me over my adult life.”

-- Hillary Rodham Clinton

Feminist Trailblazer Politics Gender Madam Secretary Hillary Clinton News

Oscar Poll: Best Actress

Lots of people think Kate Winslet is going to win Best Actress. I hope so.

After six nominations for an Academy Award and no wins, I think she deserves to win this year.

But who do you think will -- or should -- win?



The Reader Trailer

Feminist Politics Gender Movies Best Actress News

Battered Rihanna Photo: Hate Crime Evidence

Here's the sad and depressing and awful photo of Rihanna after low-life creep and alleged boyfriend Chris Brown beat the crap out of her face.

Did you know that "the crime of making criminal threats is punishable by up to nine years in prison," but beating up your girlfriend will get you only four years?

Presumably that's because criminal threats are made against people who matter, i.e., white men, Hispanic men, black men, homeless men, men who are murderers, men who are rapists.

The male constructed law in this country has a very long history of looking the other way whenever husbands and boyfriends beat the crap out of girlfriends and wives.

Expanding hate crime legislation to include violence against women, or gender is one way to finally begin to put a dent in the shameful tradition of men beating the crap out of women they allegedly care about, aka domestic violence.

Almost ten years ago, Carolyn Maloney observed:

It seems like a riddle Lewis Carroll could have posed in Alice in Wonderland - when is a hate crime not a hate crime? The answer is - when hate crime laws omit gender as one of the classifications for which prosecutors can seek a harsher sentence. Unfortunately, Federal legislation limits the category of hate crimes to race, religion and origin.

'Race, religion and national origin' . . . once again that's because the men, who dominate everything in this country, were thinking of themselves and their brothers when they wrote the laws explicitly biased in their favor.



Misogyny Chris Brown Feminist Politics Gender News Domestic Violence Hate Crime

Hillary at Ewha Womans University in South Korea (Photo)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton poses for a photo with women students and women faculty at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 20, 2009.

Feminist Politics Gender Madam Secretary Hillary Clinton News

Cartoon-Gate: Al Sharpton Leads Protest at New York Post Headquarters (Video)

The provocative New York Post never apologizes for anything. Yesterday, the Post apologized for the controversial stimulus cartoon featuring a dead chimp.

But it was too little, too late, according to Al Sharpton who led hundreds of protesters outside the New York Post headquarters on Thursday.

Protesters shouted "End Racism" and called for the jailing of Rupert Murdoch.

Sharpton vowed that he'd be back Friday night with Spike Lee and hundreds more protesters.


The Rev. Al Sharpton is leading a boycott against the New York Post and threatening to file a complaint with the FCC against Rupert Murdoch.

If only Kim Gandy was half as effective.

More photos via Newsday

'Racist' New York Post boycotted in chimp row
Chimp-cartoon protestors march in NY
New York Post editorial causes uproar
Hundreds More Protest New York Post Cartoon
Outrage Over 'Obama Chimpanzee' Cartoon
NY Post apologizes _ to some _ over monkey cartoon


Obama Race Politics News Al Sharpton Racist New York Post Primate Cartoon

Hillary In Indonesia (Video)

Feminist Politics Gender Madam Secretary Hillary Clinton News

U.S. Reverses Its Primitive Position on LGBT Rights at the UN

Now that Bush is gone, the U. S. is actually starting to vote with the good guys at the United Nations.

Obviously, it's going to take some time for us to grow and live down our reputation as a backward banana republic full of uneducated greed-consumed intolerant bigots, but this is a start.

U.N. Dispatch: In late December the United Nations General Assembly held a symbolic vote on a statement calling for the universal decriminalization of homosexuality. France spearheaded the resolution, which was a 13 point declaration "to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests or detention." The statement received 60 votes in support, mostly from Europe and South America. Opposing the resolution, were the United States, the Holy See, and members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. At the time, the Bush administration couched its objection to the measure in legal technicalities.

Well, that was then. This is now: At the so-called "Durban Review Conference" on racism and xenophonia underway in Geneva, Europe again put forward language condemning “all forms of discrimination and all other human rights violations based on sexual orientation. . . The efforts to include language on discrimination based on sexual orientation ended up failing for lack of support from non-western countries. Still, it's relieving to see that the United States is now back on the side of the enlightened on this issue of basic human rights.

Human Rights Homophobia Gay Politics Gender LGBT United Nations News Obama

Georgia Bigot: Rep. Charlice Byrd Wants To Fire Queer Theory Profs (Video)

Surprise. America has another ignorant homophobic idiot in a position of power. Difficult to believe, I know. This particular crazed fool of a lawmaker from Georgia wants to put an end to "controversial" studies.

If Rep. Charlice Byrd (R) thinks Queer Theory is controversial, she obviously hasn't heard of Radical Feminist Theory. Thank the Goddess for that! LGBT studies today, women's studies tomorrow, sociology and political science the next day. Who needs education?

And, um, contrary to Byrd's "disgusted" rant, there is no evidence outside of freaking lala-land that Georgia universities are teaching "expertise" in the "services" of "oral sex" and "prostitution!" Maybe Rep. Byrd is sharing her fantasies with us.

How do these effin' people get elected to anything? Oh, wait. The United States of America only just barely believes in education. Else we clearly wouldn't have so many total freaking idiots representing us! Speaking of total freaking idiots representing us, here's Rep. Charlice Byrd:



Homophobia Gay Politics Gender LGBT Georgia News Queer Studies

Can Hillary Help Schapelle Corby?

Hillary's visit to Indonesia reminds Jeralyn of Schapelle Corby, the young woman who is serving 20 years (!) in Bali, Indonesia for alleged marijuana smuggling:

It's an hour and 45 minute plane ride from Jakarta, where Hillary was, to Denpesar on Bali. I would have liked Hillary to tour the Kerkoban prison, just to provide some welcome and hopeful words to Australian Schapelle Corby, a young hair stylist who is serving a 20 year sentence in a hellhole of a prison because when traveling to Bali from Australia for a family vacation to see her sister who lives in Bali with her husband and children, customs claimed to have found 4 kilos of pot in her boogie board. Shapelle has steadfastly denied knowing anything about it.

At first they said Schapelle might get the death penalty. Then they sentenced her to 25 years. She's down now to 20 due to good behavior. There are prisoner transfer treaties between Indonesia and Australia, but Schapelle was denied even that. Here's a picture of what her cramped cell looks like, you can see the stove so close to the toilet. . .

If Hillary is too busy this trip (I recognize this is short notice) maybe I'll write her a letter and ask her to send one of her high-level appointees familiar with foreign criminal laws (the office does handle extradition) to visit when he or she is next in the country. It would be the right and the human thing to do.

For the rest of you, Schapelle likes to get letters:

Schapelle Corby C/- LPM Kerobokan Jl. Tangkuban Perahu Kerobokan,
Denpasar 80117 Bali, INDONESIA

read more . .

Feminist Politics Gender Madam Secretary Hillary Clinton News Indonesia Boycott Bali

NY Post's Racist Stimulus Cartoon Raises Concerns About Jon Favreau's Sexism

I'm glad everyone on the internet and on planet earth is raising righteous hell about the New York Post's racism. Racism matters, thank the Goddess.

Yes, I do have to ask: When will the sexism matter?

Answer: Not until women have an equal or greater than equal share of the power -- which is why that misogynistic election was so damn important for women and girls and the brothers, sons and fathers who actually give a shit.

In the meantime, we sure could use our own female version of Al Sharpton.

TMZ:

Before most of you woke up, Sharpton already fired off a statement saying, "The cartoon in today's New York Post is troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys. One has to question whether the cartoonist is making a less than casual reference to this when in the cartoon they have police saying after shooting a chimpanzee that "Now they will have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill."

"Being that the stimulus bill has been the first legislative victory of President Barack Obama (the first African American president) and has become synonymous with him it is not a reach to wonder are they inferring that a monkey wrote the last bill?"

Calls to the Post have not been returned.

UPDATE: The editor-in-chief of the NY Post just released this statement: "The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist."


Sexist Photo: Obama Speechwriter Gropes Breast of Hillary Cut-out
Obama Remains Silent About Speechwriter Jon Favreau's Misogyny: Links
CNN All-Male Panel Says Favreau's Sexism Is No Big Deal; Carville Disses New Agenda

New York Post Chimp Cartoon Compares Stimulus Author To Dead Primate
‘The Dumb Monkey Who Wrote the Stimulus Bill Is Finally Dead.’ Ha?
Chimp-Stimulus Cartoon Raises Racism Concerns
Sometimes a Monkey Is Just a Monkey

Misogyny Obama Feminist Politics Gender News Sexist Jon Favreau Hillary Clinton Racist New York Post Primate Cartoon