One woman in particular saw the problems posed by these instruments and their lack of regulation and took on three of the best-known (now infamous?) names in the financial sector: Alan Greenspan, Robert Rubin and Arthur Levitt. Her name is Brooksley Born.

The Obama Administration officially announced today that it is taking action to rescind a harmful Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule.

The following is a statement by Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center:

“The Obama administration deserves great… Read full post »

Governors Must Implement Reforms to Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment data released today for February show that over the past month, women’s unemployment rate rose even faster than men’s, the National Women’s Law Center said today. 

NWLC’s analysis of the Labor Department’s February… Read full post »

Yesterday, President Obama hosted a White House Summit on Health Care Reform to address soaring health care costs and the immediate need for reform. Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center, attended the summit – reflecting the importance of the voice of women to thi… Read full post »

Okay, I'm pissed!

First, let me say that I have nothing but respect for Caroline Kennedy. I believe she is smart, capable and talented. She would be a great advocate for children, women, education, and health care. She would be a terrific elected official. I just don't believe she deserves to… Read full post »

 

So far I've seen just two names floated for President-elect Obama's HHS Secretary: Tom Daschle and Howard Dean. One's bad; the other's worse.

The bad: Tom Daschle.

Daschle's newest claim to fame is offering "strategic advice" (thinly read as lobbying) to clients in the fields of health care, e… Read full post »

Lest anybody think I operate on the theory of "the cup half empty" (Top 10+ People/Groups I'd Like to Hear Less From in 1009"), here is my list of those I'd like to hear more from in 2009.

WARNING: This list is heavy on women and feminists, but this is… Read full post »

I hear Howard Dean is stepping down as Chairman of the DNC. Good! Although he'll probably be promoted to something else he can control, like HHS, where he really would have a say over important regulations affecting women. 

After hearing about Dean I got to thinking about all the people… Read full post »

Now that we have stepped solidly into the 21st century, placing our hands on the arc of history and moving it toward progress and equality, I have three requests of our next president.

First, let's really honor diversity. President Obama can take a giant leap in that direction by taking a… Read full post »

Ya know, if Keith Olbermann were to grow a bushy moustache and chomp on a cigar, he'd look just like Groucho Marx. It's O's new eyewear that sets up this comparison.

And it's definitely in keeping with the hilarity of this year's presidential campaign. Still, I'm not sure Groucho could write… Read full post »

Let's see:

We have shadowy figures making illegal/unethical/immoral money deals for no good reason other than to enrich themselves and gain even more power, who see themselves both above and beyond the law and outside the control of any government, and who worship at the altar of a fanatical belief… Read full post »

A little-noticed rule change by HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt could have enormously bad consequences for women's reproductive health. It is now in the public comment stage (until Sept. 25).

Here's a preview of what the rule does:

It would require that any health care entity that receives federal fi… Read full post »

Here we go again.

Two months out from an election in which so much is at stake, yet our presidential candidate is acting variously like a too-cool dude, a wimp, or at a complete loss, unable or unwilling to hit John McCain and Republicans and to hit hard. 

Instead, they're parsing… Read full post »

I wasn't expecting much from John McCain's speech Thursday night, especially not after the humdinger given by Sarah Palin the night before.

Still, his story is compelling and I found myself riveted to the set when he relayed his experiences in a POW camp. And of course this story was… Read full post »

For the record, I think Sarah Palin is lacking in the experience department. I think Tim Kaine also isn't high on experience (and he was on Barack Obama's short, short, short list for the VP pick).

But do Democrats really want to derail their train over Palin's daughter's pregnancy? Or whether… Read full post »

I'll start off with the latest news about Gov. Sarah Palin, whose 17-year old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant.

The media of course are agog about what this means. And liberal bloggers are also weighing-in (and playing Moral Arbiter about Palin's failure as a mother and the attendant failure of her… Read full post »

Imagine the thrill and the deep sense of satisfaction among women on August 26, 1920 when Congress ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women the legal right to vote and thus extending voting rights guaranteed to all "men" in the 15th Amendment.

By way of perspective, my… Read full post »

Imagine the thrill and the deep sense of satisfaction among women on August 26, 1920 when Congress ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women the legal right to vote and thus extending voting rights guaranteed to all "men" in the 15th Amendment. By way of perspective, my maternal…

Read full post »

By not vetting Clinton, the Obama campaign looks small and insecure. Obama looks like a sore winner with a serious grudge. It comes across as personal and it looks bad on Obama's part. Not vetting her also makes him look a whole lot like the typical white guys women…

Read full post »

I'll have more to say about Obama's VP pick in my blog after I have a chance to review some of the voluminous information on Sen. Biden.

For now I want to tease out the vetting of VP contenders from the actual discussion about the VP pick. 

Setting aside… Read full post »