Economic Development & Security

January 9, 2009 posted by admin New years, new administrations, change itself generally elicits a feeling of optimism in me--and I can’t repress that sense now.  Here are my hopes and concerns. I feel glad to see President Bush and his team go: they wreaked such damage on our country and the world--and undermined our deepest values by riding roughshod over the constitution, thumbing their nose at the rule of law and torturing people.  I hope that the country will take proper steps to hold them accountable for their actions even after they are out of office.  The past Administration was also hostile to women, particularly to our right to birth control and choice, treating us as though we were children incapable of making critical decisions for our lives.  Relieved that is over, but am still troubled by the efforts of too many to continue to control what in the end are deeply personal decisions for women, decisions that define our humanity. I hope that these efforts diminish in the years ahead. Americans face a ruined economy, and I am deeply afraid that women and children will be the biggest victims.  With the safety net of welfare gone, what will happen to the poorest of the poor?  Welfare was a concept that President Roosevelt adopted as one way to deal with the devastation of the Great Depression; while deeply flawed, it still reflected a national commitment to poor women and their children.  I hope that in these dire economic times we don’t lose sight of the needs of this vulnerable group.

January 9, 2009 posted by admin May 2009 be a year in which:

1. We act from hope and possibility rather than fear.

2. We build bridges across our differences through love and compassion.

3. Generosity trumps greed and justice triumphs.

4. Women and their families are central in the economic recovery package.

5. Every woman and girl is supported in her dreams for self-realization, whether through a friend’s loyalty, a parent’s love or a partner’s respect.

6. Policy makers and corporate executives choose to act with integrity and courage.

7. Every person in the US believes that her actions can make a difference.

January 6, 2009 posted by admin Our New Year's Resolution as a nation is a simple one.  We should resolve to be honest with ourselves.

January 6, 2009 posted by admin Sadly, Osama bin Laden might have won. He launched an attack against the United States based on our gross materialism. Certainly his tactics countered his message (or at least made them untenable), but with the current US structure faltering, our obsession with capitalism is being challenged. It's easy to blame the Madoffs and the investment bankers of the world, but if we believe that change trickles up, problems do, too. I am resolving to want less (which is entirely different from wanting nothing, I am far from a martyr) -- but more so to stop believing that my things are what define me.

January 2, 2009 posted by Linda Basch The turn of a new year generally offers us a moment to reflect.  This year, with the U.S.

January 2, 2009 posted by Kyla Bender-Baird The Real Deal blog at NCRW has only been live for three months. However, the posts people have shared have been so rich we thought we’d take a moment to highlight 2008 at The Real Deal for those coming to us for the first time.  During the election, we highlighted voices from Idaho, Michigan, and Ohion in our Views from the Swing States forum.

December 19, 2008 posted by Shyama Venkateswar

For thousands of these impoverished women and girls, gathering firewood is more than a vital chore - it is often a matter of life and death. By doing what many of us achieve by simply turning on a stove, refugee women and girls regularly fall victim to rape, assault, theft, exploitation, and even murder... It's high time we get "beyond firewood" and explore alternative fuels and cutting-edge energy technologies, such as clean-burning fuels, fuel-efficient stoves, and solar cookers, Ullmann says.  We need to reduce women’s vulnerability to violence by investing in alternative sources of fuel that do not require women to travel long distances to collect firewood. 

December 17, 2008 posted by admin

December 8, 2008 posted by admin

Kyla Bender-Baird: What message would you like to send to Hillary Clinton, our next likely Secretary of State?  

December 5, 2008 posted by admin

Kyla Bender-Baird: What are your wildest dreams for Michelle Obama's four years in the White House?  (What alternate title for her might you suggest instead of "First Lady"?  What would her ideal role be?)