Yes, Times Do Change, Check out this picture.

White House Photo by Pete Souza

Hat tip to Nancy Shoemaker

It took 67 years to be recognized, but yesterday President Obama signed the Gold Medal Bill, S. 614, to honor Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). From the Political Hotsheet, CBS News

WASP was established during World War II for the primary purpose of flying non-combat military missions for the U.S. in order to free the male military servants for combat. Between 1942 and 1943, more than a thousand women joined, flying sixty million miles of non-combat missions. An estimated 300 are still living today, the White House says.

WASP were the first female pilots to fly almost every type of military aircraft operated by the United States Army at the time. Although 38 of them lost their lives for the missions, their efforts went largely unrecognized. The pilots were not acknowledged with veteran status until 1977.

These women broke through barriers. Congratulations and thank you.

Eleanor Roosevelt's leadership, part 2

Sign up now for the 6/25 leadership workshop at Val-Kill — see our Unofficial Passions blog for more info!

6/16/09: Red Badge of Courage

AAUW Kingston
Book Group
Tuesday, June 16
1 PM
Community Room (upstairs)
Kingston Library
55 Franklin Street

We'll discuss The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. Come join us, whether you've read the book or not.

Henry Fleming is a teenager who joins the Union Army during the Civil War. He is fearful of killing and dying, and friends betray his fears. His wound is "the red badge of courage". This is a coming-of-age story that does not glorify war. It has been called the first modern American novel.

cover illustration by Jamel Akib

Building a Monument to Truth: May 26th

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

This month Anne Gordon, Ulster County historian and Branch member, will discuss the work underway to raise a monument to Sojourner Truth in the new park on the former site of the Port Ewen Town Hall.

Truth was born into slavery in 1797 and lived the first 30 years of her life in an area that now is part of the town of Esopus, some of it working in a tavern on the very site of the park. Last month Michelle Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and others unveiled a bronze bust of Truth, which will be permanently displayed in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol.

Anne chairs the Sojourner Truth Monument Committee.

Kingston Library, May 26th, 7-9 pm
Bring a friend

What does pay equity mean for us, our daughters, and our granddaughters?

April 28th is Pay Equity Day -- not a day to celebrate because we haven't achieved equity yet. Rather, it's a day to remind ourselves of the facts and reflect on the impact of those facts on the lives of those we care about. In 1963, when John Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, baby boomers were just beginning to think seriously about careers. At that time woman earned 59 cents for each dollar earned by a man. Nationally, today, it's 78 cents for every dollar, and in New York, it's 81 cents/dollar.

Over the course of a lifetime, that can mean more than a million dollars. It impacts our Social Security payments, our pensions, and our savings. It's the reason so many older women live in poverty after their partners die. It impacts all those children supported by single mothers and all those families where the wife is now the sole breadwinner because her husband has lost his job.

The strange thing is many of us are unaware that the pay gap has an impact on us. Young women graduating from college today don't realize that their male peers with the same qualifications are starting out at higher rates and that the difference compounds every year. Women working in organizations that publish their pay scales don't realize that men are hired at the top of the scale more frequently, while women think it's only natural to start at the bottom.

And, women tend to abide by the rules, "Don't discuss your salary with anyone." That's how Lilly Ledbetter worked her whole career supervising a plant of 4000 on the night shift, garnering more awards, and better evaluations than her male peer, while earning thousands of dollars less than even the most recent hire. It was an anonymous note stuck in her locker that brought the discrepancy to her attention.

How does the pay gap affect you, your daughter, your granddaughter, your wife, your mother, your girlfriend?

Join us tonight at 7 pm, Kingston Library, to discuss the pay gap and its impact on us all.

OK, I'm paid less. Now what? - Equal Pay for Women - Redbook

Image via Wikipedia

Redbook Magazine featured an article on the pay gap this month. I liked their suggestions about what to do if you find out you are getting paid less than your male counterparts.

Why Women Are Worth Less Than Men - Equal Pay for Women - Redbook: "How to Earn What You're Worth

1. Do your research. To find out how much you'd earn in your job position if you were a man, go to wageproject.org and punch your info into the 'Getting Even Calculator.'

2. Schedule a meeting with your boss, and then prepare. Outline a presentation about why you feel your current pay is unfair to you as a woman. Include facts and/or numbers that you found in your research, and be clear about your requests. Anticipate issues your boss might raise, and plan your responses. To bolster your confidence, go to wageproject.org and read stories from women who faced wage discrimination and stood up against it.

3. Gain strength in numbers. Talk to other women at your office who also believe they're not being paid equitably. Work together to recommend how the wage gap can be closed at your company. It is often most powerful to go to your boss as a group to present complaints and recommendations for change."

Related articles by Zemanta

• Get Out of the Way of Fair Pay (blog-aauw.org)
• AAUW, the WAGE Project Join Forces to Address Equal Pay (aauw.org)
• House Passes Vital Pay Equity Bills - Now On to the Senate! (capwiz.com)

Fair Pay on Twitter

Eleanor Roosevelt's Leadership

Here are a few pictures from our March 28th meeting at ValKill, Eleanor Roosevelt's home in Hyde Park, NY. We spent a wonderful day there. Kathleen Durham, executive director of the Eleanor Roosevelt ValKill Center, and Garnette Arledge, president of the Kingston branch, shared anecdotes and information about Eleanor's style of leadership and how she overcame her natural shyness. Many of the leadership lessons came from Robin Gerber's book, Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way.

Dollars and sense of lever voting

Faced with a massive fiscal crisis, many New Yorkers are incensed with the NY State Legislature's mandate to scrap trustworthy levers in favor of costly optical-scan computers with a history of hacking and breakdowns common to all computers.

Turning concern into action, New Yorkers are petitioning their county legislators to pass resolutions urging state legislators to save our levers. So far, four counties -- Columbia, Dutchess, Schuyler, and Ulster -- have done so. On April 20, Greene County's legislators will vote on whether to pass a save-our-levers resolution. Other counties are expected to follow suit soon. Towns are also taking action. New York's Association of Towns, which represents about half the state's population, was one of the first to pass a resolution urging the state to keep lever voting in New York.

As Irene Miller, AAUW Kingston Public Policy Chair and founder of NY Citizens for Clean Elections, explains, "A great many New Yorkers are truly angry that our elected state officials are forcing counties to go with computer voting when our levers now comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). Despite the great threat computer voting poses for the safety of our vote, our state legislators are unnecessarily forcing taxpayers to shoulder millions not just for the initial cost of computers but also the recurring costs for staff training, on-call technicians, paper ballots, recounts, troubleshooting, maintenance, upgrades, and more."

Optical-scan computers cost between $11,000 and $12,000 each, with the total cost varying with each county. According to Mary Jo Jaeger, Deputy Budget Officer for Greene County, the cost for Green County came to $352,500 for 30 machines. Of this, she said, the county paid 5%, which came to $17,625. The other 95% was paid with federal monies. However, she says, that was only for the initial purchase of the machines. Her office has not yet compiled the figures for future operations of the computers, which will be the county's full responsibility.

Greene County Elections Commissioner Thomas Burke agrees that the levers are better and cheaper than optical scan computers. But, he says, since New York's counties have already bought the computers, "we should resign ourselves."

A question posed by Miller and other citizens is, "Why, if Commissioner Burke agrees that levers are better and cheaper, should taxpayers be saddled with bills that will tally far more than $17,625 for the much higher costs of operation in years to come? Why not consider that money a bad investment and cut the future drain on the budget right now?"

The problem, says Commissioner Burke, is that "the state leaves the counties no choice." The only recourse, he says, is litigation.

The reason counties have no choice is that NY State's Election Reform and Modernization Act (ERMA) mandates a switch to computerized voting, ostensibly to comply with HAVA, says Miller. But, she adds, "ERMA was passed in 2005, before New York installed ballot marking devices (BMDs) in 2008 for people with special needs in every polling place. Augmented with BMDs, our levers became fully compliant with HAVA. I and a great many New Yorkers hope the state will come to its senses and fix ERMA, especially in this unprecedented budget crunch "

If the state rescinds the ERMA mandate for computer voting, litigation would not be necessary. But if the state does not heed the counties' and citizens' urgings to remove the ERMA mandate, litigation is likely.

Attorney Andi Novick, Founder and Legal Counsel to the Re-Media Election Transparency Coalition of organizations across the state, is prepared to put forth a suit. After a great deal of legal research into New York State constitutional and election law, she is convinced that, "ERMA's lock into computer voting violates New York's Constitution, which requires an observable electoral process in which every step is transparent to both election officials and citizen watchers. Our lever system fulfills this, but computers do not."

Novick also takes issue with claims that certification of computers makes them safe. "Dozens of studies by computer scientists at major universities have shown that there is no way to guarantee the security of computer voting even if a computer is certified because computers can be programmed to function one way for certification testing and another during actual elections. "

Nor do voter verified paper ballots make computer voting safe. Novick says this is clearly demonstrated in the HBO documentary Hacking Democracy, which shows how optical-scan software can be programmed to internally switch voters' ballot choices without a trace.

Contact: Irene Miller, 518-678-3516, imiller1@hvc.rr.com

4/3/09: Health Care Forum in Kingston

Health care for all -- yes!
Now how do we get there?

Universal Health Care Forum
to highlight health care policy
options and action agenda
7 PM on Friday, April 3
St. John's Episcopal Church
207 Albany Avenue, Kingston

Most Americans agree that the time has come for universal health care for all. The question is how to make that a reality now. The issues are complex and difficult. Join us at this forum, where we will explore universal health care options and find ways each of us can work toward making health care for all a reality.

The expert panel will feature:

- Jessica Wisneski, Legislative Campaign Director of Citizen Action of New York, representing the perspective of Health Care for America, champions of the Obama health plan

- Len Rodberg , Ph.D., from Physicians for National Health Plan, advocate for a single-payer universal system of health insurance

Attendees will hear brief, expert presentations and will be able to discuss and debate the policies with the panel. The session will conclude with ways that citizens can make their voice heard on health care policy.

The forum is co-sponsored by Saugerties Committee for Peace and Social Justice, Hudson Valley Progressive Coalition, American Association of University Women - Kingston Branch, Ulster County Democratic Committee, and Citizens for Clean Elections.

For more information, call:
Sue Rosenberg (845-246-3449)
or Lanny Walter (845-246-4668)

Follow-up on Health Care

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

In December, a blizzard put the kabosh on our scheduled healthcare discussion, but here's the result of the discussions that took place across the country --

Dear Friend,

In December 2008, President Obama’s transition team invited Americans to host and participate in Health Care Community Discussions to talk about how to reform health care in America. You are receiving this e-mail because you were one of the over 9,000 Americans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia that signed up during the holiday season to host a Health Care Community Discussion. Thank you for bringing together your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to discuss health care reform. The response from communities across the country was overwhelming – over 30,000 Americans participated in a discussion group in their neighborhood.

Members of President Obama’s health team and a group of volunteers read each of the 3,276 discussion reports submitted to the transition team’s website, and your suggestions were communicated to the President in “Americans Speak on Health Reform: Report on Health Care Community Discussions.” You can read the full report delivered to the President HERE. Also, you can read a sample of the community discussion reports submitted from across the country on www.HealthReform.gov.

Two weeks ago, the President brought together lawmakers, insurance industry executives, physicians, and a group of everyday Americans who like you hosted community discussions around the country to the White House to begin gearing up for the health care reform effort. Building on the forum held at the White House, five cities across the country are hosting White House Regional Forums on Health Reform. Governors are partnering with White House officials at the regional forums to solicit input from Americans across the ideological spectrum on how to reform our health care system. Today, you can watch the regional forum in Greensboro, North Carolina live on www.HealthReform.gov beginning at 10:30 ET. You can view pictures and watch videos from the previous health care forums that have taken place across the country HERE.

If you want to hear what President Obama and his administration are saying about health care reform or to submit a question for one of the upcoming regional forums, visit www.HealthReform.gov.

Thanks again for your involvement in this important cause.

Jenny Backus
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

3/25/09: "Girls' & Women's Health & Rights" talk at Vassar

Come hear Adrienne Germain speak about:

Helping the Obama Administration Meet its Global Commitment to Girls' and Women's Health and Rights

5:30 PM on Wed., March 25
Villard Room, Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York

Since her pioneering work for women's equality
in the 1970s and 1980s with the Ford Foundation, Adrienne Germain has reshaped global policy on women's health and human rights. A skilled strategist and negotiator on U.S. government delegations to world conferences on population, women, and development from 1993 to 2000, she helped revolutionize the way the world views population policy and funding by making women's sexual and reproductive rights and health
central.

Under Ms. Germain's leadership, the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC) has created international policy innovations, led global advocacy for sexual and reproductive rights and health, and helped build local organizations in countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Sponsored by:
American Association of University Women Poughkeepsie Branch
Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill
Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance
Hudson River HealthCare
League of Women Voters of the Mid-Hudson Region
Operation Donation
P.E.A.C.E.
Planned Parenthood of the Mid-Hudson Valley
UNICEF
Vassar College: Economics Department, Health Service, Health Education Office, International Studies Program, and Women Studies Program
Vassar College Amnesty International
Vassar Uganda Project
World Affairs Council of the Mid Hudson Valley

3/16/09: Greene County public hearing on voting machines

How to save our levers:
Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. It only took one e-mail and a phone call or two to get Schuyler County Legislators to pass a resolution to keep our levers, just like Ulster, Columbia, and Dutchess counties have done.

So, think what you can do in Greene County. Call and e-mail your county representatives today. Ask all of your friends, too. Get the buzz going!

And, show up at the Greene County hearing at 6 PM on Monday, March 16, at the County Office Building, 411 Main Street, Catskill. (Use the back entrance on Water Street.)

Our trustworthy levers now comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). But New York State Legislators still plan to switch to costly computers that can be easily hacked and are prone to breakdowns,
whether they are certified or not.

Greene County's Operations Committee will decide whether to ask the full County Legislature to pass a resolution urging New York State to keep our levers. The Committee is eager to hear what the citizens of Greene County think. If you want to speak at the hearing, let your legislator know beforehand.

For more information or to carpool, call or e-mail Irene Miller, 518-678-3516, imiller1@hvc.rr.com
_______________________________________

Greene County Legislators (area code 518)

District 1 (Catskill):
Forest Cotton, 947-0018, fcotton@discovergreene.com
Karen Deyo, 943-9238, kdeyo@discovergreene.com
Dorothy Prest, 943-9014, dprest@discovergreene.com
Keith Valentine, 943-5616, kvalentine@discovergreene.com

District 2 (Coxsackie):
Charles Martinez, 731-8825, cmartinez@discovergreene.com
Wayne Speenburgh, 731-6507, wspeenburgh@discovergreene.com

District 3 (Athens):
Ray Brooks, 945-2912, rbrooks@discovergreene.com

District 4 (Greenville):
Kenneth Dudley, 966-5424, kdudley@discovergreene.com

District 5 (New Baltimore):
James Van Slyke, 756-3675, jvanslyke@discovergreene.com

District 6 (Prattsville, Ashland, Windham, Jewett):
James Hitchcock, 734-3194, jhitchcock@discovergreene.com

District 7 (Halcott, Lexington, Hunter):
Larry Gardner, 263-3747, lgardner@discovergreene.com

District 8 (Cairo):
Harry Lennon, 622-3876, hlennon@discovergreene.com
William Lawrence, 622-3707, wlawrence@discovergreene.com

District 9 (Durham):
Sean Frey, 821-1973, sfrey@discovergreene.com

Show your support to rescind these regulations

Help Rescind Harmful Reproductive Health Regulations	Take Action!
Image by Getty Images via Daylife This week the Obama administration proposed a rule that would rescind a harmful regulation targeting reproductive health and family planning services published in the final hours of President George W. Bush's term of office. This Obama administration action is a critical first step, a response influenced by the vocal opposition of AAUW Action Network members and others, but now we must take the next step by responding to the administration's call for public comments. Act now and support rescinding this harmful regulation. The Bush administration ignored opposition from citizens, members of Congress, physicians and women's health groups, and even officials in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission when it finalized a midnight regulation that would severely limit women's access to reproductive health and family planning services, including some of the most common forms of birth control. In contrast, this proposed new rule and public comment period highlight a new outlook on reproductive rights and women's access to health care services and information. The Bush "conscience" regulation allows health care employees to refuse to provide any health care service that is in any way contrary to their personal beliefs, without any consideration for patients' guaranteed access to medical care and complete health-related information. This allows individuals to withhold crucial information about health services and refuse to refer patients to other locations where such services could be obtained. It also grants refusal rights to any member of a health care facility's paid or voluntary staff, from appointment schedulers to janitorial staff. Further, the rule may undermine state laws protecting women's access to reproductive health care, including those requiring health insurance plans that provide drug benefits to cover contraceptives as well; laws that require hospitals to offer emergency contraception to rape survivors; and laws that require pharmacies to fill patients' valid medical prescriptions. Act now and support rescinding this harmful regulation.

More Spaces Available for Val-Kill tour

Image via Wikipedia

Eleanor Roosevelt’s Leadership Skills at Val-Kill

The National Park Service has opened up the tour for more people to participate in the house tour at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 28th following the 10:30 am to noon presentation by Kathleen Durham, Executive Director of Val-Kill. She will discuss Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way - Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage by Author Robin Gerber, historian and leadership educator, Senior Fellow, Academy for Leadership, University of Maryland. Bring a box lunch; we'll provide drinks & desert. Enjoy the grounds. The tour of Val-Kill Cottage at 1pm is also free of charge. Reservations required to AAUW, please contact President Garnette Arledge at 845-201-0001 or kaauw12401@gmail.com. ###