Obama Creates Women's Panel

[tekisui]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama invoked his grandmother, single mother and two young daughters on Wednesday in creating a White House panel to advise him on issues facing women and girls.

Obama, standing with prominent members of his administration and with his wife sitting nearby, signed an executive order creating an across-the-government council designed to help Cabinet agencies and departments collaborate on ways to make sure women were provided opportunities offered to men.

"I sign this order not just as a president, but as a son, a grandson, a husband and a father because, growing up, I saw my mother put herself through school and follow her passion for helping others," Obama said. "But I also saw how she struggled to raise me and my sister on her own, worrying about how she'd pay the bills and educate herself and provide for us."

He said he signed the order to honor all the women who came before him, such as his grandmother who was a bank vice president but was denied promotions because of her gender. He said the fight for gender equality is far from over.

"So now it's up to us to carry that work forward, to ensure that our daughters and granddaughters have no limits on their dreams, no obstacles to their achievements — and that they have opportunities their mothers and grandmothers and great grandmothers never dreamed of," Obama said. "That's the purpose of this council; those are the priorities of my presidency."

He also said his own experiences with the women in his life reflect the challenges of all women.

"I've seen Michelle, the rock of the Obama family, juggling work and parenting with more skill and grace than anybody that I know," Obama said. "But I also saw how it tore at her at times, how sometimes when she was with the girls she was worrying about work, and when she was at work she was worrying about the girls. It's a feeling that I share every day."

Obama cited statistic to back up his case: Women earn just 78 cents for every dollar men make; 1 in 4 women still experiences domestic violence; women are 49 percent of the work force but only 3 percent of Fortune 500 chiefs.

"When these inequalities stubbornly persist in this country, in this century, then I think we need to ask ourselves some hard questions. I think we need to take a hard look at where we're falling short, and who we're leaving out, and what that means for the prosperity and the vitality of our nation," Obama said.

Obama named senior adviser Valerie Jarrett — herself a single mother — to head the group, which would include Cabinet secretaries and other administration officials. White House aide Tina Tchen (CHEN) would run its day-to-day operations.

more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hFOuKS6pITZqcBVcGFn0zssEZxXwD96S2QU81

[ZombieHorde]

1. K&R, hopefully this panel will become obsolete. nt

[VespertineIconoclast]

2. Another great move, President Obama! K&R.

I appreciate the fact that President Obama is taking steps to address the inequities faced by many in this nation.

[Olney Blue]

3. Thank you, Mr. President!

[Rhiannon12866]

4. K&R. Kudos to Obama, even though it's not a Cabinet-level position, as requested.

Interesting that George Bush* never thought of this, since he also has a wife and two daughters, not to mention a mother... But somehow I think that Barbara Bush wouldn't have approved... :eyes:

The difference is that Obama's family has struggled, so are aware of the inequities in the workplace, while the Bush* family has not. :-(

[Captain Hilts]

5. It's a good move, but sad that we need such a panel. Just like 1962. nt

[Berry Cool]

6. K&R, although what he needs to realize is this:

He doesn't REALLY share Michelle's feelings of worry about their girls, not in the way society makes her feel it. Because if something bad ever happens to them because of any perceived parental neglect, she's the one who will come in for the most blame. She's the one who will be looked at askance: "How could their mother let that happen?"

After all, he has a country to run, doesn't he? He can't be expected to know every tiny detail of his kids' lives, too. So society tells us. If she wants a job--and yes, it's OK for her to have a job now--she still needs to fit it in around remembering who likes what for dinner, whose birthday is coming up, when they need to bring something special to school. If he troubles himself with that stuff, we praise him for going above and beyond.

We think highly of him for being as involved and dedicated as he is, when really, it should be the expected thing. After all, the children didn't come into being through her alone.

I think what he's doing is great. I just long for the day when it really dawns on all men exactly how comparatively easy they have it being parents and wage-earners at the same time, vs. the women in their lives.

[newview88]

7. Failure my a$$

Now that's a real President!

[FrenchieCat]

8. Great...but, what has he done for me lately?