what women voters want (and DMI’s event on Monday)

Elana Levin

what women voters want (and DMI’s event on Monday)

What woman who votes doesn't love to read media speculation about what the mysterious female voter is looking for in "Mr. Right" (by which I mean the usually male candididates for higher office). The Washington Post's article on the George Allen vs. Jim Webb race for Senate in Virginia was called "Women's Vote Could Tip Close Contest: Webb and Allen Temper Records, Soften Images." The article asserts that both candidates' bio's dripped "machismo" (apparently that alienates women or something). While the Washington Post's news story focused on how candidates tempered their public image to match the apparently bright pink palette us little ladies demand, the lead opinion piece in today's Tom Paine.com by Martha Burk, a political psychologist and director of the Corporate Accountability Project for the National Council of Women's Organizations explained the ISSUES that are driving women voters to the polls. Issues like the ability to feed your family.

The article is a good read and I recommend it. She doesn't go into points like how Senator George Allen voted against the Family and Medical Leave Act, which gives workers 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth of a child or to care for a sick family member. But the appeal of that piece of legislation to mothers in particular is rather clear.

Speaking of issues that women care about, DMI's next Marketplace of Ideas event is Monday and the subject is Promoting Access to Pre-School Education. New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is on the panel - she's fought for increased funding for free Pre-K and our featured guest flying all the way from Oklahoma is State Senator Penny Williams. She's the leader behind Oklahoma's successful program providing high-quality preschool for all 4 year olds in that state. She'll be explaining how her legislation worked in Oklahoma and talking with Speaker Quinn about how access could be expanded here in New York.

All parents need to know their children are being cared for and educated so they can go to work and feed their families. Pre-k not only prepares children to do better in school, it helps to keep struggling parents from making a Catch-22 choice between keeping their job and supervising their child. This isn't just a women's issue - though the folks taking the lead on it seem to be primarily women - this is an issue for all parents and all people that might want to become parents some day.

So join us:

Monday October 30, 2006 8:00 - 10:00a.m.
The Harvard Club 27 West 44th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
Admission is free. Light breakfast will be served.
Please RSVP to dmi@drummajorinstitute.org or to 212-909-9663.