Equal Time with Martha Burk: Recent Episodes
Martha Burk
“Equal Time with Martha Burk” is a weekly 2 1/2 minute commentary on topics in the public debate, political issues, and how decisions in Washington and around the world affect ordinary citizens. Dr. Burk is a political psychologist and women's issues expert who is co-founder of the Center for Advancement of Public Policy, a research and policy analysis organization in Washington, D.C. She serves as the Money Editor for Ms. magazine, and is a syndicated newspaper columnist and frequent blogger for Huffington Post. Equal Time is produced by KSFR-FM public radio in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Civil War was hard fought on both sides. But some of the combatants were special -- in a way you wouldn't guess.
We've been inundated with words, words, and more words for months from Trump and Harris. Whose the most convincing? You decide -- your future depends on it.
It’s almost Halloween, when the creepy crawlers come out, along with ghosts, goblins, candy, tricks and treats. Did it really start as a pagan ritual? Yes and No.
Unless you live in a cave or under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard of Project 2025, a conservative manifesto from the Heritage Foundation outlining an ambitious agenda for a second Trump administration. Trump claims he never heard of it, even though many of its authors came straight out of his administration when he was Prez. It’s got something for everyone.
The U.S. has been celebrating Columbus Day since 1792, after the explorer who sailed from Spain in 1492 and supposedly "discovered America." But he never actually touched land in what is now the United States, landing in Cuba and Hispaniola, mistaking them for China and Japan.
Hispanics are being demonized and terrorized by grandstanding candidates looking to stir up trouble. But their contribution to U.S. history is robust . (And by the way, we stole Texas from Mexico).
Women no longer have to worry about reproductive freedom -- or anything else. The problems have been solved and females are now protected.
It’s September, and school’s in in most of the U.S. Readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmetic as usual, but in some places a new topic will be added to the curriculum: the Bible, with all its gore and mayhem. Parents -- even some Christian ones -- are pushing back.
Abortion access has always been viewed as a woman’s problem. Men rarely talked about it, and it didn’t seem high on their political priorities. Not any more – since Trump proudly took credit for overturning Roe v. Wade with his anti-woman, anti-choice Supreme Court picks, men are paying attention – particularly in red states with the most restrictive abortion policies.
The first (and probably only) Prez candidate debate is this week. Will both parties go by the rules? More importantly, will we learn anything we don't already know?
Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September a day off for workers. Labor unions had campaigned for years to gain recognition of both the contributions and the mistreatment of workers. History is littered dirty tricks to keep unions out with bullets and billy clubs. Now it’s more genteel, but some so called "good guy companies" are still quietly (and illegally) union busting.
School varies by state and even towns and districts. Some kids get what they need, others get less or nothing -- what gives?
Most people think Vice Presidents don't matter -- just window dressing for low level events. But history shows they could become number one at any minute: Let's look at the best & the worst.
Sports on TV has long been guy heavy. But a new kind of sports bra for both genders may just be the uplift the fans need.
Presidential history was made when President Biden gracefully ended his candidacy for a second term. He put country over self and very possibly saved our democracy. The crowds are loving his prosecutor replacement. His convicted felon opponent is less than thrilled.
Besides record heat and fireworks on the 4th, July is known for something else: Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. The day in 2024 when Black women’s wages caught up to what white men made by the end 2023: one hundred and ninety one extra days work, to be exact.
Political conventions always lay out a party's vision for the future if their folks get in power. This year's Republican plan is a doozy for the majority of voters: women.
After President Biden's recent meltdown during a debate with Donald Trump, various factions are calling for him to drop out of the presidential race. He says no -- here's a great solution.
If you remember your junior high history lessons, you know that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, famously declaring that “all men are created equal.” All of the signers were male. Nevertheless, a woman’s name appeared on the official document.
June 24th marks the anniversary of the infamous Dobbs Supreme Court decision, trashing women’s right to abortion guaranteed since Roe v. Wade in 1973. Let's inventory the damage to women’s rights, emboldening states to jump on the anti-woman, anti-abortion, anti-choice bandwagon.
The New York Times Kid Section recently showcased the candidates' answers to kid friendly questions. Listen to their direct quotes and pick your leader for the next four years.
Back in the day Mom stayed home with kids, housework, and runny noses. Dad went to work, plopped down in the evening with the newspaper or TV and did little else. No more -- it's a new world out there for fathers.
June 6 marks the anniversary of D-Day, the day in 1944 when Allied forces in World War II invaded France from offshore. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Thousands never made it out of the water, making the landing on Normandy one of the deadliest days of the war. In an all-out push, 150,000 sailors – and one stowaway -- hit the beaches.
Official history says the first Memorial Day celebration was held in Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868, where Union and Confederate soldiers from the Civil war are buried. Nope. The earliest ceremony was years earlier, and the participants not the people you learned about in school.
May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Month, was designated in 1992 by President George H. W. Bush to pay tribute to immigrants who enriched America's progress -- but only after a century of persecution.
We all have to buy groceries, household goods, and a fair amount of fast food. But are we getting what we pay for, or a hidden swindle?
Most people think Mother's Day is just a day for mom to get gifts and thanks. But it has a far more serious and important origin and history.
If you were born before 1968, it was legal and normal to deny folks housing based on skin color or heritage. Enter two guys – one white, one black – who changed all that.
College is now ridiculously expensive and students are in hock up to their eyebrows. President Biden wants to help -- but the Supremes have stopped him once. Rerun or success?
Taxes are necessary for a civilized society, and most ordinary people pay their fair share. But there's one group that pays nothing at all, while rewarding their benefactors handsomely.
Wake up and view the solar eclipse, last one 'til 2044. If you think really has no significance except crazy superstition, think again. Ancient voices from the past tell us it was a battle of the sexes.
Okaay, April Fools Day is upon us, so let's have a little fun and nominate some of your national leaders for the biggest fool prize, and of course pick a winner. And the nominees are . . .
The old saying "necessity is the mother of invention" may be true, but it leaves out an important component -- the real "mothers" and "aunts" and "sisters" and even "wives" of invention.
It’s Women’s History month, and the feds are banning government agencies from using salary history to set the pay of new hires. We need it for the private sector too.
Trump was President from 2016 To 2020, but he’s never won an election. He lost the nationwide popular vote in 2016, but still made it to the White House, due to a ridiculous voting system that ought to be abolished – the electoral college.
Females are without question the stars of Hollywood costume design, raking in Oscars in numbers that far outstrip the men. They get lots of well deserved recognition for what they do. Except in one very important category . . .
It started with one thin dime, and a bus ride in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. City busses were segregated back then – whites in the front, Blacks in the back. On that fateful day, an African American woman named Rosa Parks paid her 10c fare, and took a seat in the Black section.
In 1971, Congress created President's Day, to fall yearly between the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln on the 3rd Monday in February. Many have aspired to the office, but a significant group has never made it.
I thought it would be simple. Just google Valentine’s Day and learn all about it – when and where it started and modern ways it’s celebrated around the world. Well, it worked – sort of. Seems there’s disagreement, disinformation, fantasy and frolic when it comes to researching the day of sweethearts.
February is Black History Month, officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976. It was about time. The 1960s had seen crucial economic gains for African Americans, even as the Black Freedom struggle faced assassinations and government suppression.
In 2009 Lilly Ledbetter learned she had been paid 40% less than men in the same Goodyear Tire & Rubber job. It was a long slog, but she won, and working women today still benefit.
January 22 marks the 51st anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, when the court ruled abortion was legal under U.S. Constitution's guarantee of a right to privacy. But it didn't last. Where are we now?
Minimum wages went up in a number of states on January 1. Pizza Hut is crying foul and punishing delivery drivers for the hike by firing them all. Are these workers getting rich at your expense? Nope, but somebody else is.
Men have an abundance of something women lack. It's starts with a "P" and can be easily remedied with one big change of habit.
Millions will wake up on New Year's Day hung over and unhappy. Here's a long term cure that doesn't mean giving up alcohol, and it's not "hair of the dog."
Christmas traditions around the world have different origins and different meanings -- not all Santa and elves, sometimes funny, many surprising.
Many great women snagged honors this year, from athletics to movies, science and more, and we lost a few great ones too. But one gets our personal year end award.
The term Guns or Butter? goes back to World War I and protests over prioritizing the production of munitions over the production of dairy products. Nowadays it's unneeded war toys over needs of kids.
December 7, 1941 was one of the deadliest days in American History. The massive assault on Pearl Harbor drove the American military to do something it had never done before.
Congress is wrangling over the Farm Bill, which includes over $3 billion for giant agriculture corporations and multimillionaire "farmers" who don't actually live on farms. Here's a suggestion for Republicans who want to shut down the government over $6.41.
Labor Day has been a national holiday since 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed the law making the first Monday in September a day off for workers. Labor unions had campaigned for years to gain recognition of both the contributions and the mistreatment of workers at the time. Since then, unions have enabled workers to negotiate for higher wages and benefits, and better conditions in all kinds of workplaces, from the textile mills of the 1800s to thousands of other workplaces today. History is littered with examples of of all kinds of dirty tricks to keep unions out, up to and including murdering organizers. Today it’s a little more genteel than it used to be. Companies don’t generally fight unions with bullets and billy clubs. Nope, they’re a lot more subtle.
August is the month when we commemorate the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote, passed in 1920. But we're still behind lots of other countries when it comes to equality. Let's look around the world to see how we can, and should, do better.
Summer in August is known as “dog days” – hot and muggy, panting canines with tongues hanging out, alongside their disgruntled people.
In a few days some of those very disgruntled people – Republican people – will be taking the debate stage to see who can out-do the others on why they want to be the next President. We thought it would be fun to pair these folks with their canine counterparts, by way of giving you a preview of what to expect.
The U.S. Women's Soccer Team won't be in the World Cup finals this year, but even if they were and took the trophy, it wouldn't have been their greatest victory. That happened in 2022 off the playing field. And it will last much longer than any given game.
I said I wasn’t gonna do it, but in the end I gave in. Went to see the Barbie movie. She’s still tall, thin, white, sporting signature long blond hair. But Barbiedom is diverse now. A few non white girls (one is a Black future President). One fat Barbie, one wheelchair Barbie briefly in the opening scene. And don’t forget a Ken who’s supposed to be gay -- but not too gay.
Has anything really changed?
The Civil Rights Act prohibiting pay discrimination against women and minorities was passed August 1964. Some thought it was a joke As Black Women's Equal Pay Day is marked in August of 2023, it's looking like they were right.
Rockefeller, Astor, Carnegie, Stanford. Rich guys from the late 1900s for sure, but what else? Robber barons. Big boys at the top of U.S. business, who used unethical methods to exploit workers to line their own pockets big time.
They’re back, and you know their companies very well
When Neil Armstrong touched down on the moon in 1969, NASA had a "No Girls Allowed" sign firmly on its figurative door. Come 2024 that giant step will be for humankind.
A new group is mobilizing Moms across the country, hoping to change the way schools teach and operate, and they've got some high profile support. Would you want your Mom to join?
July 4, 1776 marked the Declaration of Independence from Britain. But the founding fathers made one mistake that endures to this day.
June is Pride Month, and June 28th is Pride Day, marking the unofficial beginning of "Gay Liberation" in 1969 with the Stonewall riots in New York. Since then the LGBTQ+ movement grown steadily and gained acceptance. But is rough sledding ahead?
Juneteenth, marking June 19th, 1865 is a federal holiday celebrated each year to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. Most people think that was the day President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves. Wrong.
The annual June Father’s day shopping binge is upon us. Stores are touting the latest gizmos, and everybody loves Dad. All except corporate America, that is. Only 23% of U.S. private-sector workers have access to paid family leave in order to care for a new child. The majority of recipients are new mothers – precious few employers give fathers the same benefit.
June 6 marks the anniversary of D-Day, the day in 1944 when Allied forces in World War II invaded France from offshore. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Thousands never made it out of the water, making the landing on Normandy one of the deadliest days of the war. In an all-out push, 150,000 men – and one woman -- hit the beaches.
Memorial Day is when we honor those who died while serving in the armed forces. It dates from 1866, when women decorated graves from both sides of the civil war. Even back then there were female warriors, though most disguised themselves as men. Women can join any branch of the military today, and hiding their sex is no longer necessary. But for years it seemed like women would be better off if they did. But at long last time's they are a-changin.'
Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Something Else or Nothing at all, you've got to admit the Mexican border is a colossal mess. But you might be surprised at who gets hurt the most.
President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy are meeting over what gets cut in arguments over raising the debt ceiling, with most social programs on the chopping block. But where does the average tax payer's money really go?
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Didn’t know we celebrated such a thing? You’re not alone. Lesser known than Black History Month or Women’s History Month, AAPI Heritage Month as it’s usually called, celebrates U.S. citizens from 15 countries in the Far East and the Pacific Islands.
April 1st was officially “All Fool’s Day,” but politically it’s been All Fools Month, at least when it comes to candidates already gearing up for the 2024 election. Before the month of fools fades, let’s take a look at a couple of the presidential hopefuls so far.
I grew up on country western music – but whether you’re a casual fan, love it or hate it, there’s a message, and it ain’t all good. Some very prominent artists agree – take a listen an see what you think.
Twenty years ago this week national women's groups protested the all male Masters Golf Tournament for its exclusion of women. On this 20th anniversary, has anything really changed?
The French Pantheon was created in 1790 to honor those who have done great service to the country. The motto over the door reads "To great men, a great country". In the 21st Century it's very slowly honoring a small number of great women as well.
Let’s stop the abortion debate right now. We already know how. Eliminate the need for abortion. If all babies were planned and could be cared for, women wouldn’t have to seek the procedure. Here’s a modest proposal a la Jonathan Swift: control men’s fertility.
March 14 is date this year when U.S. working women finally reach the amount men earned by the end of last year. And that’s only when all women are lumped together. Black women won’t meet men’s last year benchmark until September 21, Hispanic women October 8, and Native women will have to wait until November 30. Twenty years ago the wage difference between what U.S. women and men earn overall was 80 cents on the dollar. Now it’s 82 cents. Mighty poor progress.
March 8 is International Women's Day, and it's time to check in on where the good ol' USA stands in relation to the rest of the world. Spoiler Alert -- We're not number one.
We've been celebrating President's Day since the 1870's, and it's the same old, same old again this year. Will it ever change?
It's Black History Month, and that means the gals along with the guys. Visit two women you probably never heard of who were "firsts" in their field...
Analysis of the issues President Biden addressed in his State of the Union Speech in 2022, what was in, what was out, and commentary on what needs to improve in 2023.
House Republicans took early action to help their constituents. Does that mean you? Could be -- if you're in a certain group.
Roe v. Wade establishing the right to abortion was decided January 22, 1973. It was argued and won by Sarah Weddington, a young lawyer with little experience. In this 2012 interview on the 39th anniversary of the decision, Martha Burk talked with her on what it was like. Weddington died in 2021, a year before the Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022.
There's been a lot of chaos on Capitol Hill in the past week with Republicans failing multiple times to elect a Speaker of the House. Martha Burk talks with Nancy Pelosi on being an effective Speaker after she was elected for the second time in 2019. Make note of what has changed since then -- and what hasn't.
Are you awake yet? Does your head hurt from a wee bit too much champagne, or were you a good kid who welcomed the new year at church? However you did it, you probably didn’t stray far from U.S. tradition – fireworks, the countdown, popping that bubbly, or lighting a candle for good luck. Come with me on a quick tour around the globe to see how other countries mark the changing of the calendar.
Well, we made it through another year. Let's review some good -- and not so good -- news for the female half.
The annual holiday shopping frenzy is well underway, but quite a number of folks will be MIA
The annual Fox News fueled so-called “War on Christmas” is once again in full swing. Militant Christians say the evergreen tree is a Christian symbol for a Christian holiday. On the other side, folks like a complaining Rabbi say Christmas trees leave out holiday celebrations by other faiths. Turns out, both sides are wrong.
Congress adjourns at the end of the month. Will pregnant workers be shortchanged again?
The last of the turkey has gone to hash, and Black Friday's behind us. Consumers are snapping up the latest gee-whiz gadgets, cheesy clothing, and mountains of plastic soon-to-be-junk from toy stores. Call a halt -- and start a new tradition.
Thanks giving is a time for food, family, and fellowship. But who will be missing at the bountiful repast?
Our vets, men and women alike, have served our country honorably. But one group is still being dishonored by the system . . .
More than Inflation and Abortion are at sake in the elections. There’s another more important issue that affects all voters, and is also very important for both local and national elections.
Halloween day wraps up October and ends with ghosts and goblins out in force. But there’s something a lot scarier than black cats, bats, and skeletons to be afraid of.
Early voting has started, and we hope the majority – women – will turn out big time. But here’s a tale of women who got the vote real early – in the late 1800s. And who knows? It might really have happened.
Can you really make social change through music? Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and John Lennon are icons of the protest songs of the '60s and '70s. Notice anything? Try this . . . .
Quick – who discovered America? If your mind instantly jumped to Columbus, you’re with the vast majority of U.S. citizens. Since 1937 when President Roosevelt bowed down to the Catholic poohbahs of the Knights of Columbus by establishing Columbus Day as national holiday, generations of students have been taught that the Italian explorer “discovered” our country. But ........
Love it or hate it, we're in a brand new election year. What with the lowest rating for Congress in history and the gridlock on Capitol Hill, this may seem like less than the greatest news. But women ought to be pretty enthusiastic. Women can control any election, and are letting the candidates know it.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is trying to out-Trump Trump in his early bid to be the 2024 presidential nominee. Contrary to assertions that most immigrants are rapists and criminals, the majority of people migrating to our shores from other countries share one thing in common. Real immigration reform must take into account the unique needs of this group working to become U.S. citizens.
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham drew a bead on women last week when he fired off a bill in the Senate that would outlaw abortion nationwide. But alas, he missed his mark – the shot hit the Republican party squarely in the foot.
With the right to bear arms no matter the consequences firmly established in U.S. law and psyche of its citizens, the NRA has to push new laws to stay viable and keep Congress and state legislatures firmly in its political pocket. One of the more dangerous so-called gun rights the group has cooked up is "campus carry".Will students heading back to college this month be packing heat along with the books and booze? In eleven states the answer is yes, with more on the way.
Labor Day was created in the 19th century by the unions, to celebrate the economic achievements of American workers. But if we look at the 21st century “economic achievements” by U.S. corporations in taking advantage of their low wage employees, we might as well rename it Labor Exploitation Day. Big low-wage employers are now issuing ATM style "payroll cards" instead of paychecks, costing low wage employees hundreds of dollars a year just to access their money.
NASA is planning a new moon shot in a couple of years, and a test flight blasts off August 29, 2022. So what's new? Under the Artemis program, the Launch Director is a woman -- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, and the staff responsible for launching the rocket to send the spacecraft around the Moon and back to Earth, is about 30% women.
Women have made steady gains in many areas since they got the right to vote in August of 1920, but there is still work to do. When elected officials refuse to back pro-woman policies, today's females should borrow a page from the suffragists and use their votes to hold elected officials accountable.
Well we did it. Made it through another year. Women have had some good news, and some bad news. What with wars, floods, police shootings, terrorist attacks and all the rest, we’ve probably missed a few things. So let’s review some items that didn’t make the front pages in 2015.
Starting last month with Starbucks’ plain red holiday cup, and culminating in actions like the banning of a teddy bear tree to benefit needy kids at an Albuquerque school when a Rabbi complained, the annual hysteria over the so-called “War on Christmas” is in full swing. Christians say the well-known evergreen is a Christian symbol and others say it leaves out different faiths. Both sides are wrong.
Consumers are snapping up mountains of plastic soon-to-be-junk from toy stores, and the latest gee-whiz gadgets and cheesy clothing from big boxes. Is it stuff we need? Will we love it in January? And what's the message we're sending to our kids? Call a halt -- and start a new tradition.
December is for celebrating, but it's also about remembering one of the darkest days in decades, December 14, 2012 – when 20 first graders and 6 educators at Sandy Hook elementary school were gunned down by an ex-student wielding a shotgun.
Thanksgiving’s over and Black Friday’s behind us. But the shopping frenzy will continue right up ‘till midnight on the 24th. Love or hate it, shopping is now a national pastime. But for many, especially the 16% of American workers making the minimum wage, holidays are a time of worry.
Thanksgiving will be just like any other day for millions of U.S. citizens who rely on food stamps. No turkey, just trimmings to the already meager food stamp program. House Republicans want a $40 billion dollar cut. Senate Democrats want $4 billion. Whatever they choose, it’ll be on top of the loss these families suffered when a 2009 temporary increase ran out November 1st.
The gender pay gap reared its ugly head again this month, with a massive study released by the website PayScale. Almost one and half million workers logged on over a 2 year period and spilled the beans about how much they’re paid. The highest earning group? Men with kids. They way out earn the lowest group – you guessed it – single women with kids.
When it comes to how we treat our veterans, we do pretty well in some areas, but fall down in others. Homelessness is one of the worst. It’s way too high for both male and female vets – and this is one area where women are catching up to men.
Halloween is behind us, but I’ve still got some scary news. We’ve started the one-year countdown to election day. We’ve already been bombarded for months with red-hot anti-tax, anti-woman, anti-immigrant, and anti-poor rhetoric from a fool’s dozen Republican candidates. Can we really take another year?
Afghanistan President Asraf Ghani is scheduled to visit the U.S. this month. He said in February that peace talks with the Taliban would start soon, and reports say the talks could also start in March. Let's hope so. For the past year it's been hard to see progress through the bombs and bullets. Afghanistan is a place where peace just won't stick, and women are all but shut out of negotiations.
Michael Bloomberg spent $12 million last year trying to get members of the Senate to vote for background checks, but his return on investment was lousy. So this year Mr. Bloomberg has as a new strategy. Instead of trying to change lawmaker’s minds, he’s going to try and change their faces.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but nearly 50 women in the U.S. are murdered with a gun, most often by a husband or boyfriend every month of the year. Congress could protect women and save lives with a few fixes that wouldn't infringe on the rights of lawful gun owners -- if they had the political will.
Lately we've been awash in a debate over whether a Muslim should serve as President, triggered by Republican candidate Ben Carson, who said Islam is inconsistent with the constitution. As a woman in the U.S., I don't fear the possibility of a Muslim in the White House nearly as much as I fear the radical Christians now seeking the GOP nomination.
Get ready for Pope, Pope, and more Pope 24-7 this week, as the pontiff makes his rounds in the nation’s capital. No doubt Pope Francis is kinder and gentler than his predecessors, especially on issues that affect women, like abortion and ending a marriage. But on one issue of great importance -- priest sex abuse -- the pontiff is not as good as he looks.
It was down to the wire before a decision was made to include Carly Fiorina, the only woman in the race, in this week’s Republican presidential debate. Will a woman in the prime-time lineup help the Republican cause? It could, but it depends much more on how she appeals to the majority of voters – other women.
Contrary to assertions by Republican candidates that most immigrants are rapists and criminals, the majority of people migrating to our shores from other countries are now female. Real immigration reform must take into account some of the unique needs of women working to become U.S. citizens.
Labor Day was created in the 19th century by the unions, to celebrate the economic achievements of American workers. But if we look at the 21st century “economic achievements” by U.S. corporations in taking advantage of their low wage employees, we might as well rename it Labor Exploitation Day.
Women have made steady gains in many areas since they got the right to vote in August of 1920, but there is still work to do. When elected officials refuse to back pro-woman policies, today's females should borrow a page from the suffragists and use their votes to hold elected officials accountable.
With the right to bear arms no matter the consequences firmly established in U.S. law and psyche of its citizens, the NRA has to push new laws to stay viable and keep Congress and state legislatures firmly in its political pocket. One of the newer so-called gun rights the group has cooked up is campus carry. Will students heading back to college this month be packing heat along with the books and booze? In nine states the answer is yes, with more on the way.
Hooray for Netflix. The company jumped in front of 99% of corporate America last week when it announced an unlimited first year leave policy for new parents after the birth or adoption of a child. You heard right – unlimited. And it applies to fathers as well as mothers.
The first Republican debate is this week, so it’s time to take a peek at how the candidates feel about the majority of voters – women.
July 30 marks a very important anniversary in our modern political history. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law, creating two programs that would improve the lives of Americans, especially women. Fast forward to 2015, and both are very much under siege. Nowhere is the struggle starker than in competing budgets now on Capitol Hill.
The U.S. Senate has done it again – blocked a vote on the Military Justice Improvement Act. It’s a bill by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand that would move the decision about whether to prosecute sexual assault in the military from the chain-of-command and turn it over to independent military prosecutors. Right now, senior officers -- not law enforcement -- get to decide guilt or innocence. Most of the victims are afraid of being punished by superiors if they come forward. And for good reason.
Are you a person who can’t go a whole day, or even a whole hour without checking Facebook? Or do you belong in the opposite camp with other folks who declare it a colossal waste of time? Either way, you should be paying attention to some recent developments at this behemoth of online business, especially if you’re female.
The so-called religious freedom laws Republican candidates seek are fig leafs for discrimination against gay couples. But if such laws become reality, they would go far beyond the ability of a Christian business to refuse to cater a gay wedding. Other religions would by definition be accorded equal rights to discriminate based on their own beliefs.
On July 4 we celebrate the Declaration of Independence, which declared that "all men are created equal," and unfortunately it meant just that. Women still do not have equal rights in the U.S. Constitution, and they're needed now more than ever.
There’s an old saying “be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.” That applies in spades to Republicans who have voted over 50 times unsuccessfully to overturn Obamacare. But now the GOP wish may be granted by the Supreme Court, set to rule by the end of the month in a case that experts acknowledge could gut the Affordable Care Act. Who will be hit hardest if Obamacare goes away? Women, of course.
Unlike the rest of the developed world, paternity leave is an alien concept in the U.S. Only 12% of American workers get any kind of paid leave for care of newborns and adopted children. In the few companies that grant the benefit, new dads get far less than moms. It's time we recognize dads need time off too.
The President is asking for "fast track" authority to give the White House sole negotiating authority on the Trans Pacific Partnership, a giant trade agreement between the US and twelve Pacific Rim nations. Trouble is, the provisions are secret, and he won't tell Congress or the people what's in it. But thanks to Wikileaks, we already know it's a disaster for U.S. workers -- especially women.
June 6 marks the anniversary of D-Day, the day in 1944 when Allied forces in World War II invaded France from offshore. Thousands never made it out of the water, making the landing on Normandy one of the deadliest days of the war. In an all-out push, 150,000 men – and one woman -- hit the beaches.
We all know about taxes – income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, use taxes, entertainment taxes – it seems like the list is endless. But there’s one tax that’s a new one on me, even though I’ve been paying it for most of my life. If you’re a female, chances are you’ve been paying it too.
Republican Speaker John Boehner said the recent abortion ban passed by the House was very popular and wouldn't change how women feel about the party. He's right. It won't how women feel, because women already hate the GOP.
Too often when Albuquerque is in the news, it's bad – a police department under scrutiny by the Justice Department, or an unsolvable homeless problem. But recently the city made news for something good – especially good for women. Initiated by Mayor Richard Berry, the Albuquerque City Council unanimously passed a strong gender pay equity initiative that is the first in the nation.
The U.S. is far behind other developed countries when it comes to support for motherhood. Most mothers are in the paid workforce, and we need new policies that match reality.
The U.S. has put a dozen aircraft carriers and guided missile cruisers off the coast of Yemen, to support Saudi Arabia's military strikes against Yemeni rebels. At the same time the Saudis declared war on the rebels, they also stepped up another longtime war – the one on women. The king has used the conflict as an excuse to put all reforms of their punitive anti-woman system on hold.
This is the time of year when "good guy" awards are given out like candy to corporations supposedly good for women and minorities. Working Mother magazine just listed "Best Companies for Multicultural Women." But behind the scenes these companies aren't so great for women.
The U.S. tax system is supposed to be fair. But is it? If you're an ordinary worker, you're taxed at a much higher rate than investors and corporations. Corporations claim they have the same rights as people -- so let's tax them the same as people.
The golf world will be obsessed this week with the Masters Tournament. The Green Dinos at Augusta National Golf Club will wine, dine, and brag about how their club is so exclusive the membership roster is secret. Well, mostly secret.
It takes until April of every year for women to catch up to what men made by the previous December 31, and that's for full-time year-round workers. President Obama could do a lot, even without Congress.
AARP has done a feature on best places to retire for years, and Time magazine does a similar analysis on “best places to live.” But nobody has done an analysis specifically aimed at women – until now.
The Grand Old Party is trying desperately to appeal to women – the majority of voters – and denies that it has engaged in a so-called war on women in the last few years. If that’s true their upcoming budget should show it. The Obama budget wants to triple the tax credit for child care. We’ll see what the GOP proposes. After all, they’re supposed to be for family values.
Afghanistan President Asraf Ghani is scheduled to visit the U.S. this month. He said in February that peace talks with the Taliban would start soon, and reports say the talks could also start in March. Let's hope so. For the past year it's been hard to see progress through the bombs and bullets. Afghanistan is a place where peace just won't stick, and women are all but shut out of negotiations.
March 8 is International Women’s Day, so it’s time to check in on where the good old U S of A stands in relation to the rest of the world when it comes to gender equality. Spoiler alert – we’re not number one.
There’s been a lot of controversy over the movie Selma and the Academy Awards. Selma is rightfully centered on Dr. King, and has been rightfully criticized for the way it portrays President Lyndon Johnson. But there’s another slight that also distorts history, and that’s the role King’s wife Coretta played in the civil rights movement.
The red carpet rolls out next Sunday – and hopefuls, hacks, and superstars alike will be chasing the most coveted prize in show business. But are women getting equal treatment in filmdom? It took the Academy 45 years to nominate the first woman director, in 1976. Since then, a whopping three more have been nominated.
In the all the years we've celebrated President's Day, we've never honored a female president, because we've never had one. It's not that women haven't tried, starting with Victoria Woodhull in 1870. Eleven more women have run since then. Could it be time for a female in the White House? 2016 might be our lucky number.
Lately we’ve been awash in a debate over the term “radical Islamist.” Should we use it or not? In addition to savage beheadings and mass shootings, they want to send women back to the stone age. But as a woman in the U.S., I don’t fear them nearly as much as I fear the “radical Christians.”
In January we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the greatest icons of the 20th century, known by all as the strongest advocate for equal rights for African Americans using non-violence. King was a great man indeed, but we should also be celebrating the January birthday of another civil rights hero who pioneered non-violence, and preceded King by half a century.
The U.S. Senate convened on January 6th, with 13 new members. he new crop includes twelve Republicans, and a single Democrat. Some people think 13 is a lucky number, but when it comes to votes in the new senate, it could be very unlucky for women.
The mediocre movie "The Interview" catapulted to international fame when Sony pictures caved to the North Korean government and scuttled -- but later reinstated -- the picture’s opening. That caused "Interview" to rake in $20 million bucks in its first couple of weeks. The bonanza was triggered by a major hack of Sony’s computers that revealed the movie’s comical plot about assassinating the North Korean president. But something else was revealed in the hack that is no laughing matter. Sony is guilty of sex discrimination in pay – the gender pay gap is alive and well, even at the highest levels. Case in point: Jennifer Lawrence.
Well we did it. Made it through another year. Women have had some good news, and some bad news. And what with wars, floods, domestic violence, police shootings and all the rest, we’ve probably missed a few things. So let’s review some items that didn’t make the front pages in 2014.
This time of year the world celebrates peace – or claims to. Radical Islamist Taliban insurgents have intensified their attacks on the Afghan capital with brazen bombings and afternoon raids. They’ve gone after Kabul’s police chief and an outspoken women’s rights activist. That may be because Afghan women are actively agitating for a place at the peace table. According to the international aid group Oxfam, women are being left out of government efforts to start peace talks with the Taliban.
We celebrate a lot during the holiday season – family, faith, giving. But since 2012 the season is not all about celebrating. It’s also about remembering one of the darkest days in decades, December 14, 2012 – when 20 first graders and 6 educators at Sandy Hook elementary school were gunned down by an ex-student wielding a shotgun.
The last of the turkey’s gone to hash, and Black Friday is behind us. We’re now into a full-on month of shop till you drop. Consumers are snapping up mountains of plastic soon-to-be-junk from toy stores and big boxes alike. Is it stuff we need? Will we love it in January? And what's the message we're sending our kids? There's a better way, and here it is.
A replay of “What Price the Princess Cult? Toys, our kids, and harmful messages” from December 2012. Listen to it again here!
A replay of "No Turkey, Just Thanksgiving Trimmings" from November 2013. Listen to it again here!
After a drubbing in the elections President says he wants to work with the new Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell. Let’s they don't shake hands on the Trans Pacific Partnership, which McConnell has named as a priority. What is it? A giant trade agreement between the US and twelve Pacific Rim nations now being negotiated in secret -- and it's a disaster for U.S. workers.
When it comes to how we treat our veterans, we do pretty well in some areas, but fall down in others. Homelessness is one of the worst. It’s way too high for both male and female vets – and this is one area where women are catching up to men.
Women are the majority of the population, of registered voters, and of those who actually show up at the polls, meaning they can control any election. The gender gap is alive and well -- women usually go for Dems and men stick with the good ol' boys in the Republican party. But if candidates listen, getting the female vote is just not that complicated.
Ebola panic is sweeping the nation, and politicians, always eager to take advantage of voters’ fears, are jumping on the bandwagon hoping it will pay off at the ballot box. Most female voters aren't buying the baloney -- Gallup polls show equal pay is the number one issue.
It’s been a rough couple of years for reproductive rights – not only with the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision granting corporate control of contraception, but in Congress and statehouses around the country. Females are the majority of voters, and a super-majority when they’re joined by men who support them. Women can control any election, and we’d better make it happen.
We’re in the countdown to the mid-term elections, so let’s talk about what’s at stake for the majority of voters – women. Unfortunately women also make up another majority -- those working for our pathetic $7.25 an hour minimum wage.
First of five broadcasts on what's at stake for women in the upcoming elections. Today's topic: Some candidates are promising to repeal Obamacare if elected. What does it mean for women if the system goes away?
The Census Bureau's latest report says poverty is down. Sounds like good news -- just not for women. The poverty rate for them is the highest rate in 20 years. But we can't raise the minimum wage (majority female workers). We have to pay for those unending wars in the Middle East.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews, Scotland, votes September 18 on whether to admit women. If the measure passes, the club will be firmly planted in the 20th century. They're following in the sexist footsteps of Augusta National, where it took 10 years of activism and nearly $80 million in legal settlements to break the Green Dinosaurs. Women knew all along it wasn’t about golf.
College students are hitting the road back to school this month. There’s no doubt it can be a wonderful experience. But for some, college will be a nightmare. Specifically the nightmare of sexual assault for one in five female coeds. Congress is proposing new ways to curb the mayhem, but it's not enough. Here's a controversial but effective remedy.
August 14 marks the day in 1945 when President Truman announced Japan’s surrender in World War II. The war was over, but now Japan had to be rebuilt, including changes to the constitution. There was one little-remarked provision that was unheard of in Japan, and to this day goes beyond even the U.S. Constitution. Women were given equal rights with men. How did that happen? A woman on the drafting committee of course.
More than a month after the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision allowing corporations to refuse birth control coverage for female employees, the brouhaha has not died down. Anger is building -- and at precisely the time the Democrats are counting on single females to push them to victory in November.
When the U.S. space program was launched, women were tested for astronaut duty -- and passed. But male astronauts candidates and NASA big-wigs objected, and the women's program was shut down. So we literally put a man on the moon. That giant step should have been for womankind too.
This is the time of year when "good guy" awards are given out like candy to corporations supposedly good for women and minorities. Working Mother magazine just listed "Best Companies for Multicultural Women." But behind the scenes these companies aren't so great for women.
On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act.
Meant to end race discrimination in employment, a ban on sex
discrimination was tacked on at the last minute. Laughter broke out on
the floor of Congress. Many thought adding sex was a joke.
A replay from June 9, 2012 with tennis star Billie Jean King on the anniversary of Title IX (June), the law that opened sports to women in 1972.
There’s a new twist on forced arbitration that goes far beyond the workplace. It literally affects everybody – because it’s aimed at people who buy food. General Mills, maker of Cheerios and Chex, Bisquick and Betty Crocker, has added language to its website telling consumers that they give up their right to sue the company if they interact with it in any way. Never mind if the cake mix contains ground glass or there’s a few mouse droppings in the cracker box. According to corporate reasoning, you signed away your rights merely by buying the product. Other companies are sure to follow.
The GOP has picked Obamacare as the so-called “hottest” election year issue. They say it's a failure. Trouble is, they have to tell lies to back up their claim. Prices are down, enrollments are up, and people think it's generally a good idea. Come election day, we may see some liars turned out of office.
Michael Bloomberg spent $12 million last year trying to get members of the Senate to vote for background checks, but his return on investment was lousy. So this year Mr. Bloomberg has as a new strategy. Instead of trying to change lawmaker’s minds, he’s going to try and change their faces. Borrowing a page from the NRA playbook, his new group, Everytown For Gun Safey, will campaign against lawmakers who don’t support their agenda.
The Senate has passed a bill to restore benefit payments to the long-term unemployed,but Speaker John Boehner says he won’t bring it up in the House until the cost is paid for, meaning spending cuts somewhere else. Fair enough. Here are a few suggestions for cutting welfare to save taxpayer money.
Workers– women and men alike -- are increasingly forced to sign arbitration agreements as a condition of getting hired. That means if they learn about pay discrimination or they are sexually harassed on the job, they can’t go to court – they’re forced to go to arbitration instead. And most of the time the arbitrator is chosen by -- you guessed it --the company of course.
Way back in the '70s there were country songs bemoaning taxes. Things have changed a lot since then -- for the worst. In those days the rich paid their fair share. Now ordinary workers pay far more than those who don't go to work at all -- fat cats living off dividends and capital gains. And many major corporations pay zero taxes too. To paraphrase another '70s ditty -- "they got the gold mine, we got the shaft."
A unique kind of bracket was created this year by the American Association of University Women. They ranked schools on how big the head coaching pay gaps were between men's and women's teams. Coaches of women's teams are getting shortchanged -- by a lot -- at every school in the tournament. UConn's women’s basketball squad has a better record than the men's team, but women’s head coaches get only 49% the dollars showered on their male counterparts. Florida pays women’s team coaches only 21% of what the men’s coaches get, Kentucky 22%, and Wisconsin 26%.
According to a couple of case coming up before the Supreme Court, the United States, which was founded on the principle of religious freedom, has now become a bastion of religious persecution. The oppressed group? American business. Hobby Lobby and others are claiming they’re being persecuted for their faith. Didn’t know a business could be a member of a church? I didn’t either. I Never saw one being baptized, celebrating a bar mitzvah or making a pilgrimage to Mecca.
There’s some new news for women on the job front -- and as usual, it’s good and it’s bad. The good? Unlike men, women have actually regained more jobs than they lost in the recession, and their unemployment rate is under 6.4 percent. The bad news is they’re lousy jobs.
This year on International Women’s Day we honor two female members of the Resistance during World War II, who were imprisoned in the Ravensbrück women's concentration camp. Germaine Tillion Geneviève de Gaulle and will be interred in the Pantheon. They will join 72 men and only two other females -- Marie Curie, and the wife of a French politician who was buried with her husband. The motto above the door states: "To great men, a grateful country." At long last, it may now also become a monument to great women.
If you look only at the categories for acting, women come in for an equal share of the Oscars. But peeking behind the velvet curtains, a different picture emerges. Women are still a tiny minority in the movie business overall -- so much so the lack of opportunity has been dubbed the "celluloid ceiling." An interview with Women and Hollywood founder Melissa Silverstein.
Football star Michael Sam made a bit of Black history when he came out as gay this month. To do that ahead of the NFL draft took a lot of courage. Sam will no doubt be remembered as a groundbreaker, but he couldn’t have done it without groundbreakers before him – like Coretta Scott King. Remembered for civil rights marches in the ‘60s alongside her husband, most don’t realize she was an early advocate for gay rights as well. Includes audio from one of her speeches.
In the all the years we've celebrated President's Day, we've never honored a female president, because we've never had one. It's not that women haven't tried, starting with Victoria Woodhull in 1870. Eleven more women have run since then. Could it be time for a female in the White House? 2016 might be our lucky number.
For the first time in history, women outnumbered men on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, and even bested the men in gold medals. This year in Sochi the gender ratio slipped a little. With 105 women and 125 men, women make up 45% of the team, even though ski jumping is open to females for the first time.
But if you look behind the numbers for women athletes, you see that the Olympics are still very much an old boys club when it comes to the ruling bodies that control the games, and that may be why sexism is still rampant.
President Obama had some inspiring words for women in this year's State of the Union Speech. But we've heard good words before. Can he turn rhetoric into reality?
According to the latest statistics available, one teen or child is killed with a gun every 3 hours 15 minutes, many by their peers. It's time for some prison time.
Roe v. Wadehas been under constant attack since the Supreme Court declared abortion legal in 1973. Right now it looks like opposition forces are winning. More restrictions have been put in place since 2011 than during the entire previous decade.
Love it or hate it, we're now in an election year. This is good news for women, because they are the majority of voters, and candidates know it. If they listen, getting the female vote is just not that complicated.