Women's Outreach Office Closed

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Unk's Wild Wild West : One Thread

Women's Outreach Office Closed Feminist Leaders Decry Bush's Shuttering of Clinton Creation

By Amy Goldstein and Mike Allen Washington Post Staff Writers Thursday, March 29, 2001; Page A21

Callers to the White House Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach listen to the telephone ring six times before a recording begins. "As of January 19, 2001, this office no longer exists, and we will not be able to retrieve your calls," a pleasant, female voice says. "We apologize for the inconvenience."

Aides to President Bush had given no clue they had disbanded the small office created by the Clinton administration as a conduit for women's political concerns. So the leaders of feminist organizations -- already disheartened by Bush's appointments and his views on abortion and affirmative action -- reacted with outrage yesterday as word began to circulate of the office's demise.

"If [Bush] doesn't want there to be polarization, wants to get out of gridlock and head-knocking, this is a strange way to go about it," said Patricia Ireland, president of the National Organization for Women.

Even yesterday, the White House was reluctant to discuss the matter. Asked at a morning press briefing about the accuracy of a report in yesterday's Boston Globe that the office had closed, press secretary Ari Fleischer replied: "I don't have a final answer on that yet. . . . I haven't gotten to the bottom of it yet."

Later in the day, White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan said, "We are committed to strong relations with women's groups." She said that members of the White House public liaison office are designated to interact with such groups, as had been the case during Clinton's tenure. "We are still working on how best to structure that," she said.

Another White House source, however, confirmed that there were no plans to reopen the office for women's initiatives.

Created in mid-1995, the office never had more than a few staffers, but it was considered symbolically -- and strategically -- important among the many women's groups that had urged Clinton to open it. Its staff reviewed legislation and administration proposals to gauge their impact on women, and they arranged briefings. They also created a symbiotic relationship with women's groups, alerting them to forthcoming issues, in exchange for early feedback on how those groups would respond.

At various points, leaders of women's groups recalled yesterday, the office had arranged meetings with senior administration officials -- including Clinton, at times -- on issues that included domestic violence, equal pay, bankruptcy, abortion, the participation of women in clinical trials and Social Security reforms.

Not all women's activists oppose the action. Wendy Wright, communications director of Concerned Women for America, a group that says it works to "bring biblical values into public policy," said she was "thrilled" that the office had closed. "That office was really just to promote a radical feminist agenda," she said. "There are other views that are finally getting a hearing in the White House."

Joyce Ladner, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, compared Bush's move to close the office to his suspension of Clinton's initiative on race. "I don't see women as a group or people of color as being on his radar in the way President Clinton identified them as special interest groups," she said. "I expect to see just a lot of dismantling."

-- (White House thumbing their noses @ women's. concerns), March 29, 2001

Answers

I am outraged!.

-- (MollyYardbird@NOW.orgy), March 29, 2001.

"Wendy Wright, communications director of Concerned Women for America, a group that says it works to "bring biblical values into public policy," said she was "thrilled" that the office had closed. "That office was really just to promote a radical feminist agenda," she said.

BIBLICAL VALUES into PUBLIC POLICY?

-- Debra (Thisis@it.com), March 29, 2001.


Hmmmm....which "Biblical Values"? Would they include this one, perhaps?

Exodus 22:18 "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." (KJV)

No offense to my Christian friends here, but I never have seen a clear set of "Biblical Values."

In any case, before I could react to the closing of the office, I'd want to know its intended purpose (titles can be deceiving) and get an idea of its past activities and finances.

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), March 29, 2001.


To clarify my post -- I'd hope to get beneath what the newspaper article had reported -- maybe try to check a few other sources.

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), March 29, 2001.

Concerned Women for America is a vast rightwing group.

Concerned Women of America (CWA) is the largest women's group in America. The CWA's membership dwarfs the membership of the National Organization of Women (NOW), and there are many who claim that its structural sophistication makes NOW's look sophomoric. Tim LaHaye's wife, Beverly, heads the organization. Corporations helping to bankroll CWA include: Pepsico, Levi Strauss and Co., Avon, American Express, Sun Company, the United Bank of Denver and the Government Employees Insurance Company. CWA's "Kitchen table activists" are organized into prayer groups and phone trees, with members committed to performing simple but effective tasks like phoning and writing government representatives. Fifty people form a chapter. Each chapter consists of a leader and seven prayer chain leaders who, in turn, each have seven contacts to make on a given issue. When the network is activated over a particular news event or pending piece of legislation, the results can be phenomenal. In one two-week period, CWA and followers of another Christian ministry deluged a federal agency with 97,000 letters.

snip from an obscure file http://www.pir.org/gw/cwa.txt

Background: Concerned Women for America (CWA) is a national women's organization founded in 1979 by Beverly LaHaye specifically to fight against the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.(2,4) CWA considers itself to be a "pro-family" alternative to the National Organization for Women (NOW).(2,3) It has since expanded its agenda to work for the return of the"fundamentalist morality" of the group's interpretation of the Bible, including the submission of women to men and household duties.(4) Beverly LaHaye is the wife of evangelist Tim LaHaye.(2,3)

CWA is extremely active on the political scene working in opposition to abortion, pornography, sex education, the Equal Rights Amendment, and "secular humanism." These are the issues that CWA perceives to be threatening the values promoted by Judeo-Christian ethics and the American family. Its political lobbying arm is Concerned Women for America, Inc.(5)

-- (bent @ over. ladies), March 29, 2001.



Yep, just a pseudonym for "Stepford Wives".

Why am I not surprised there's a LaHaye involved?

-- (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), March 29, 2001.


Pat,

Is this why you said that you wern't surprised to see a LaHaye involved?

Link

-- Peg (pegmcleod@mediaone.net), March 29, 2001.


Good. Another waste of government money and another special interest group with insider access gone. Good.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), March 29, 2001.

domestic violence, equal pay, bankruptcy, abortion, the participation of women in clinical trials and Social Security reforms."

Radical feminist agenda? It is radical to want to find solutions to domestic violence? It's radical for a women to expect equal pay to perform the same job as a male? This is just disgusting, and it is a real shame. A REAL shame. I will continue to say that Bush has already assured himself of a one term presidency. Republicans will be voted out in droves in 2002.

Buddy

You are a male chauvenist pig. Got that wife barefoot and pregnant? When was the last time you beat her? Does she bring you your slippers and beer so you can watch sports and ignore her? Thank God I only run across your type on this board. You make me sick. I am sure this is reciprocal.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), March 29, 2001.


Oh, and Buddy, you male chauvenist pig, you really think women are a "special interest group" who should not have "insider" access. Go back to the dark ages where you belong. Better yet, go form your own country where you can deny women the vote and make them your slaves. Do you honestly think that the power-broker men who run corporations should be the only ones with "insider" access?

You are a sick pup.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), March 29, 2001.



Um, FutureShock, calm down. And fuck you too.

Do you honestly think this office started by Clinton represents all women?

"Office for Women's Initiatives and Outreach" What a joke. I'd be just as against an Office for Men's Initiatives and Outreach, or an Office for (insert favorite special interest group here)'s Initiatives and Outreach. Give me a freakin' break.

This office was just another "affirmative action" boondoggle.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), March 29, 2001.


Buddy, with an attitude like that, I'm genuinely surprised you seem to support the current administration. After all, what are they but a collection of Corporate Stepford People -- IOW, Special Interest Groups.

Peg, kind of a "who's who" of right-wingnut circles, don't you think? Did you notice from where they all emanate? But, oh no, there's absolutely NO CONNECTION with the Unification Church, is there?

-- (PatriciaS@lasvegas.com), March 29, 2001.


And another thing:

Created in mid-1995, the office never had more than a few staffers, but it was considered symbolically -- and strategically -- important among the many women's groups that had urged Clinton to open it. Its staff reviewed legislation and administration proposals to gauge their impact on women, and they arranged briefings. They also created a symbiotic relationship with women's groups, alerting them to forthcoming issues, in exchange for early feedback on how those groups would respond.

At various points, leaders of women's groups recalled yesterday, the office had arranged meetings with senior administration officials -- including Clinton, at times -- on issues that included domestic violence, equal pay, bankruptcy, abortion, the participation of women in clinical trials and Social Security reforms.

Really useful office there. They "reviewed legislation," they didn't write any (according to this article). They "alerted women's groups in exchange for early feedback." Gee ya think they could have alerted all of us voters instead of just the women's groups? They "arranged meetings." In other words they acted as a pubic relations/secretarial office. Oh, what a loss! What will women do without this valuable service? Do you suppose the Bush White House has a PR dept. they can "arrange meetings" through? This was nothing but a lobbyist PR department that was made part of the government. What a crock.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), March 29, 2001.


I don't support any administration in all things. I only support good moves when I see them. There's plenty that the Republicans are doing that I don't support. The "faith-based initiative" comes to mind. I am vigorously opposed to that.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), March 29, 2001.

Somebody git my fishing pole...I'm gonna hook me a big'un!

..before anyone's nose gets outta joint...it's a freaken JOKE..K?

-- Peg (pegmcleod@mediaone.net), March 29, 2001.



"Read my lips you worthless, underachieving, no count welfare sucking parasites. Get off your lazy liberal ass and get a job."

-- No more gorging at (the@government.trough), March 29, 2001.

FS

It is refreashing to hear someones (I think you are a guy) -- advocacy for womens' issues that exist. Not only do you know and appreciate PG era Genesis, you understand the plight of women! You are a credit to the human race. (You have got to come to a TMB Lamb show - I am sure you will be amazed)

-- ----- (Supready@aol.com), March 29, 2001.


Future Shock's troll imposter is at it again.

-- thought he would get bored (I@guess.not), March 29, 2001.

Have YOU ever listened to "The Lamb"? If so, you would know - that I am just a Lurkess (most of the time) - so call me a troll (aren't they those cute little figures with long hair?).

-- (supready@aol.com), March 29, 2001.

Taken from the above link -

"Ironically, Beverly LaHaye urges women to stay at home and work for the preservation of family values while she travels about the country and the world most of the year. However, she asserts that she is not following her own ambitions, but has been called to her work by God. LaHaye is an anti-feminist who appeals to the economic insecurities of women to keep them in "their place." She has convinced many women that feminism is their enemy-- a movement that will steal their security by eliminating the "male responsibility" to care for them."

Called to her work by God my ass.

Loolwa and Lilith don't look too bad compared to LaHaye do they?

-- Debra (Thisis@it.com), March 29, 2001.


Supready:

Yep. Male. Thanks for the kind words. Good to see you again.

Checked out the dates back some time ago for the lamb shows but could not make it to Montreal at that time.

Looking for them on Napster. Any clues how to search?

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), March 30, 2001.


FS

I wouldn’t have a clue as to how to find them on Napster. However, on their website if you look under donations you can find that they have a CD for $15 donation (to their worthy cause). The CD has 4 songs along with the stories Gabriel told (right down to the smallest detail – the tuning of instruments, etc). The four songs are “Watcher of the Skies”, “Cinema Show”, “Firth of Fifth”, and “The Musical Box”. On the CD you will find that all songs are performed live but sound exactly like the studio versions except for Watcher – that one replicates the Watcher off of the “Genesis Live” album. Also, for $25 you can get the CD plus a video of them performing “The Musical Box”. Or, if you like, I can get you a CD next time I go see them (I think I am going again to Quebec City – then again to Montreal). If you check their website again, they have more agenda dates posted.

-- -- (supready@aol.com), March 30, 2001.


FS,

"Radical feminist agenda? It is radical to want to find solutions to domestic violence? It's radical for a women to expect equal pay to perform the same job as a male? This is just disgusting, and it is a real shame. A REAL shame. I will continue to say that Bush has already assured himself of a one term presidency. Republicans will be voted out in droves in 2002."

Your disgust in what Bush did is so narrow. I applaud Bush's shut down of the office, just wasted space. Equal pay (EO) and awareness of domestic violence didn't start with Clinton; it started way back in the 60's and 70's. Women's movement died with Clinton. Clinton opened this office just for window dressing. I appreciate your support for women's rights but show me one thing pushed by Clinton that promotes any of the items in your quote.

BTW, I question Bush's point in closing this office. I agree with it just wonder why he didn't leave it open for political reasons.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), March 30, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ