In other words – how do you apply Karl Rove’s Machiavellian lens to what’s going on within the Republican primary – assuming it’s orchestrated and not accidental.  For those, like my husband, who think I’m being too paranoid on this, I say: I prefer to be paranoid and prepared rather than caught off guard and in search of Canadian real estate in November.  Ya know?

Here are some examples of what seems like chaos and ridiculousness with a WIKD lens applied:

• Way back last year, when Palin and Bachmann were both potential candidates, I thought – why is Karl letting this happen.  And that’s when I realized that they make folks like Newt and Mitt look moderate.  Since the election will be won in the middle and not on the right or the left, this is, ultimately, an advantageous point.
• Along those lines – by having Santorum and Perry attack Mitt for being just like Obama, it may cost Mitt some support from the right, but it starts to sow seeds of support from the independents/moderates
• By having Newt attack Mitt for being a vulture capitalist (love that term)– it defangs this particular eventual argument for the Democrats (just like the Rev Wright story coming out in the primary did rather than down the Oct stretch).  It also makes Mitt MORE appealing to a segment of the Republicans who like that sort of thing) THEN – by having Newt back off of that argument, it essentially and symbolically says “but this is a non-issue anyway”.
• It seems like the Republican primary is a circus and could go on a long time.  The WIKD version of that is: reality TV draws much more attention than news.  So – let’s hold onto the spotlight and keep it off the Democrats/Obama.  Plus – it gets the anti-Obama invective shown on prime time more frequently and for a longer span of time.  We all know the more the Republicans repeat a meme (even a lie), the more likely it is to be considered a truth, or at least sow seeds of doubt.

Now – it’s your turn.  Post your WIKD thoughts in the comments below!

After a meeting with friend and colleague, Don Brinkman, he allowed me to choose two epiphytes for my kids. I brought the plants home in my lunch bag along with instructions and squirt bottles. I handed the whole packet of stuff off to my kids thinking that they’d have some fun with these things, but that was about it.

The instructions were pretty sweet and really resonated with my kids. They instructed them to register their plants on www.epifriends.org (you can see a close up of Spike and Thorn on the site), water them regularly, bathe them, name them, etc… Fundamentally – a super lesson in anthropomorphization. To say that my kids embraced these little plants is an understatement. For those who lived through this phase of the universe, you’ll appreciate the comparison that a tamagachi doesn’t hold a candle to what these epiphytes are enjoying within the care of my kids.

Enjoy the photo and video album of my newest “kids”. Note – while they started out in their own places, it was inevitable that they’d need to seek some efficiencies – as well as company – and become roommates.

Thorn and Spike

Day 1: They live apart

Thorn in sports car

Spike on pink puffy rest

An introduction on day 1 to Thorn’s habitat (his first name was Hollis until his true name was discovered)

An introduction on day 1 to Spike’s habitat

Day 2 – adding I-5 (everyone needs a speed ramp out of their home!)

Day 3 – the Epi-condo – Spike moves in with Thorn

Day 4 – Earthquake proofing the Epi-condo

(It’s amazing what city zoning will allow these days. I mean – really? Toilet paper tubes? Who knew?!)

(spelling is hers)

CEN I help? Yes You CAnn.

WUT Will We DOO ABAWT that?

LAnD UVV The Wrld. Will YOU help MY?

CUM On? I don’t Wont to go BUT it will BYY Fun

LETS DOO SuMThing. WUT I Don’t nOW?

Let’s BilD. Wel WUt?

As a Seattle SuperSonics fan in the 90s, I used to groan when I knew the Phoenix Suns were coming because I knew that Kevin Johnson had our number. He’d steal the ball like candy from a baby. But then – when he eventually hung up his sneakers in 2000, he chose to go back to Sacramento and get involved in transforming the schools there. He helped bring in innovation into the schools and improved outcomes for the students who, previously, had the worst trajectories. Over time, he chose to take that action to higher office and became Mayor of Sacramento – where he continues to champion and focus on the economic ecosystem – and education’s role as a fuel pump in that system.

When he was here, I realized: THAT’S the type of leadership we need in Seattle. Someone who’s going to question the status quo and collaborate with other community leaders to see what can lead to quantum, and not just incremental, improvements. Someone who understands the balance between making sure the trains run on time AND testing out high speed rail – but applying that to education.

I also realized how important it is to fund and support leadership like KJ’s, even in another city, because we can learn from him and build bridges with him. It’s a rare and important opportunity to support a rising star with profoundly aligned values – one who has the chutzpah to steal the ball when needed, and the kindness to know when to hand it to the little kid under the hoop for an assist. It’ll be key to both keep him in office as well as show the base of support that he has – even beyond Sacramento.

All that said about KJ, I got to see my own little rising star at that gathering when my son, unbeknownst to me, came up with speech in hand to share in front of the group. Since I can’t even sort of do it justice, I’ll simply share with you a photo (thank you George Griffin!) and the text of what he shared. Enjoy! And then think about how/whether you will support those suggested by my son below AND whether you will support www.teamkj.org

“OK who here votes for Kevin Johnson, he is a supporter in learning!  So lets get him to be mayor – he supports learning and he probably would like this! Many teachers have formed a group because they believe it is more about the kids and less about the teachers.  They believe that it’s not right to tell kids, “hey I’m just going off for 8 days leaving kids with a sub.”  I have some bad memories with subs, but that’s a different story.  The leader of those teachers quit his favorite thing, teaching, to start this foundation to a better world!  Teachers all over the world are helping and you can help too.  1. You can donate to any school 2.  You can spread the word by emailing or texting or by just talking about it.   So a gold star to learning!”
- Sidney LeVine

<for more by Sidney LeVine – be sure to check out his educational (and quite catchy) song “A Bee Goes Buzz”>

Ring 1: Self and family – a focus on the New Year Ring 2: Community – Seattle School Board considerations Ring 3: State – info on Eyman’s 1125 Ring 4: Nation – Immediacy in the Obama campaign Ring 5: World – coming soon

Btw- be sure to follow me: Twitter: @suzilevine; www.facebook.com/suzilevine

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Ring 1: Self and family:

• This, to me, is the foundation on which it all sits. While issues such as school board decisions, state transportation, women’s reproductive rights, and Middle-east relations may sit on each respective ring of my Suzi-centric view of the world, they all rest on the core circle – me and my family. As you parse the news, every-so often, I encourage you to look from that lens to see how it affects your voting decisions. Plus – personally, if Ring 1 is out of tune, then the rest collapse.
  
• It being the Jewish High Holidays, it’s a particularly introspective time right now. Here’s my blog post with my thoughts and reflections for this New Year – and how I’m working on my core (and, no that doesn’t mean Pilates).

Ring 2: Community:
In this case, I’m going to focus on Seattle – and the Seattle School Board – because this affects more than just our kids, this affects the city and region’s future.

Things are far from perfect in Seattle’s school district and there’s a lot that needs to happen to get us just up to good (nevermind excellent). However, there are 4 seats up for election this year and, after conversations with many people in education whom I respect and trust – and after doing some listening and research, it is clear to me that the challengers would set the district back substantially. Here is an article summing up a recent debate w/the incumbents and their challengers from the Seattle Times. And this is the July article w/endorsements and info on each race. Some observations from this set of challengers:

1. They all oppose the introduction of Teach for America teachers into Seattle.
2. At least 3 of the 4 challenge last year’s progressive teacher contract and the inclusion of student test scores as a factor (but not a sole factor) in teacher evaluations. This contract was, frankly, one of the high points of what the district has done lately and needs nurturing, not nuking.
3. While they’re all angry about where we are academically here in Seattle (which they should be –because we’re in the stone age) – it’s unclear what the challengers’ visions are for getting us to a substantially better place.

Ballots will be distributed in the next 3 weeks (and we’re 100% mail-in) – so before you cast your ballot for the school board, be sure to read up on this election. I encourage you to vote for the incumbents: Sherry Carr, Harium Martin-Morris, Steve Sundquist, and Peter Maier. Have other thoughts on these candidates? Please feel free comment below

Ring 3: State

Tim Eyman is back and it’s critical that everyone who cares about infrastructure tell everyone they know to vote AGAINST Initiative 1125 – another Eyman initiative. This initiative primarily does 3 bad things: (1) limits tolls to pay for new bridges and gas taxes to pay for highways. (2) blocks using I-90 as a cross-lake route for light rail to the east side (1125 is being bankrolled by Kemper-freeman, a longtime critic of light rail). (3) requires toll rates be set by the legislature rather than the State Transportation Commission. Unfortunately, because many people in this state generally think that paying less is better, the latest poll from King5 shows that this Initiative would pass. Today’s Sunday Seattle Times had a pretty good roll-up of the Initiative that’s worth reading.
Action Item: Help the viral push to stop 1125 by encouraging your friends to VOTE NO on 1125 and then ask them to tell their friends. For a shortcut – send this page from FUSE (or find another source of info) or even just take the section I have above and send it out. As a state, we can’t afford another debacle like this that cripples the state’s infrastructure!.

Ring 4: Nation
Let’s talk about Obama. We have 13 months left until the election and a lot is going to happen between now and then. With that baker’s dozen of months left, below are five key thoughts coming out of my experiences with his visit and conference calls last week:
Action Item:
After reading the below points, I hope you will feel motivated to make a meaningful contribution NOW to the campaign – or to start planning for when you do. If/when you’re ready to contribute – please use my link. I can then track it to make sure to apply your contribution to a future event (if you’d like). Alternatively – let me know if you’d like to get together to talk about this. Thank you, in advance, for helping the campaign!

1. This election is a choice, not a referendum
   1. The Republican Party and the challenger will seek to make the election a referendum on the economy. For example, they’ll try to position it that, if you don’t like what’s happening with the economy or if you don’t have a job right now – it’s the President’s fault and you should vote against him. This is why certain leaders in Congress (McConnell, Boehner and Cantor especially) are so devoted to opposing the President and sabotaging the economy. The worse the economy is by election season 2012, the better their chances of winning the White House. It’s critical to not let the conversation – and the votes – become a referendum.
   2. Your vote next year, however, isn’t a referendum. It’s a choice. And the choices we face between Obama and a challenger will become even starker over the next year. Below are just a couple of examples of the choices we’ll need to consider between the candidates:
      1. For women – do you want to retain and even, perhaps, expand family planning and reproductive rights? Do you want to expand support for equal pay for equal work? At every turn and challenge, Obama has stood up for women on this – including going toe to toe with Boehner last spring when he threatened to shut down the government in April because he wanted to cut funding to Planned Parenthood. Look at Obama’s Supreme Court appointments and the fact that they would uphold Roe v. Wade. McCain/Palin wouldn’t have done that – and nor would any of the current Republican candidates. As I told my niece – assume a return to horrifying conditions for reproductive rights if we don’t step up to support the re-election because none of the current or prospective Republican challengers do.
      2. For LGBT – do you agree with the decision to allow gays in the military? Guess what – none of the Republican challengers do. Imagine that decision being rolled back.
      3. The Environment – Do you like the EPA? Obama has more than doubled fuel efficiency standards and believes in maintaining environmental regulations. He has also put tight controls on deep water drilling. His opponents would get rid of environmental regulation, get rid of the EPA and drill baby drill (say goodbye to the arctic national wildlife reserve).
   3. As Obama said during a conference call (quoting Joe Biden): “compare me to the alternative, not to the almighty”
2. We need everyone to get off the sidelines because the most effective components of the campaign won’t wait. We can’t assume – this election is not a slam dunk. I have many people saying to me: “I’m disappointed with his X decision and am going to wait to contribute.” Or “…I’m not going to contribute to his campaign, but I’ll vote for him”. Others, still, are saying “he doesn’t need my help – he’ll win anyway”.
   

   On Nov 7^th, 2012 – I want to be able to look back at this moment and say “Thank goodness those people got off the sidelines early enough to fuel key infrastructure and field operations so that we could overcome the massive smear campaign with knocks on doors.” No matter how upset you might be that the President didn’t support a particular part of an initiative or that he didn’t message whatever happened in the way you’d hoped, he has made more progress than any President in decades on a variety of areas and the alternatives are truly untenable (see point above about choice/not referendum). And – remember that in 2008, it was a “landslide” with 53% of the vote. You know what happens when you ASSUME.

3. The value of a contribution now is significantly higher than one made in 6 or 12 months. The items requiring funding now have incredible multiplier effects:
   1. Field organizers – put in place now, they’re going to be able to build up a bigger network of staff and volunteers. This then enables more door-knocking, more voter registration and more get out the vote. SO – there’s a direct ROI. You can’t, however, just get these networks set up at that last minute.
   2. Protecting voter’s rights – A recent “TheWeek” magazine article talked about how more states are clamping down on voter registration in order to disenfranchise the young, poor and minority populations. In Florida, for example, with ACORN as a scapegoat, they made it a felony if you register someone to vote and don’t turn in that registration within 48 hours. I can’t tell you how many times during the 2008 election I inadvertently sat on registrations for 3 or 4 days. Plus – what the campaigns will frequently do is capture the contact information from the new voter so that they can remind them to vote during the “Get out the vote” period in the fall.
      

      The campaign is putting its plans in place now for extensive voter registration activities – AND is also investing in strategic voter protection activities. For example:

      1. In Ohio – the Republican governor and legislature passed a law getting rid of “Golden Week” – the one week where voters could always register AND vote at the same time. Obama for America is working to gather signatures now to challenge that law on the 2012 ballot. If they have the several hundred signatures to get that challenge on the 2012 ballot, then “Golden Week” can still happen in 2012, regardless of the outcome of whether or not that challenge comes through and protects “Golden Week”. Again – this is an example of something that can’t just come together at the last minute next summer. It requires investment now.
   3. In combatting the massive advertising organizations such as Karl Rove’s “Crossroads” is already doing – we need to be able to step up on advertising, but it’s on the ground and through technology that we will be able to win.
4. Obama is governing 100% of the country, not just the 53% who elected him. Therefore, as much as everyone wants every decision to be aligned to what they specifically want, it’s not gonna happen. My personal attitude is that I need to advocate as hard as possible for the issues that matter to me in order to influence where we will end up on the decision spectrum. That said – given the fact that I do not necessarily agree with everyone, I will naturally not get my way all the time. But – just because I don’t agree with or understand every decision doesn’t mean I don’t support him.

Ring 5: The World – I’ll save for a future note…

Lastly – I’m going to finish out with 2 things –

1. A very fun quote from the Daily Show last week when correspondent Larry Wilmore spoke recently about Herman Cain’s upset in the Florida straw poll:

• Larry Wilmore: “this just further proves Politics is like a Porn Movie”
• Jon Stewart: “How’s that?”
• Larry Wilmore: “the Pizza guy shows up out of nowhere and f—s you.”

Here’s the video

1. A photo of a friend’s baby with President Obama last week when he was at the Paramount. What an intense and zen-like interaction! What must he be thinking?

   
   

1. Cheshbon Nefesh (technically means “accounting of the soul” – but also is like a “soul receipt” – which sounds like a good band name).  This is the concept of looking back at the prior year to do the equivalent of your personal and spiritual review.  Did you achieve your objectives set the prior year?  Where might you need some work?  Where did things exceed objectives?
2. Speaking of objectives: a concept called This Year’s Focus has been a way for me, each year since I was 18, to have a singular objective and to keep things simple and compelling.  This year, well, actually, it’s been my journey for several years, is “being present“.  But not just in mind or even in body.  I learned that both the Hebrew and Chinese words for “attention” or being present have to do with the heart (Sim Lev is the Hebrew for “attention”).  This means more readily removing distractions like cell phones, computers and multi-tasking at key moments with my family, and other communities with which I want to be present.  Previous years’ foci have included:
• Forgiving myself/cutting myself some slack
• Not judging others
• picking my head up out of the sand
• etc…
3. Tabula Rasa – I love this idea of having a clean slate each year.  Of course, you have to work for that by asking for and/or granting forgiveness.  For those wracked by guilt, this is like doing a 10 day cleansing without the green beverages!  And – what a cool thing to do for/with kids: making space for and teaching saying sorry and forgiveness.  Imgaine if our leaders did this exercise!
4. A mini-death: on Yom Kippur, you’re supposed to fast as well as not wear anything that was once alive (ie – leather shoes).  You are supposed to also wear white (even after labor day).  This is to signify  burial shroud.  Think about this concept – dying in order to experience rebirth & a clean slate.  Intense…
5. A Wake Up Call – literally.  Remember the scene in Harry Potter when he selects his personal wand (or it finds him) at the want shop?  I had the same experience when, at age 12, my parents let me loose in a shofar shop on Ben Yehuda in Jerusalem.  After trying every one in the shop, I left with the shofar whose sound and shape spoke most deeply to me.  Since my 2nd year of college, I have had the honor, privilege, and responsibility of blowing shofar every year for my community.  The tradition is rich in terms of the meaning of the shofar.  For me, blowing the shofar comes down to a way to channel my soul through the horn to wake everyone up down to their kishkes and to break down the proverbial walls blocking us in our lives.

L’Shanah Tova!

BUT THEN – at 11:30 – the President I worked so hard to elect really shows up. My favorite line is: “The American people may have voted for a divided government, but they didn’t vote for a dysfunctional government”…..2nd favorite is: “Americans are fed up with a town where compromise has become a dirty word” and then the call to action really hits it home when he asks people to contact their members of congress and finishes out with “We are disjointed individuals but not society”.

It was a fascinating move to almost let Boehner off the hook – speaking directly to those Republicans who signed a pledge that is binding them. Read this Opinion piece on the “Pledge” that Republicans are allowing to shackle them to idiocy. Then – take a look at this fantastic comment on that opinion piece.

Pick up the phone and call your (and other) members of congress! Raising the debt ceiling without raising revenue simply compounds our issues!

Favorite Quotes | Session Notes

Overview:

On May 19^th, the Women’s Leadership Forum took place in DC and provided a tremendous lens on the administration’s work on behalf of women – both looking back and looking forward.

Over the course of the day, there were many amazing women (and men) who spoke – diving into issues that deeply affect women. Here’s the incredible line-up with links to the notes on their sections.

• Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz
• Valerie Jarrett – Chair of the Council on Women and Girls and senior advisor and assistant to the president for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Obama administration
• Tina Tchen with a healthcare panel including Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Cecile Richards and Nancy Keenan
• Katie Stanton (Twitter) introducing Madeleine Albright
• EPA chief Lisa Jackson
• Michelle Obama
• A messaging panel w/ Anita Dunn (has run comms for the campaign in the past) and Stephanie Cutter (WH deputy assistant)
• National economic advisory Gene Sperling
• A campaign strategy discussion w/ Jim Messina, Buffy Wicks (her real name) and Julianna Smoot
• oh – and the President J (although I didn’t take notes for that – as it was standing only)

I believe the point that really captured the day was:

If women received full equal pay in this country, GDP would rise by 9%.

In a nutshell, most of the sessions throughout the day helped illuminate the administration’s approach to helping improve the well-being of women – in both direct initiatives (Lily Ledbetter) as well as through general initiatives that profoundly impact women and families (Affordable Care Act or Title IX expansion). In addition, we learned about some of the campaign strategy – focusing on the role of women in the election – and got an update/perspective on foreign policy from Madeleine Albright (always a great thing). More details are in the session notes below.

Some of the relevant administration accomplishments over the past 2 years on behalf of women:

• Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act – equal pay for equal work – was the President’s first law he signed
• Affordable care act – ends discrimination – ovaries no longer considered a pre-existing condition. Especially important for women because we use healthcare more than men because of our reproductive years. 70% of adults in Medicaid are women!
• Billions allocated for Head start/early headstart and block grants
• Repeal of Don’t ask don’t tell
• Race to the Top – has improved education outcomes and structures across the US
• Child tax credit increase – more money in mom’s pockets –and important since 2/3 of families have a single mom or 2 working parents.
• Unemployment benefit reforms
• JUST AUTHORIZED and VERY COOL: He just released new guidelines under Title IX (yes – the equal sports initiative in colleges) that helps address rape and other crimes against women on campuses – making it a top priority for colleges.
• Many women as cabinet secretaries (although that left a couple of states w/o Democratic governors) and supreme court justices
• One of the most profound things put in place by the President isn’t legislation, it is organizational infrastructure. For the very first time, he set up a council on women and girls that, rather than be relegated to a separate space, contains a member from EVERY one of the administration departments. He recognized that Women’s issues aren’t resolved in separate committees – they’re resolved in EVERY committee. You can also see on the White House website that one of the primary issues in their “issues” tab is “women” (not that women are the issue

And here is one other effort that they’re in the midst of pushing:

• The fair paycheck act – would take the Lily Ledbetter effort to the next level. It has passed the house, failed the Senate – no Republican voted for it in the Senate. Especially relevant when you look at the fact that women still only earn 75% of what men do

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Scary Alternatives:

It doesn’t take a vivid imagination to project what would happen if the Republicans win the White House – or even the Senate. We’ve received a preview of what will happen with two of the first three actions the Republican house took:

• HR 1 – rescind affordable care act
• HR 3 – redefine Rape – only exception is if a woman is forceably raped

Other horror moves:

• The Rs also held Planned Parenthood hostage when trying to pass the new budget – threatening the shut down the government over funding family planning and women’s health support – and to the President’s credit – he said NO – that’s not on the table. Although the backfire on this is that there are hundreds of thousands who have gotten involved w/PP BECAUSE of this assault.
• In the month of April 2011, 33 Anti-choice bills passed into law in 9 states.
• The Republicans have been trying to eliminate the EPA. Here’s just one example of what the EPA is trying to rectify and that will be decimated if the Rs are successful: A study called “Pollution in People” reported on a study that tested cord blood from about 10 babies and found that they had 232 toxic chemicals in it-

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What we can do to help the President make change happen:

Politically, Jim Messina – campaign manager – shared out the overall strategy – and pointed out that women are absolutely critical to winning in 2012. In 2008, Obama won women by about 8-10%. In 2010, women voted 48% dem, 49% rep. Women are also a large portion of independents, are typically the last ones to vote (they generally want/need more info), and are more likely than any “group” to not vote at all if they feel ill-equipped to make a decision.

The question really is – what can we ALL do? How can we make sure to win women in 2012? Jim Messina’s quote captures it best:

“The single most validating decision factor for women to decide for whom they will vote is what their peers say.”

ACTION ITEMS

1. Refresh your personal network – Do you know women who were involved in 2008 but have taken a break? Do you know women who want to ensure a safe and viable future for women in our country? (as opposed to those mad max types) Now’s a good time to start identifying and reaching out to them.
2. Listen and, where appropriate, engage - Ask them out to coffee, lunch, a walk, etc…. – Listen to what matters to them and listen to what may be very real issues/concerns for them. Ask them if you can keep in touch and share volunteer and fundraising opportunities with them. OR – just ask if, when things come up, they’d be open to your emailing it out to them. If you don’t feel like you can answer the questions that they have about what’s been going on, no worries. Point them to the White House pages on women’s efforts, point them to the campaign, or – worst case – check in with me and I’ll see what I can find out. <just post in the comments>
3. Plan a Party and get involved in Project Women’s Vote – Start planning a house party or two. Materials will be coming out soon and it’d be great for you to open your house to that. Check on www.barackobama.com for more info.
4. Consider fundraising or fund giving – Women are an increasingly strong pool of the donors in this country. To win in this momentous cycle, we need to fuel things like an enormous field operation, protection against unprecedented attacks on voters rights and an extraordinary online and offline communications machine. Between the Presidential, an incredibly intense Senate election (think of the judicial confirmations they do!) and an increasing belief that, if we out-organize the other side, we could win back the house, we will need more people to step up as “investors” in making change happen in this nation.

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Favorite Quotes:

• Madeleine Albright:
  
  • “More comfortable w/an administration that believes Al Qaeda is our enemy over one that saves most of its ammunition for Planned Parenthood”
    
  • (in reference to Foreign Assistance and upcoming State Department funding discussions): “Think of it like preventative international care… we spend 700B (pentagon) v. 60B (state dept)”
• Cecile Richards: “This isn’t a fight we picked, but this is a fight we will win.”
• Buffy Wicks: “The single most validating decision factor for women to decide for whom they will vote is what their peers say.”
• Gene Sperling:
  • (on immigration) “Cannot be a melting pot without being a growing pot”
  • “When crafting the budgets – I promise that this President never for a second stops seeing the people behind the choices we make, the values behind the budget choices we make.”
  • (on Ryan Republican budget proposal) “It’s not because we’re criticizing their plan, it’s because we’re explaining their plan”
• Michelle Obama:
  • “Barack Obama never loses site of the end goal. He never gets distracted by the chatter and the noise – he just keeps moving forward.”
  • “If we keep showing up and fighting the good fight and doing what we know is right, then eventually, we will get there. We always have. That’s what he needs from you. He needs you to be in this for the long haul. …..To work like you have never worked before. I’m not asking you to do what I wouldn’t do . Not doing this as just a wife or a first lady, but as a mother …. And as a citizen…. “
  • “If any child is left behind, then that matters to all of us! …. That’s not what we do, that’s not who we are. If we put our hearts and souls into this in the next couple of years. … We can build that country that we want for our kids.”
• Jim Messina:
  • “If you can’t measure it, it doesn’t count”
  • “The single most validating decision factor for women to decide for whom they will vote is what their peers say.”
• Suzi LeVine w/help from Meryl Frank (former Ambassador to the UN for Women’s Issues) – this is not from that day – but is so related, I couldn’t help myself: “US Women hold 16.5% of seats in Congress. From my friend, H.E. Meryl Frank: Afghani women hold 27% of their Parliament’s seats!”

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Session notes:

533 days and counting (as of May 18^th)

Rep. and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz

First woman to be nominated to be DNC Chair by a sitting US President (also the first Jewish woman elected from Florida to congress!)

We have a President standing up for Women and who made women a priority. Some examples:

• Lily Ledbetter fair pay act
• Affordable care act – ends discrimination – ovaries no longer considered a pre-existing condition
• Billions allocated for Head start/early headstart and block grants
• Child tax credit increase
• Unemployment benefit reforms
• Women as cabinet secretaries and supreme court justices

If we don’t get 4 more years, we won’t just lose a President they will turn back; They’ve given us a preview if they had full control – OMG!

President changed it from “One Office for women” to an administration-wide focus on women – how can every office focus on women.

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Valerie Jarrett

Major challenges affecting all – but especially women – that the Pres has addressed:

• Educational excellence
• Innovation & entrepreneurship
• Environment
• Reigning in the deficit
• Healthcare reform
• Appointing strong women to cabinet
• Make it easier for women to get ahead – especially when they work so hard

White House council on women & girls – created right out of the gate – Every single federal agency and office in the White House sits on this council to make sure that addressing women’s issues is pervasive throughout the administration.

Issued a report: Women in America w/5 critical areas:

People, families and income, edu, employment, health

Good news:

• women have caught up in college attendance and more likely than young men to have a college degree
• women working more in labor force are equal

Bad news:

• Not equal pay (about 75% of men at same level) – given this inequity – women more likely to live in poverty – Pres created – Equal pay taskforce created to enforce equal pay protections to rectify this issue. Plus – pushing passage of fair paycheck act: Has passed the house, failed the Senate – no Republican voted for it in the Senate.
• 2/3 of families have single mom or 2 working parents (need to think about more to help those households w/working parents – ie Head Start support! And Childcare tax credit – to help more working families make ends meet. Also held workplace flexibility
• Access to healthcare is also problematic – seeing an increase in that lack of access. Affordable Care Act is addressing that.
• Women are more likely to be victims of internal crime $225M in recovery act to address violence against women (and 5,000 jobs) 1 in 5 young women will be the victim of sexual assault. Released new guidelines under Title IX to address this issue this spring. This has to be a priority from the top of every university!

How can people help? We need to get the word out. There’s a lot of work, still, for administration to do – and getting re-elected. There’s so much we need to do to win the future.

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Tina Tchen moderating women’s healthcare panel:

• Kathleen Sebelius – also used to be insurance commissioner
• Nancy Keenan – Montana legislature, schools commission, pres of Naral prochoice America
• Cecile Richards – daughter of Ann Richards and head of Planned Parenthood Action Fund

Tina started w/a story about a horrible choice a breast cancer victim she met had to make: health care v. keep roof over head

Sebelius:

• Womens’ lens on Affordable Care Act – Signature achievement
• Starting to address fact that women more likely to be un and underinsured than males and more dependent on husbands/spouses’ employers and that there are few rules (80% of plans have no maternity coverage)
• Important to know that women USE healthcare more than colleagues (because of reproductive years and we live longer).
• Some of what the act addresses
  • Can no longer do “Recision” – now illegal – where you drop them when they reapply
  • Preexisting conditions –
  • New plans have to offer preventive care w/no co-pays (ie mammograms, kids immunization
  • Neither of her (20something) kids had insurance out of college. Now that’s over
  • OBGYN can be selected as primary care
  • No more lifetime caps on policy

Bridging to 2014 – being a woman will no longer be a preexisting condition and it’ll be ILLEGAL – they can’t cherry pick the market.

Okay for a young woman to be charged 1.5 times for exact same coverage – but by 2014 – NOT allowed.

Changes in comprehensive care in the marketplace. A lot has been focused on insurance side, but big changes coming in the delivery side.

Medicare/Medicaid is 1/3 of population: These are very much womens’ programs!

70% of adults in Medicaid are women!

Not only do republicans want to de-fund Affordable Care Act that’ll affect private system – but also proposing:

• gutting public programs (ie – $770B over next 10 years cut from Medicaid).
• Would also change guaranteed care at a set age to a voucher system that’d cost:
  • 6400 out of pocket in 1^st year
  • 70% of cost of care paid for by seniors
• As opposed to that – the President has focused on HOW to deliver care more efficiently and effectively than currently happens. Ie – changing it from volume of tests.

Cecile Richards from Planned Parenthood

• Last administration – wasted 1.5B on abstinence education – whereas under Secty Sebelius doing comprehensive sex education
• Under the Republican congress – seeing the most full on assault against women’s healthcare. Not just choice – also about whether women can get cancer screenings and care. Want to end ALL family planning. Banning any access to Planned Parenthood for even well-women check-ups.
• They’re especially going after non-political women.
• They’ve put the bullseye on Planned Parenthood – now moved into the states and has galvanized a whole new generation 97% of their services are preventive care. Also – now seeing 2.6M patients online! Have increased their ranks by hundreds of thousands of people because of the assault.
• Mike Pence (Republican) helped galvanize a whole new generation of young people and helped define Planned Parenthood and built the support of Planned Parenthood. By the time it came to a vote – 65% of voters did NOT want to defund PP. Also – Every democratic congressperson voted against defunding it.
• This isn’t a fight we picked, but this is a fight we will win.
• Republicans made it an issue – and access to family planning.
• At the 24^th hour w/federal budget – John Boehner picks up the phone to call the President to demand defunding Planned Parenthood. President Obama said “NOPE ZERO”. President stood for women and drew a line in the sand. Women in America need to remember that in 2012.
• Women are the key to winning in 2012.
• In 2012 – 25% of electorate will be under age of 25. Eligible this time.

Nancy Keenan from Naral

Talking through shift

In 2010: women voted 48% dem, 49% rep.

Every potential Republican candidate is anti-choice and wants to defund Planned Parenthood. Strategy needs to be smart and focused.

Can’t change reality until what reality is. Therefore – need to do research. Must be strategic: Republicans only need 4 seats to regain Senate control. Defending 15 pro-choice seats this cycle. We know that pro-choice can be a winning issue. # of women voters will be critical – especially turning independent voters.

Good news: strong leader and chairwoman – DWS. Have evidence that the policies that are under siege are good for women. Know that the Rs have overstepped.

Idea: if just once/month – post about importance of reproductive health and importance of pro-choice candidates. Also – time to start defending the healthcare plan, reproductive health and choice. Your healthcare is private, but your opinion about healthcare is not.

Q&A/Panel session:

Sebelius:

• Rewind to 2010:
• Every Republican pushed the story that Ds were trying to destroy Medicare :
• Decrease in funding that they’re proposing is to
• Changes in Delivery system example: Partnership for patients: now – 1 in 3,5,7 patients are harmed by something IN the hospital (ie germs, pills, etc..) kills 100,000 people/year. BUT hundreds of thousands cost more ’cause of longer stays and such. Just cutting that by 10% w/increased focus on cleanliness and such. Delivering better care reduces longer term cost: $500B.
• Republicans, instead, offer an $8K voucher and then you’re on your own. No guaranteed benefits or services or providers. Transfers huge costs onto seniors.

Richards:

What we’re seeing at the states in terms of assaulting women’s health care. Indiana – legislature just passed bill preventing women from going to Planned Parenthood for preventive care.

She guarantees that, if Gov. Mitch Daniels runs for President, there’ll be a Planned Parenthood welcome wagon waiting for him.

Keenan:

Independent women need to hear the contrast and know the issue. They’re not staying as tuned to the situation. Incumbent upon us to help them know.

She’s more worried about Pawlenty & Daniels who can pass themselves off – ie John McCain who a lot of folks thought was Pro-choice.

Don’t assume people watch it and know it.

Q: When will Hearing Aids be guaranteed coverage by health insurance? Hearing shouldn’t just be for the rich.

A :There will be a decision around the essential benefit package coming down the pike. Currently – must include maternal and infant care. Hearing is likely to be a part of that package, but that process is under-way. Welcomes input into those benefits.

Q: how to reign in costs?

A: every family w/health insurance today pays $1K more for those who are uninsured. Hospitals amortize the cost of the uninsured to all others. If we have people who are out sick and don’t get the care – then we don’t have a productive workforce.

Having a market w/competitive system/marketplace for healthcare will help change that dynamic. New Law: Medical loss ratio: 80% of each dollar has to be spent on health care.

<Back to the Top>

Katie Jacobs Stanton (@katies) introducing Madeleine Albright

More comfortable w/an administration that believes Al Qaeda is our enemy over one that saves most of its ammunition for planned parenthood

Our task is to transform the promises that have been made time and time again to women across the globe into deeds.

Oversees, the US is making its presence felt in all the right ways worldwide.

Have a secretary of state who believes that Women’s and Human rights are inalienable, inseparable and universal

Building an action network WW to help young women thrive.

Q&A:

Question regarding women in the Middle East w/Israel/Palestinian conflict – especially in President’s speech.

Comment from Madeline Albright: Do we have an obligation to protect people when their governments won’t? In WW2, folks make the excuse of “we didn’t know”. That excuse no longer holds true. Therefore – with this protect doctrine, do we

“Democratic republic of congo may be misnamed”

Did get Rape designated as a weapon of war during her term of secretary of state.

One of the horrible stories is that Qhaddafi telling his people to go out and rape

Madeline Albright believes that domestic and foreign policy issues are profoundly linked. Good example is human trafficking – an issue rampant in the US and abroad.

What would the formal policy be to address sexual trafficking. Need to better understand the depth and breadth of the issue. Sometimes it’s the family that offers their child as an au pair or nanny, but then they get trapped.

In the next short while:

Will be voting for funding for State Dept. Some will take issue funding “foreign assistance”. MA proposes that this is about economic development abroad – that helps stability worldwide. Think of it like preventative international care.

700B (pentagon) v. 60B (state dept)

Answering a question about Saudi Arabia Talking about the middle east and

Remarkable speech in Doha about how women should be treated and

We have basic values but you don’t have exactly the same policy in each of the same countries. Important to keep stating what we believe in.

<Back to the Top>

Lisa Jackson from the EPA

Attributed the eagle saving to Rachel Carson who helped illuminate the bad effects of DDT:

One single woman can change the world.

Having Obama remain as President. Some of his accomplishments

Goals: drawing 80% of energy from renewable sources by 2025

Challenged us to invent new technologies and eliminate billions of dollars in oil subsidies to invest in green technology.

• Shrink our oil dependence – increasing safe oil production here at home.
• Making the economy more efficient and independent on oil – new fuel efficiency standards
• End tax breaks for oil & gas companies. Last 5 months: $4B in profits every week.

Example of opposition:

EPA report w/economic, environmental and health benefits from 1990-2020 from clean air act. Prevented 120K premature deaths, 130K heart attacks, 1.7M asthma attacks – over 1 year! Far outweighing costs

Puts to rest concern that we can’t have a healthy environment and healthy economy at the same time.

Proposal from the house included a ton of bad riders to reduce the effectiveness of the EPA – President eliminated all the riders.

President signed into law toxic disclosure. Part of the issue is that we didn’t have that before.

A year ago – tested cord blood from – http://www.ewg.org/files/2009-Minority-Cord-Blood-Report.pdf

Major issue Worldwide is urbanization. Going to be critical to develop a playbook for doing that sustainably. That’ll be #1 focus in Rio2012

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Michelle Obama

(note – she had much more to say than this – but I was too absorbed to write more than this)

Barack Obama never loses site of the end goal. He never gets distracted by the chatter and the noise – he just keeps moving forward.

When we’re worried that the bill won’t pass or the negotiations might fall through, he reminds me that we’re playing a long game. He reminds me that change doesn’t happen all at once.

If we keep showing up and fighting the good fight and doing what we know is right, then eventually, we will get there. We always have. That’s what he needs from you. He needs you to be in this for the long haul. …..To work like you have never worked before. I’m not asking you to do what I wouldn’t do . Not doing this as just a wife or a first lady, but as a mother …. And as a citizen….

If any child is left behind, then that matters to all of us! …. That’s not what we do, that’s not who we are. If we put our hearts and souls into this in the next couple of years. …

We can build that country that we want for our kids.

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Anita Dunn and Stephanie Cutter

Why messaging matters

Who he is and how he’s taking the country forward

Challenge is the people aren’t actually feeling the economic growth. Women plan the family budgets and pay the bills – so we feel it more acutely

A lot has been done, challenge is to connect the dots –

For example – Passing healthcare reform, bank reform, etc… does help the economy

This spring there have been foreign policy challenges with which the President has dealt masterfully – but it’s taken a public focus away from what we’re doing w/the economy.

Expect a laser like focus on the economy.

Part of what you stand for is what you’re fighting against.

If you only build an economy based on cutting the federal economy, can’t ensure basic social compact is in place.

Anita Dunn:

Quoting Gail Collins and highlighting that she’s found her voice – but this year, we all need to find our voice

This past month 33 anti-choice bills were passed into law in 9 states.

Big pushes to expect us to push:

1^st issue is Medicare: pushed that democrats are destroying medicare and that contributed to their winning 2010.

Oil & Gas subsidies: Basic values well illustrated in this. That’s $4B. it can buy a lot of pell grants, race to the top grants, healthcare. Probably isn’t necessary to give to the companies w/record profits. Why do they need those subisidies?

Move our economy to compete – have created more private sector jobs than were created in the full 8 years of deregulation and “good Bush” economic policies. Since “Job-killing healthcare has passed, it is more

Recommended sites from Anita Dunn Thinkprogress, media matters

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Gene Sperling – National Economic Advisor

The economy is nowhere near where we would like, but it’s come a long way from what he inherited. When people say “It could have been worse” – it was worse before.

The 2.3M private sector jobs were lost in the first few months

GDP loss of 6% per half year

March 9^th: 6440 DOW – traders betting it was going further

It might have been worse

Have gained over 250K private sector jobs in the past few months

AI- need some of these great “Metrics that Matter”

Auto companies – now projected to not cost a penny – but will make the American Taxpayer $7B

115Kjobs

Cannot be a melting pot without being a growing pot

When crafting the budgets – promise that this president never for a second stops seeing the people behind the choices we make, the values behind the budget choices we make. That is what guides us. Ie:

Where are you going to extend the bush tax cuts?

Why does Head start need a budget adjustment for inflation? Because 60,000 kids need to keep their preschool.

Not doing in the plan:

• Medicare: In the house republican plan, they want medicare to be a voucher plan. Average person would have to pay $6400 more. That’s not okay. In order to afford continuing tax relief for the most well-off, you are going to have to pay $6400 more to get less service and care.
• Medicaid – the proposed cuts are the most dramatic ever. They go after Medicaid because they think they can – especially since it’s perceived as a program for the poorest people/children. We have an obligation to show that they are wrong. They think they can fool everyone that it’s just for poor Americans. 2/3 of the cost of Medicaid – goes to older americans going into eldercare and families with disabled children.

The issues taken w/Republicans – It’s not because we’re criticizing their plan, it’s because we’re explaining their plan

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Messina and co – especially Project Womens Vote: Strategy to win

Women’s program – no more siloing women for Obama/wlf/etc… -

Needs to win women.

The women’s vote project will be a big deal.

How we win:

Value: Respect, Empower, Include, Win

How we win:

• Expand the electorate
• Build something gnew
• Grow the grassroots in the states
• Measure our progress
• Work for every vote

Grassroots Update:

• I’m in
• Conversations
• Summer Organizers (11,000 applicants – but 1500 accepted – building a group of high powered campaign activitists)
• Grassroots Planning sessions
• Revamped BO.com

Poll info: look at a bunch of polls

For the first time in the past 30 years since Gallup started – there is no republican front runner. 7 times in a row, they nominated the front runner

The one who wins Iowa, won’t win NH, but then they all go to SC, Nev and Florida

Recommends watching Michelle Bachmann

Outside groups a big piece of business:

Crossroads

• Karl Rove’s group spent 86M to take away the house
• Targeting $120M for presidential

If the president runs the best grassroots campaign in history, we will affect and win all the way down the ticket. We’ll turnout more voters than ever in history.

Steps:

• Build relationships
• Grow and maintain grassroots organization (3K staff/1M volunteers/4M donors)
• Build cutting edge technology (in the 2008 campaign, there was 1 facebook staffer. In the ca race, there were 30)
• Holding the GOP accountable – they don’t get to race around the country lying about our president without us pushing back
• Build a financial foundation

Julianna Smoot

Accomplishments:

• 2 million jobs over 14 months
• 15B plan for small businesses
• Health reform
• Wall street reform
• Tax cuts for 95 % of working families, extending middle class tax cuts and signing 17 small business tax cuts
• DADT – out of many, we are one
• Ended combat in Iraq

Operation strategy:

In 2008, won 12 states by 15 points or less. Electoral landscape will be more challenging in 2012. Republicans will engage in competitive primary process and will be fired up

In 2008, of those 12 states, a republican won statewide in 10 of those 12.

North Carolina has a lot of options for us, Arizona, Texas, Georgia

Numbers for what we’ll need:

Pennsylvania as an example:

Project women’s vote – Buffy Wicks (it’s her real name)

Women are the core of this campaign:

Women are 64% of active volunteers and within field leadership – women are 68%.

How do we get to where we need to go:

Project women’s vote:

Messaging – targeted messaging, test messages w/research

Paid media – TV, radio, print, mail & online; coordinate comms across media types

Field/political – work closely w/field program to build neighborhood teams; conduct outreach to grassroots

Metrics – measure performance using metrics; programs complete focus will be on generating votes

Women’s outreach will be fundamental part of our efforts

“If you can’t measure it, it doesn’t count”

The single most validating decision factor for women to decide for whom they will vote is what their peers say.

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Now – let me go in the way back machine to illustrate why I believe it’s critical to both aggressively pursue a path to peace as well as ensure Israel’s long term security – and why Obama’s speech resonates with me.

A few years ago, I was in New York for a conference on Jewish community.  One of the first presentations talked about population growth rates and points out that, at the current pace, Israel would no longer be a primarily Jewish state by 2020.  That evening, even though we were (and are) totally happy with our # of children, I ambushed my husband with a comment like “well, maybe we should think about it…” as if that had anything to do with truly increasing/enriching Jewish community in the world.

Without skipping a beat, he proved why my decision to marry him was based on more than just the unbelievable quality of his brisket.  “We’re doing more to enrich Jewish community by my teaching Kavana men’s cooking classes than by having any more children.”  So right!

<and further in the way back machine>

When I was a little girl (about 5 – in 1974) – I was on a bus in Jerusalem with my family and heading to a ticket office to pick up tickets to a ballet.  We were puzzled by a refrigerator that was on our bus and then delivered to where we had gotten off the bus, but didn’t spend time thinking about it.  We couldn’t find the ticket office, but found our way into a travel agency to see if they could give us directions.  As we were leaving that office, we were shocked with an explosion – and pulled back into the office by the staff member there.  Sure enough – the refrigerator had been left in front of the ticket office where we were headed and had blown it up.  Imagine how you’d feel if that was a regular occurrence?  Security is paramount!  No one – Israeli OR Palestinian, should have that kind of cloud hanging over them.

As people evaluate the speech from the President from the other day and then read the additional clarifications (here’s my blog post w/some of those and here’s an excellent NYTimes op-ed from Roger Cohen),  it’s useful to keep in mind the theory that there are two possible long term outcomes in that region:

• Two sovereign countries – one Jewish and one Palestinian
• One country that’s no longer a Jewish homeland

Time is not on the side of those who believe in status quo – on many fronts.  This is also evident in the actions taking place across the Middle East.

President Obama couldn’t be more clear that the goal is to have direct negotiations, that those negotiations are between Israel and the Palestinians – and that the outcome should be secure and thriving sovereign nations.

I encourage you to watch the speech he’ll give to AIPAC on Sunday May 22nd at 10am ET on my.barackobama.com/AIPAC and then in the afternoon up on www.wh.gov/video to hear a further articulation of his position on this.

Below you will find the link to the speech, talking points and ways to think about/parse the actions proposed by the President.  I’ll be posting my take on this on my blog tonight along with some of the unusual ways that I personally relate to what’s going on.  I wanted to get this in your hands ASAP, though, and need to get on a flight.

I really need you to share this with others who may care about this.  It’s critical that people understand what this speech means and delivers.  I’ve already received the Republican talking points and they are, as you might imagine, very dire, alarmist, and mis-interpreting.

Speech: Text  |  Video – Please be sure to watch/read it yourself rather than just consume the interpretations

Add’l info from the White House:

WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID ABOUT ISRAEL IN HIS SPEECH

• Israelis living with the fear that their children could get blown up on a bus or by rockets fired at their homes, as well as the pain of knowing that other children in the region are taught to hate them.
• The importance of a lasting peace that ends the conflict and resolves all claims.
• Palestinian efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure.
• Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won’t create an independent state.
• Palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection.
• Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist.
• Our friendship with Israel is rooted deeply in a shared history and shared values.
• Our commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable.
• We will stand against attempts to single it out for criticism in international forums.
• No peace can be imposed upon the parties, not by the United States and not by anyone else.
• America and the international community must state frankly what everyone knows: a lasting peace will involve two states for two peoples. Israel as a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people, and the state of Palestine as the homeland for the Palestinian people; each state enjoying self-determination, mutual recognition, and peace.
• The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.
• The President endorsed strong security principles for negotiations, including:
• Every state has the right to self-defense, and Israel must be able to defend itself – by itself – against any threat.
• Security provisions must also be robust enough to prevent a resurgence of terrorism; to stop the infiltration of weapons; and to provide effective border security.
• The full and phased withdrawal of Israeli military forces should be coordinated with the assumption of Palestinian security responsibility in a sovereign, non-militarized state.
• The duration of this transition period must be agreed, and the effectiveness of security arrangements must be demonstrated.
• The agreement between Fatah and Hamas raises profound and legitimate questions for Israel – how can one negotiate with a party that has shown itself unwilling to recognize your right to exist. In the weeks and months to come, Palestinian leaders will have to provide a credible answer to that question.

Additional Talking points on the speech overall from other key sources

• Today, President Obama gave a major speech focusing on the Middle East and North Africa.  President Obama views this as a moment of opportunity.  Now that we have drawn down the war in Iraq and killed Osama bin Laden, we can close the book on a decade of division and welcome the peaceful, democratic change that is sweeping the area.
• President Obama was clear that it isn’t America that brought the people of that region into the streets – it was the people themselves who began the movements there and who have to determine their outcome.  And that’s just as it should be.  America can’t dictate the conclusion of those movements.  But we can – and we will – talk about a set of core principles:
• America opposes the use of violence and repression;
• America supports a number of universal rights.  Those universal rights include free speech; free assembly; freedom of religion; equality for women and men under the law; and the right to chose one’s own leaders.
• And America supports political and economic change in the Middle East and North Africa that will help the people of that region to realize their legitimate aspirations.
• America’s support for those principles is a top priority that has to be translated into concrete actions.  Moving ahead, we have to bring together all our diplomatic, economic, and strategic tools in support of those core principles.
• President Obama was explicit that it will be the United States’ policy to support reform across the Middle East and North Africa and to stand behind transitions to democracy.  Although the President will stand up for our core principles, America’s policies have to be pragmatic, realizing that every country is unique.
• President Obama talked about the specifics of the changes that we have seen taking place across the Middle East and North Africa:
• Libya: Time is not on Gaddafi’s side.  He can’t reestablish control over Libya.  The opposition has put together a legitimate and credible Interim Council that is committed to upholding democratic principles.  And when Gaddafi unavoidably leaves power or is forced out of power, the new Libya will hold enormous promise.
• Syria: America has stepped up its sanctions on the Syrian regime – including sanctions recently announced on President Assad.  President Assad is now faced with a choice: he can lead a transition, or he can move out of the way.  To end the progression of delegitimization begun when peaceful demonstrators were shot, the Syrian government has to end its shooting of demonstrators and allow peaceful protests; it must release political prisoners and end unjustified arrests; it must give international human rights monitors and humanitarian workers access; and it must begin a serious dialogue that will move the ball forward on a democratic transition.
• Iran: Iran claims it stands up for the rights of protestors outside its borders, but it suppresses the people within them.  The first peaceful protests to rock the region took place in Tehran, where the government brutalized innocent people.  The Iranian people deserve their universal rights, and they deserve a government in keeping with their aspirations.
• Bahrain: The only way to move forward is for the government of Bahrain and the opposition to have a real discussion, and it’s impossible to have a real discussion when portions of the opposition are in prison.  The government of Bahrain has to create the conditions for discussion, and the opposition has to be willing to take part.  Both sides have to compromise to arrive at a just future.
• Iraq: In Iraq, there is the promise for a multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian democracy.  The people of Iraq have rejected the trials of political violence in favor of a democratic process.  And while the U.S. has pulled 100,000 troops out of that country, the people of Iraq have taken responsibility for their own security.
• Yemen: Those living in Yemen want a peaceful and orderly transfer of power.  America is calling on President Saleh to sign and put into action the historic GCC-brokered transition agreement right away, so that the people of Yemen can bring about meaningful political change that gives them the security, stability, and prosperity they deserve.
• Even as America promotes political reform and human rights, we have to advance positive change in the Middle East and North Africa by supporting economic development for countries that make the transition to democracy.  That is one smart way to promote democracy.
• Even as democratic revolutions come about because of a lack of individual opportunity, successful democratic transitions depend on creating the conditions for prosperity.  That is a case for trade instead of aid, for investment rather than for assistance.  That is why President Obama has put forth a new economic vision for the Middle East and North Africa – to support countries that make the transition to democracy, beginning with Egypt and Tunisia.
• The President’s approach is built on four critical pillars – support for improved economic management, support for greater economic stability, support for more economic modernization, and developing a framework for trade integration and investment.
• This Administration has put forth a set of initiatives that are targeted at supporting broader economic opportunity.
• Support for Greater Economic Stability: This Administration is stimulating financial support from international financial firms as well as Egypt and Tunisia’s neighbors, working to help those countries meet their short-term financial needs.  In addition, this Administration eagerly anticipates seeing the joint action plan that multilateral development banks are putting together for the G8 summit outlining what has to be done to stabilize and modernize Tunisia and Egypt’s economies.
• Bilaterally: This Administration plans to relieve Egypt of as much as $1 billion in debt by putting together a debt swap agreement that will swap the debt in a way that enables Egypt to invest those resources in job creation and entrepreneurship.
• Support for More Economic Modernization: This Administration is partnering with Congress to create Enterprise Funds to jumpstart private sector investment in Tunisia and Egypt.  Those Enterprise Funds are modeled after funds that helped enable the transitions in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall.  And this Administration will refocus the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development so that it offers support for democratic transitions and economic modernization in the Middle East and North Africa.
• And, as Secretary Clinton said in Cairo in March, OPIC will offer up to $2 billion in financial support for private sectors in the area.
  Development of a Framework for Trade Integration and Investment: This Administration will undertake a comprehensive Trade and Investment Partnership Initiative in the Middle East and North Africa.  It will begin step-by-step initiatives that enable stronger trade within the region, build on existing agreements to support additional integration with U.S. and European markets, and enable countries that adopt high standards of reform and trade liberalization to put together a regional trade agreement.
• At a moment when people across the Middle East and North Africa are casting aside the burdens of the past, that effort has to include a lasting peace.  We cannot truthfully say that peoples’ universal rights are being recognized when Israelis are forced to live in fear and Palestinians are stateless.
• We know the basic shape of a fair and lasting settlement.  Two states for two peoples.  Israel serving as a secure homeland for the Jewish people.  Palestine serving as an independent homeland for the Palestinian people.
• Although the central issues of the conflict have to be negotiated, the foundation for those negotiations is clear: a viable Palestine and a secure Israel.  The borders of Israel and Palestine ought to be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed upon exchanges, so that secure and recognizable borders are made for both states.  Israel has to be able to defend itself – by itself – against threats.  And provisions have to be made to prevent a revival of terrorism; to end the infiltration of weapons; and to offer effective border security.
• In the end, those are choices that have to be made across the whole region – choices between hate and hope; between the prisons of the past, and the promise of what lies ahead.  Those choices must be made by leaders and by peoples, and the choices they make will determine the future of an area that was the cradle of civilization and a crucible for modern conflict.
• America was established on the conviction that people should govern themselves.  Now, we have to stand on the side of those who are reaching for that right.

Personal thoughts/reflections: again – I’ll post to my blog tonight.