The Road Ahead

For now the road ahead looks bright for the Democratic Party. We are now ready to take control of our country and move forward. Our President Elect is building his administration, setting up meetings with world leaders and making plans to hit the road running on January 20, 2009. The painful part is the long wait before that day arrives but still there is a lot of work to be done before that day. America is watching carefully as he picks his cabinet to see where his administration will move. Women are looking to see if he will place women in positions of power. Clearly we want our voices represented in the new administration. There are many talented women to choose from and it would not be well for him to make a misstep at this point in history.

We are also looking to see how Michelle Obama defines her roll as our nation’s first lady. We want her to show that along with being a caring mother that she is also a very intelligent woman who can give voice to the difficulties that working women face in our country. First Lady Michelle Obama has expressed a desire to work with military wives as a small lab to expand into with projects that would improve family life.

How can the Senate and the U.S House of Representatives help? On day one they can put forth a piece of legislation that will give women equal pay and give the U.S. Supreme Court clear direction on when to start the clock on when a women can sue a business for pay inequities. They can reform education by doing away with “No Child Left Behind.” They can fund early childhood education and tutoring for all age levels so that our children are all given a balanced chance at success. They can pay teachers and instructional staff who work directly with students what they are worth and do away with over payment of school middle management and administration. They can develop more support for working mothers by providing safe cost effective child care. Paid family leave for parents would go along way toward helping working mothers balance family and work.

Now is the time for President Elect Barack Obama to show his respect for the women of this country.