nwpc e newsletter

 President's Message

Dear NWPC Members:

Welcome to our first edition of our NWPC E-Newsletter!  We hope that this new communications tool will keep us connected to each other by sharing information about what is going on at National as well as what is happening at the state and local caucuses around the country. 

We are all part of one great organization “ The National Women's Political Caucus" and we are all doing our respective part at each level of the organization to accomplish our mission:  recruiting, training and supporting pro-choice feminist women for elected and appointed office at all levels.    But in order to feel as part of a whole, we need to know about what each other part of the organization is doing.

Our national board recognizes that communication needs to be our number one priority if we are to survive and thrive as an organization.   One of the key planks of my platform when I ran for President was to improve our internal and external communications.   My travels thus far have given me a glimpse of the exciting work that different state and local caucuses are doing in their respective parts of the country, and I look forward to getting to even more states to get a first-hand view of their accomplishments.   But in order to ensure that we are all aware of what each of our caucuses is doing so we can learn from these experiences and successes, we need a tool to spread the word.  So as one of our goals for the year, our board decided to launch this newsletter.

This newsletter will be sent out bi-monthly, so please send us news about your events, trainings, elections and members.  We hope to feature our best practices in different areas as well in each newsletter, such as fundraising strategies, membership recruitment and retention techniques, etc.  This newsletter is a work in progress, and we will grow and evolve as we go, just as our caucuses will continue to grow and evolve.  So please send us your suggestions for how we can make it better and more useful to you.  We also need to come up with a snappy name for it, so send us your entry and we'll see whose name is selected as the winner!
 
We look forward to continued improvement in our communications with each other.
 
Sincerely,
Lulu Flores
President

In this Issue:

Chris Matthews Protest
Endoresemnt of Clinton
NWPC and CNN Live!
35th Anniversary of Roe v  Wade
Women in U.S. Congress
Guest Column
Tax Deductible Opportunities
Campaign Manuals

The (Successful) Chris Matthews Protest

NWPC was part of an effort to get Chris Matthews of MSNBC's Hardball to rescind his repeated sexist comments about Hillary Clinton and other women elected leaders.   Lulu Flores signed a letter of protest from NWPC, NOW, Feminist Majority, The Women's Media Group and Gloria Steinem to NBC President Steve Capus
Additionally, along with Media Matters, NWPC organized a successful protest outside the office of MSNBC. All of our combined energy and work resulted in an on-air statement from Chris Matthews stating his remorse over his choice of language and comments. 
Along with much positive news coverage, NWPC received emails from individuals commending us for our actions as well as   contributions for our PAC and new memberships!  
Much thanks to our Executive Director Clare Giesen for her excellent coordination of our efforts. 

"I'll try to be clearer, smarter, more obviously in support of the right of women -- of all people -- the full equality and respect for their ambitions."
Chris Matthews January 17, 2008 public apology on MSNBC's Hardball
 
 
 
National Women' Political Caucus Endorses Clinton

"It's an honor to be supported by the National Women's Political Caucus," said Hillary Clinton. "For decades they have led the fight for women's equality in government and society."
136 years ago Victoria Claflin Woodhull, a suffragist, was the first woman candidate for President of the United States.  Woodhull's 1872 candidacy (against Ulysses S. Grant (R) and Horace Greeley (D)) preceded the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allowed women the right to vote.  In 2008, almost a century and a half later, never having had a woman US President and with only one woman running for the nomination on a major party ticket, the NWPC voted to endorse Hillary Rodham Clinton.  As with all of the candidates whom we support, Senator Clinton had to pass a rigorous vetting to determine that she met NWPC qualifications. To support the Clinton campaign, NWPC organized its members in 30 states, running grassroots fundraising events throughout the nation, (wo)manning phone banks, and other activities.
"I support her because she's already smashed the first-lady stereotype and made history as a fine senator, and because I believe she will continue to make history not only as the first US woman president, but as a great US president: I'm voting for Hillary not because she's a woman--but because I am." Robin Morgan

NWPC and CNN Live

On February 20, Lulu Flores (second from left) represented NWPC as a panelist on CNN Live discussing the importance of the Texas presidential primary and the women's vote. Later, according to Lulu, "While the Caucus has become an established leader in Hillary's campaign, we are also actively engaged in the campaigns of all our endorsed pro-choice women running for elected office.   We must use this momentum to help these Republican and Democratic candidates across the country win their primaries and general elections."

35th Anniversary of Roe v Wade

It is thirty five years since the January 22, 1973 Supreme Court's decision to legalize abortion. Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America and Sarah Weddington, the attorney who argued and won the Roe v. Wade case were honored at the University of Texas at Austin.  Keenan delivered a speech at the University where they have named an award after Sarah Weddington. The landmark case originated in Texas
 
Nancy Keenan, Lulu Flores and Sarah Weddington at a reception at the home of NWPC President, Lulu Flores, January, 2008

Women Serving In the U.S. Congress

In this significant year of a viable female candidate for U.S. president, we would like to remind our readers of the low percentages of women currently serving in the U.S. Congress.

Women in the 109th US Congress comprise only:
86 (16.1%) of the total of 535 seats
16 (16.0%) of the 100 seats in the Senate
70 (16.1%) of the 435 seats in the   House of Representatives
     Three women also serve as
     delegates to the House from
     Guam, the Virgin Islands and
     Washington, DC.

Only 35 women have ever served in the Senate:
  22 Democrats
13 Republicans
 
The 70 women presently holding seats in the House of Representatives
represent 30 states. They include:

     50 Democrats and 20 Republicans
     20 women of color:
     11 African American women
     2 Asian Pacific Islander
     7 Latinas

The additional three Democratic women delegates representing Guam, the Virgin Islands and Washington, DC include an African American.

In 2008, women hold only 86, or 16.1%, of the 535 seats in 109th US Congress

SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL
CHAPTERS
In future NWPC newsletters we will be spotlighting the efforts of our local Caucus chapters.  If something of note is occurring in your area and you would like it to be included, please send blurb and photo to info@nwpc.org

NAME OUR NEWSLETTER
Our e-newsletter. needs a catchy name. Send your suggestions and any ideas  to  info@nwpc.org

NWPC Guest Column
Electing a Female President
By Jennifer Lee

If we have a female president, we change the United States of America. How can a female president change the United States and why is this so difficult?

If our next president is a woman, girls, our daughters, for the first time
in history will look at the picture of the president of the United States on
their classroom wall and see themselves.  Young boys will look at the same picture and see a powerful female, much like their mothers, who they will respect and admire. A female president changes the consciousness of all of us.  We have done this before.

In the 1970s the Women's Liberation Movement raised the consciousness of
every person in America. Issues such as wife-beating, birth control, abortion and rape were forced out of the private sphere and into the public sphere. It was a tremendous fight. The women who fought this fight were ridiculed, laughed at and resisted.  Ultimately, the women won. What were once private issues became public. We now have rape crisis centers, women's health clinics and battered women's shelters. Women raised their consciousness and their self-esteem. We have a history of success.

Women and children's issues are now considered "soft issues."  These issues are the rights of children, the right not to be beaten in one's own home, and the right to live safe independent lives. These rights extend to other countries as well. Iraqi women are being murdered on the streets in front of their children if they do not have appropriate head attire or veil. This violence can be stopped. These "soft issues" need to be placed on the front burner.

We are at a great juncture in our evolution as a species and as a culture.  For the first time in our history we have the threat of catastrophic climate change. We engaged in a preemptive war based on false evidence by our current president. We have a four trillion dollar deficit.  Our children will inherit all of these things unless we can fix these problems.

The woman who is running for president right now has the ability, experience and passion to fix those problems. Yet, she is having trouble just getting the nomination. Is this because she is female?  We need to rally around her for our sake and the sake of our children. Why is this so difficult?

Perhaps since we have not seen ourselves in that selection of presidents on our classroom walls throughout our childhood we cannot imagine us there, in the seat of power, with the ability to change our lives.  If we admit this then we lift a heavy veil that is in front of our eyes in this primary
election.

For the first time in our history, we have a real opportunity to have a female president. If we elect Hillary Clinton for president of the United States we have fundamentally changed our country forever.

Jennifer Lee is a California-based filmmaker, wife, mother and feminist.
Note: this column was included in the NWPC newsletter in advance of candidate selection

New Opportunity to Support the Caucus with Your Tax-Deductible Gift

Eleanor Clift, the noted Newsweek contributing editor and columnist, author, political commentator and regular panelist on the syndicated talk show "The McLaughlin Group", has agreed to be the featured leader for the next NWPC President's Circle and President's Council conference call. 

If you join the President's Circle ($1000 tax-deductible annual contribution), you will enjoy the benefits of recognition at invitation-only major events, and participation in issue focused conference calls led by nationally recognized women leaders such as Ms. Clift.  You will also receive a special edition 22K gold, handcrafted glass pin featuring the NWPC logo and President's Circle engraving. 
Now, for those who prefer, in addition to our President's Circle, NWPC is offering the chance to join a second select organization, the President's Council ($500 tax-deductible annual contribution). Members may participate in two of the four hosted conference calls, and attend one of NWPC's major events.
Both memberships are tax deductible since they support the National Women's Political Caucus 510c3 nonprofit organization,the Leadership Development Education Research Fund (LDERF). 
Check out the application on the NWPC website http://www.nwpc.org/, and join today.

NWPC Campaign Manuals

NWPC has made three premier campaign training manuals available to everyone interested in learning the ins and outs of running a campaign for women seeking political office.
 
Women Winning Campaigns: The National Women's Political Caucus Hands-on Guide for Today's Leaders (256 pages) is a comprehensive campaign training manual targeted toward women interested in running for public office, their campaign staff and supporters. This essential guide is ideal for anyone involved in a campaign --from the novice to the expert --and is a highly effective.

About Our Organization
The National Women's Political Caucus is a multicultural, intergenerational, and multi-issue grassroots organization dedicated to increasing women's participation in the political process and creating a true women's political power base to achieve equality for all women. The NWPC recruits, trains and supports pro-choice women candidates for elected and appointed offices at all levels of government regardless of party affiliation. In addition to financial donations, the Caucus offers campaign training for candidates and campaign managers, as well as technical assistance and advice. State and local chapters provide support to candidates running for all levels of office by helping raise money and providing crucial hands-on volunteer assistance.

National Women's Political Caucus

P.O. Box 50476
Washington, DC  20091
Phone: 202.785.1100
Fax:     202.370.6306

E-Mail: info@nwpc.org

NWPC Executive Committee    

President
   Lulu Flores
1st Vice President &
VP Development
   Linda Young
Vice President Communications
   Barbara Sussman Goldberg
Vice President Political Planning
   Marion Sullivan
Vice President Membership
   Linda Mitchell
Vice President Education & Training
   Marguerite Cooper
Vice President Diversity & Outreach
   Alicia Del Rio
Vice President Board Operations
   Laraine Lasdon
Secretary
   Billie Macdougall
Treasurer
   Becky Gasper

Executive Director
   Clare Giesen

See us at
http://www.nwpc.org/

When Women Run,
Women Win!

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