Gridlocked U.S. Senate thin on women lawmakers

There are only 17 women in the 100-member U.S. Senate, which is one of so many under-the-radar problems exacerbating gridlock in the dysfunctional chamber, the Huffington Post’s Amanda Terkel reports. By comparison, 17 is the same number of women who presently sit in the 35-member Colorado senate. The upshot, according to the lawmakers Terkel talked to, is that the family, health and poverty issues at the heart of daily national life are inadequately addressed and compromise and problem-solving are reduced to four-letter words.

Colorado GOP women senators back bullying bill

The three Republican women in the Colorado state Senate this year have voted as a bloc in support of at least two big family-protection bills that their male Republican colleagues have opposed. Weeks ago, Sens Ellen Roberts, Nancy Spence and Jean White argued passionately from the right in favor of same-sex civil unions as a way to bolster families headed by gay couples. The senators argued again passionately this week in favor of legislation that would combat school bullying, which can sink child confidence with tragic results and tear up families.

Colorado Senate Republican women vote ‘aye’ on civil unions, send strong message to House leaders

Senate Republicans delivered Pat Steadman’s same-sex civil unions bill to the Republican-controlled House Thursday with momentum and a message. Although the twelve Republican men in the Senate voted against it, the three Republican women in the Senate voted in favor of the bill, making the case to leaders of the Republican-controlled House to take up the bill with good faith and allow it to move beyond committees and onto the floor of the House for a vote.

The no-chick party: GOP (still) on the hunt for ladies

The Republican party struggles to find women candidates and the Republican National Committee’s special person in charge of lady-finding may be part of the problem. Jan Larimer is an RNC co-chair and he/she, you can tell, really understands women…

Katie Redding and David Sirota talk insurance industry discrimination and clean water

Colorado Independent writer Katie Redding joined Progressive Talk 760 AM host David Sirota this morning to discuss her recent reporting on insurance industry gender discrimination and pending national Good Samaritan water cleanup legislation.

Redding dialed in from…

Shriver Report documents advances but also persisting gender inequalities

In a clear-eyed reading of the Shriver Report on U.S. work and family life released this week, former Colorado Independent editor Wendy Norris says the glaring gender inequalities it documents speak at least as loudly as the advances…

White Men Reign Supreme Atop Pay Scale

No surprises here, but white males continue to earn considerably more money than women in general and women of color in particular. A new report presented to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment outlines strategies to close the pay…

While Women Soar in Elections, Many are Locked Out of State Cabinets

Considered a “pipeline to elected office,” cabinet-level state appointments are mostly held by men. A new report aims to highlight the discrepancy and encourages governors to tap into the unique perspective and experience that women offer.

34 Percent Isn’t Parity

A report by Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics lists Colorado as 5th in the nation for the number of women in statewide elected office in 2007.

However, other data foretells a potentially much more…

Women Making Strides in County Commissions

Problems don’t follow county lines, so when four commissioners from four Northwest Colorado counties sat down to discuss issues, there were common themes: transportation, social concerns, labor and housing shortages. Another common denominator between them was the fact they were…