Women at the Table of Power conference – Day 2

7:30 am: Oh My do these women folk start conferencing early. I sooo need a nap already.

7:35 am: State Senator Vivian Davis Figures (Alabama) is speaking about women challenging incumbents so we can stop giving seats away just because of historical patterns. Senator Figures challend US Senator Jeff Sessoms because of his lack of communication and campaigning in the African American community.

Her message to women: when it is put into you to run…women should not listen to others…you never know when its your time to run.

7:45 am: Linda Tarr-Whelan, former Ambassador, UN High Commission on Women. Author of Women Lead the Way: Your Guide to Stepping Up to Leadership and Changing the World.

-Rwanda has the largest number of women in its Parliment.

– Says “if it had been Lehman Sisters, would it have failed?” – companies with the greatest stability have more than 30% of women on their board.

When there are more than 30% women at the table of power

– people at the power table set the priorities. When women are at the table, they shift the priorities so all can achieve maximum success.

– style of decision making changes – more consensus, more team building, less instruction from top down.

– family work policies get more attention.

– opens lots of opportunities for more women to move up

What you can do to shift the table of power:

– press all Governor’s about their appointments

– press your political party

– be a role model to help open the doors for more women.

– reach out to younger women.

8:10 am: Michaeline Della Fera, author, Women at the Table, 40 Intimate Profiles of Political Women of the Northeast

– Research shows that women don’t just “wake up” and decide to run. They usually enter politics quietly. They become passionate about a cause and then run for office. Women are more often asked to be a “ballot filler” by Party Officials.

– Women will write a larger campaign check to male candidates than to women candidates.

– Once a woman make a committment to run for office they become fierce competitors.

Qualities of women who run:

– have a clear sense of self, willing to fight for what they believe, and will win.

Women are more reluctant to pick up the phone and ask for money. Fundraising is hardest for women.

Women have to walk the fine line of showing too much feminism and masculine qualities.

“Women issues are all people issues”. Women issues aren’t soft issues – that’s a term that male candidates attribute to women candidates.

Women have strong need to get things done which is why they are more successful in politics. Women don’t need to mark their terriority as much as men.

The increase number of women in politics is directly correlated to an increase in funding for healthcare, schools, and children issues.

8:30 am: Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld, CEO and President of the Truman National Security Project

– security issues can be complicated for progressives. especially with human rights abuses. Moral issues. Security is too important to leave to conservatives. We must know what we believe. And we must communicate it well.

Polling by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner in May 2009

– Which Party do you associate with “too hesitant to use force” – Democrat – 59%; Republican 21%

– Which Party do you associate with “patriotic” – Republican – 45%; Democrat – 28%

Conservatives have spent years understanding and articulating the deep values they stand for.

You can’t lead anyone until you know what you believe. Your values are the core of your communication and messaging.

5 core values of Progressives:

– Human rights and civil rights

– We exist in a community and have a duty to contribute to the common good

– Government should support social justice – equality of opportunity and some equality of distribution

– Tolerance and help for oppressed or marginalized to gain equal rights

– Together we can progress and create a better world

5 core values of Conservatives:

– Property rights – individuals should keep what’s earned

– Law abiding individuals should be free and unfettered by groups or government rules

– Human nature always the capacity to do evil, we need strong means of constraint

– Exclusion and punishment to maintain a strong moral law

– Tradition is good.