Politics

Jo Freeman writes: Forty years ago over 20,000 people gathered in Houston, Texas to celebrate International Women's Year (IWY) and identify goals for women for the next decade. On November 6 and 7, 2017, a few hundred people gathered at the University of Houston to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that conference. It was not sponsored by the federal government, though some would argue that today's federal government made it necessary. Speakers discussed what happened in 1977, what didn't happen, what should have happened, and what it all meant. more »

In the previous open-enrollment season, 12.2 million people nationwide selected individual market plans through the marketplaces. The number dropped off during the year because not everyone paid and some found coverage elsewhere. Forty-five percent of all respondents to the KFF survey and 52 percent who said they were uninsured said they have heard less about open enrollment this year compared to previous years. Insurers are trying to pick up some of the challenges of publicizing enrollment, and some of those ads are getting noticed. more »

It was the spring of 1973, and 34-year-old Thompson had just started her first term in the Texas House of Representatives. Earlier that day, she was walking into a popular lunch place near the Capitol in Austin when Democratic state Rep. C.C. 'Kit' Cooke saw her and said loudly, for everyone to hear, "Oh, here comes my beautiful black mistress." She was infuriated. That same afternoon, Thompson, a Democrat, stepped onto the House floor to tell her mostly white, male colleagues she would not tolerate racist or sexist insults. more »

"We are a trusted resource for lawmakers when it comes to Refuge System issues, and our successful advocacy record speaks to our effectiveness on Capitol Hill. We partner with Friends groups in all 50 states, volunteers across the Refuge System, private businesses, and other conservation groups to make the most impact we can. The threat to the Arctic Refuge is more real than it has ever been. The Arctic Refuge belongs to all Americans, and this shared resource must not be irreversibly tarnished so that a select few can earn a quick profit. The Refuge Association has been fighting to defend the Arctic Refuge for decades and we have no intention of backing down now." more »