There 16 women serving in our United States Senate.  With the election of Jeanne Shaheen there will be 17 women. With Hillary Clinton becoming the Secretary of State, we are back to 16 women.  When Carolyn Kennedy announced her decision to become a possible successor to the Hillary Clinton senate seat in New York, it was a bittersweet moment. We would be back to 17 women; however, what about the other women in the New York pipeline, who are both experienced and qualified not just in governance, but in the process of listening to voters and earning the public trust. Indeed, an interest in holding public office involves not just governance, but the concern and care that comes with listening to and learning about your constituency. Caroline Kennedy may well make a great Senator, but it would be reassuring if there was more evidence that she sees the value in this, even though she'd be skipping that process this time around.

(Cross-posted at Calitics)

Although we have had one woman running for President and one female vice-presidential candidate, the 2008 election was not a complete success for women. We elected ten new women to the House and two to the Senate, but also suffered bitter defeats in House races where incredibly qualified challengers like former Microsoft executive Darcy Burner and Huntington Beach mayor Debbie Cook lost hard fought races against lackluster Republican incumbents. Furthermore, the pipeline of women elected on the local and state level (especially here in California) has flat-lined.

Why are we all in shock that a woman whose current residence is the Governor's mansion in Juneau would be chosen as the GOP vice presidential nominee?  Perhaps it is because she is so cold to our view of democracy and women's rights that her ideals could have a terrifying effect here in California. She is the poster mom for the film Juno whose storybook tale of a teenage pregnancy has become incarnate in Bristol Palin.  While her story is certainly played out in thousands of households across America, we all know the sugar-coated tale that winds from Hollywood to Alaska isn't the norm for teenagers facing this monumental issue.

Teenage pregnancy is an issue that we Californians will be facing once again on our November ballot. Like a bad movie sequel, it's a three time re-run for us in California.  Proposition 4 will force voters to assess the idea of promoting parental notification for underage abortions.  Twice before voters have rallied against this because they know it doesn't really work.  Yet again we have to fight the fight for reproductive choice.

But never before has this ballot proposition had a limelight example like we do today.