2013: The Year of the Woman

by Gerard Emershaw

Time named Pope Francis as its Person of the Year. Many justifiably complained that NSA whistleblower and American expat Edward Snowden was a more deserving candidate. While these two men were undeniably making headlines, what many may have overlooked was just how much 2013 has proven to be the Year of the Woman. What follows is a list of ten women who made a difference in 2013—for better or worse.

1. Janet Yellen
2. Mary Barra

In 2013, Janet Yellen was nominated by President Obama to succeed Ben Bernanke as Chair of the Federal Reserve and Mary Barra was named CEO of General Motors. If confirmed, Yellen will become the first woman to lead the country’s central bank. Barra became the first woman to lead General Motors. These women demonstrate just how far women have come by reaching the top in industries where “the old boys’ network” still reigns supreme. They also demonstrate that as women continue to smash through the glass ceiling, they will increasingly play both positive and negative roles in these industries.

Barra—who is described as “a soft-spoken, math-loving nerd with a passion for problem-solving”—faces many challenges with General Motors. General Motors needs to shed the derisive “Government Motors” label that it was given as a result of receiving a government bailout and going into Chapter 11 reorganization. Equally as important, Barra must reverse GM’s dwindling US market share. In the first quarter of 2012, the domestic automotive giant saw its share of the domestic market dip to 17.5%—the lowest it had been in 90 years. Barra has the opportunity to innovate, reform the company’s greying corporate culture, and return the corporate giant—which in many ways is a symbol of what has made America great—to prominence.

Yellen, in contrast, has reached the pinnacle of what can best be described as a criminal enterprise. The Federal Reserve is a dubious and unconstitutional private banking cartel. As a businesswoman, Barra will rise or fall based on her own abilities. However, as a banker in a quasi-political position, Yellen’s defenders may attempt to deflect any criticism directed at her as sexist and part of the “war on women.” Yellen is a die hard Keynesian, and therefore, it is inevitable that under her stewardship, the Federal Reserve will steer the American economy in entirely the wrong direction. The economy cannot and ought not be steered at all, but that is a matter for another blog post. In an important sense, Yellen finds herself in a no win situation. Because of the actions of her predecessor and because of the nefarious nature of the Federal Reserve itself, no good can or will result. However, for better or worse, Yellen finds herself as the head of the most powerful economic institution in the nation.

3. Malala Yousafzai

While Barbara Walters may not have found her as worthy as Kim and Kanye of being on her 2013 list of Most Fascinating People, there is no doubt that Malala Yousafzai is fascinating. Yousafzai—now 16 years old—rose to prominence as an educational activist who defied the Taliban in Pakistan by refusing to be bullied. She courageously attended school despite the Taliban’s misogynistic ban on girls attending school. She paid the price for her courage, being shot and nearly killed by gunmen. What could this remarkable young woman have done in 2013 as a follow up? She faced the most powerful man in the world and bravely told him an important truth which he has not grasped. In a statement describing her meeting with President Obama at the White House, Yousafzai said: “I thanked President Obama for the United States’ work in supporting education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and for Syrian refugees. I also expressed my concerns that drone attacks are fueling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people. If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact.” At a time when too many Americans—both progressive and neoconservative—support the bloody and blowback-inducing drone campaign, this young woman grasped the truth and was not afraid to express it.

4. The American Woman Warrior

In January, American military leaders lifted the ban on women in combat roles. While American Presidents have increasingly been misusing the military and placing members in grave danger in dubious defense of corporate interests and American Empire, women already make up 15% of the military and serve with courage and honor. There is no reason why women should not be able to play an even greater role in defending the Republic.

5. Hilary Clinton
6. Dianne Feinstein
7. Angela Merkel

2013 was a banner year for female politicians. In a perverse way, it shows how far women have come in politics that the biggest political scandal of the year had former Secretary of State—and perhaps future POTUS—Hilary Clinton front and center. One quote from the former First Lady and Senator will suffice to put it in perspective: “With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night decided to go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?”

While Edward Snowden’s name became almost synonymous with the NSA domestic spying controversy, two women played a central role in this controversy in 2013. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has been a tireless supporter of the NSA and a tireless hater of the Fourth Amendment. No politician has recycled spurious arguments in favor of shredding the Fourth Amendment quite as well as Feinstein has. On the other side of the argument is German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was revealed to have been a target of NSA surveillance. Chancellor Merkel best summed up the NSA when she told President Obama that the NSA “was like the Stasi.” Ouch!

8. Julie Borowski
9. Bryce Covert

With the retirement of Congressman Ron Paul, the rising stature of Senator Rand Paul, and the battle for the heart of the GOP being waged, libertarianism has been a major factor in 2013. An enlightening debate about libertarianism and women lit up the internet when Julie Borowski—a Policy Analyst at FreedomWorks and internet sensation—posted a YouTube video entitled “Addressing the Lack of Female Libertarians.” Bryce Covert of Forbes responded with a piece entitled “Women Don't Like Libertarianism Because They Don't Like Libertarianism.” In a year where political discourse often degenerated into lowest common denominator name calling, this was a refreshing political and philosophical debate. The issue will be addressed in detail in a forthcoming blog entry.

10. Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus’ twerking at August’s MTV Video Music Awards set of a firestorm of controversy. In late summer, it seemed as if twerking was being debated even more than the NSA. Many on the right viewed her as sinful while many on the left viewed her as having betrayed the ideals of feminism. The truth is that Miley Cyrus proved herself to be an individualist in a sea of cookie cutter prefab pop stars. What her detractors need to realize is that Ms. Cyrus is nobody’s fool and nobody’s tool. She has avoided the child star curse and has sold millions of albums and singles. Unlike women such as Hilary Clinton and Dianne Feinstein, Miley Cyrus has nothing to apologize for.