The Importance of Appointing Women to Government Positions

It is very important to me to appoint women to my administration.  But the most important factors for any position in my administration are that the person be knowledgeable in the field, have a successful track record of getting to positive outcomes and they work well with others.  I want individuals who are willing to try new ideas and who will work to help all those they work with to get to good results.  My appointments will not be political and they will not be rewards to helping me become governor.

There is no better way to appreciate the importance of women in government working in the legislature for 18 years and on the appropriations committee for many of those years.  Women bring a different perspective and different approach to problem solving than men.  It isn’t good and it isn’t bad, it’s just different.

First, is a woman’s preference to take the long view of an issue and second is the willingness to reach across political divides to get to “yes.”  It is no mistake that over the years as chair of senate appropriations I have worked to get the majority of my seven members to be women.  In the complex policy issues we face in the budget, women work well to get to comprehensive solutions.

Over the years I have had many conversations with individuals who work with government and many of them comment on the differences they have seen over the years, as more and more women are in the legislature and in positions of authority in state government.  There are many capable women in Vermont who could offer leadership in state government and they will be part of a Bartlett administration.