In the Valley, activists are working to elect women to positions of power. On August 9, the Vermont primary election will decide if a woman, Sue Minter, will be on the November ballot for governor. She now leads in the polls. Massachusetts has never elected a female governor. Since George Washington took office in 1789, the USA has never had a woman president.

Money is power. The 10 richest people in the world are all white men. Women earn 79 percent as much as men in the USA.

The president of the USA is widely seen as leader of the world, a world where women's rights are sometimes severely limited. In Saudi Arabia, women cannot leave their home without a man. They cannot open a bank account without their husband's permission. The USA gave a total of $35 billion in "foreign aid" last year. Saudi Arabia is one of about 40 nations that the US government gives money to.

In the Vermont race to be Democratic candidate for governor, a poll released on July 7 said Sue Minter, a former state legislator, had the support of 36 percent of people who planned to vote in the Democratic primary. Matt Dunne, a Google executive, had 31 percent support. Peter Galbraith, a former diplomat, had 8 percent support. But 25 percent of people surveyed were undecided.

Hilary Clinton is in a tight race with Donald Trump, according to the latest polls.

A group that helps women run for public office has a web site at www.VoteRunLead.org. A group that works to elect pro-choice Democratic women to office has a web site at www.EmilysList.org.

Massachusetts has had one female governor, but she was not elected. When governor Paul Cellucci resigned to become ambassador to Canada in 2001, lieutenant governor Jane Swift became governor. She never ran for re-election.