Apparently, Democrats have forgotten that they passed that “historic” Lilly Ledbetter law, which Obama continuously brings up to pander to women
(Politico) Sick of the fights over contraception and Planned Parenthood? Get ready for a new front in what Democrats call the GOP’s “war on women.â€
Five female Democratic senators pressed for legislation Wednesday aimed at closing the wage gap between men and women. The Paycheck Fairness Act would bring up to date the Equal Pay Act, which was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson nearly 50 years ago.
Democrats cited statistics showing that women today are still paid 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, or $10,784 less a year on average. That’s the equivalent of 183 tanks of gas or 92 bags of groceries.
“Women still make less for doing the same job with the same education as men do. The pay gap is as real today as it was 49 years ago,†Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski, the longest-serving female in Congress, said at a news conference.
“We’re saying … we’re mad as hell and we’re not gonna take it anymore.â€
This is obviously a huge, important issue to Democrats, and has nothing whatsoever to do with politics. They really, really, really, really care. Except, they’ve already mentioned that this is simply an election season shiny distraction. They stated this back at the end of April, and stated that they would soon vote on the bill. Which failed in 2009. And was reintroduced all the way back in April. Of 2011. Why the push now? And why wait till June 4th to start the voting procedure if this is so darned important?
A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll that found Obama’s support among women slipping slightly could have motivated Democrats to take up the Fairpay Act, a senior GOP Senate aide said.
“Either Ledbetter was the biggest bait-and-switch scam in history,†he said, “or Democrats are getting nervous about new polls that show Obama losing ground among women.â€
I have no illusions that Romney will beat Obama for the women’s vote, since they tend to vote Democrat in higher numbers than GOP. But, Romney is cutting into Obama’s margins, so this is yet another bit of pandering to women.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.
This proves that Congressmen are paid way too much and are allowed too much time off. If they deem it imperative to pass a law that is the exact same as a law they passed a while back, that is is the exact same law as was passed 50 years ago.. then they get paid way too much.
This is the problem with a Congress that is allowed to pass any law without impudence. I can not for the life of me come up with any semblance of reason for why they think that this is any of their business. Or how stating “fairness” one more time, over and over, will actually make any difference.
I for one have actually found the statistics quite the opposite. For those women who have been my supervisors, I have found their pay far exceeded their abilities or their position. And I have worked in a number of fields and states.