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News & ArtsTuesday, June 5, 2012
2012 / The Ladies Senate Republicans Take Down the Paycheck Fairness Act
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 1:17 PM
More gender-based discrimination for you, say Senate Republicans:
In a 52 to 47 tally the Senate defeated the Paycheck Fairness Act. The legislation aimed to increase protections for women filing gender-discrimination lawsuits, as well as create a federal grant program to improve women's salary negotiating skills.
The vote came down strictly along party lines, with the two independent senators voting with Democrats and Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) not voting. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) changed his vote so that he could bring the bill up again.
Keep voting against women's interests and see where that gets you, Republicans.
(Via The Page.)
2
we have seriously got to do something about the filibuster. there is no reason that forty-seven people should be able to hold our government hostage.
3
Sent Kirk a letter.
More...
Dear Senator Kirk:If we can get Kirk to cross the aisle, we might get a few more. But eight good men and women will be hard to find in that festering cesspool of obstructionism that is today's GOP.
When the Senate considered the Paycheck Fairness Act, a piece of proposed legislation that would combat workplace gender discrimination, nearly your entire party voted against it, stalling its progress. Only you did not, choosing instead to abstain from voting.
You have, during your time in office, been one of the few members of the Republican Party (at the national level) who demonstrates more concern about the well-being of the country than about keeping political power. Instead of toeing the party line, you have a track record of listening to your constituents, thinking independently, and compromising when necessary to get things done.
Mr. Senator, this bill is supported by ~90% of Americans and 77% of Republicans. I am a Democrat, but I respect and applaud legislators of either party who have to courage to do the right thing even when their fellows are against it. I am writing, as a voter and a constituent, to thank you for not voting against the Paycheck Fairness Act, and to urge you to vote in its favor when it is reintroduced.
I am aware that Senate Republicans have introduced their own bill to separately address the issue. However, it lacks certain provisions making enforcement feasible, and a democracy in which the minority decides which bill passes and which doesn't is no democracy at all. I call on you to do the right thing, as you have done in the past regardless of political convenience, and cross the aisle to stand with Democratic and Independent Senators in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act. Thank you.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
4
Why should women need a subsidy to negotiate salaries? Women, when controlled for type of occupation, time spent away from occupation in maternity, and the fact that women tend to shun promotion and career development due to increased stress and responsibility nevertheless make 8% more than men. All this bill would do would widen that gap. And there's a real danger, when men become aware that their ability to compete is significantly reduced due to the career-game being rigged broadly against them, they'll just stop playing and become an unemployable force of violence and civil upheaval.
Shit, I would like to see those lousy democrats do anything, even just once, to decrease the incidence of what I'll "disposable man syndrome."
Women always get what they want, though. No doubt about it. Society always caves to any and all bawling from women. Women are the limiting factor in reproduction; it was once a good strategy to keep women protected from the dangers of the big, wide world and also from the consequences of their own actions. But the first-world is a lot safer than life was nearly universally just one-hundred years ago. The problem is that we're all socialized with the same psychology that served us so well, and served women so well, since a time before when there was history.
Shit, I would like to see those lousy democrats do anything, even just once, to decrease the incidence of what I'll "disposable man syndrome."
Women always get what they want, though. No doubt about it. Society always caves to any and all bawling from women. Women are the limiting factor in reproduction; it was once a good strategy to keep women protected from the dangers of the big, wide world and also from the consequences of their own actions. But the first-world is a lot safer than life was nearly universally just one-hundred years ago. The problem is that we're all socialized with the same psychology that served us so well, and served women so well, since a time before when there was history.
6
It really irritates me that this article says that the bill was defeat 52-47 on a procedural vote.
No, it was defeated 47-52. It received a majority and was defeated anyway. That's the whole problem right there and it's completely obscured by reversing the order of the vote and otherwise not mentioning it at all.
No, it was defeated 47-52. It received a majority and was defeated anyway. That's the whole problem right there and it's completely obscured by reversing the order of the vote and otherwise not mentioning it at all.
7
It might get them the Presidency. That's what.
There is no evidence that women, as a voting block, are any more enlightened or motivated beyond stark partisanship than the rest of the country as a whole.
The sad fact is the Republicans have been voting against 90% of the electorates interests for over 40 years. And by golly they keep getting elected, don't they.
Tribalism and stupidity are very hard to defeat.
Keep voting against women's interests and see where that gets you, Republicans.
It might get them the Presidency. That's what.
There is no evidence that women, as a voting block, are any more enlightened or motivated beyond stark partisanship than the rest of the country as a whole.
The sad fact is the Republicans have been voting against 90% of the electorates interests for over 40 years. And by golly they keep getting elected, don't they.
Tribalism and stupidity are very hard to defeat.
8
@4: The career-game is being rigged broadly against men? Yes, must be all those women directors of Fortune 500 corporations that are ruining things. Oh, what's that you say? Eighty-four percent of those directors are men? Well, there must be some other dumbass explanation that you can just make up then.
10
Typical citizen: "Hey, I heard a rumor you guys are, like, voting against women and the middle class and stuff."
Republicans: "I think American Idol is on..."
Typical citizen: "WOO-HOO! American Idol!!"
Republicans: "I think American Idol is on..."
Typical citizen: "WOO-HOO! American Idol!!"
11
I wish the Mariners could have the same advantage as Senate Republicans. Score 30% fewer runs than your opponent and still call it a victory.
13
Ahhhh, now I'm starting to get why Republicans were pandering to moms a few weeks ago. For the right, "mother" is the ideal occupation for a woman, since you don't have to pay them anything!
15
I'll take this issue seriously when Pelosi and Cantwell pay the women on their staffs an equal wage to the men.
Until then, Democrat's have no credibility. None.
Until then, Democrat's have no credibility. None.
18
http://freebeacon.com/no-equal-pay-for-n…
http://freebeacon.com/senate-dems-betray…
Mea culpa: I wrote Cantwell, I meant Murray.
Hypocrites.
http://freebeacon.com/senate-dems-betray…
Mea culpa: I wrote Cantwell, I meant Murray.
Hypocrites.
19
@18: Your mea culpa should be for citing the Washington Free Beacon as a source. It's unabashedly biased and has existed for all of four months. Journalism at its best!
20
@19 Repeat their research and prove them wrong then. It's all based on open records and they listed their methodology.
Show your work, we'll wait.
Show your work, we'll wait.
21
@20: The equal pay idea means equal pay for the SAME JOB. Right there in the Free Bacon paper it says one reason for this "pay gap" is that more of the chiefs-of-staff are men. They're methodology involves counted up all the men and women and averaging their salaries, which would be great if the bill was about raising women's average salaries to be equal to men's - is that what you think it is? They compare the number of men v. women who are chief of staff, but not their salaries. Did this never occur to you?
I expect the author is one of those people who's never SEEN a monkey evolve into a person, therefore evolution is false. Makes a great argument for a concept that doesn't exist.
I expect the author is one of those people who's never SEEN a monkey evolve into a person, therefore evolution is false. Makes a great argument for a concept that doesn't exist.
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