Greg Abbott Says He Would Not Sign Lilly Ledbetter-Like Fair Pay Bill

[Gothmog]

This is not a big surprise other than how long Greg dodged this question http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/19/greg-abbott-equal-pay_n_4993761.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

Texas Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott said Wednesday that as governor, he would not sign legislation making it easier for women to sue their employers over pay discrimination.

Abbott's campaign told the Associated Press that the attorney general opposes bills like the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which expands the amount of time women have to challenge their bosses in court when they realize they're being paid less than their male colleagues for the same work.

Abbott's Democratic opponent, State Sen. Wendy Davis (D), introduced such legislation in the Texas State Legislature, but it was vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry (R). Until Wednesday, Abbott had dodged the question of whether he too would veto that bill.

The equal pay issue has plagued Abbott's campaign for weeks. Two of his top GOP allies gave controversial and convoluted answers this week to the question of what Republicans propose in lieu of fair pay legislation, and news broke Wednesday morning that Abbott has an equal pay problem in his own office.

Greg has been dodging this question for a while and the two surrogates sent out by Greg really flopped. One claimed that women are too busy to worry about equal pay http://www.juanitajean.com/2014/03/17/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-republican-woman/ The next claimed that women are bad negotiators which is why they are paid less http://www.juanitajean.com/2014/03/18/and-its-our-fault-when-we-get-raped-too/ Greg is doing his best to give Wendy Davis an issue to use in the general election.

I keep posting that I think that Greg is running a bad campaign and is not as strong of candidate as Rick Perry aka Gov. Goodhair. Greg keeps on doing his best to prove me right

[n2doc]

1. I keep hoping the good people of Texas are getting tired of Repukes

Maybe this year's the charm.

[Gothmog]

2. There is a growing backlash against the extreme conservatism of the tea party

Texas republicans are really pushing the crazy. In the Lt. Governor's race, each of the four candidates claimed to be flat earthers who did not believe in evolution or science. If Dan Patrick is the GOP nominee for Lt. Governor, I really believe that Leticia van de Putte can beat him.

Perry may be an idiot but at least Goodhair knew how to run a campaign and could give a speech. Greg is making mistake after mistake including the equal pay flap. The GOP is trying to alienate the single suburban female vote with their extreme positions. Greg is running a really bad campaign and is not in the same league as a campaigner compared to Perry.

In addition, I can tell you that Battleground is making a difference. We have never seen this type of ground operation in effect in Texas. I am really impressed with the Battleground people and I believe that they will make a difference.

[Gothmog]

3. This video is great

Greg Abbott is on the defensive and has been screwing up

#t=56

[Nanjing to Seoul]

4. The Republicans in Texas and nationwide are running shit candidates because they

believe their internal propaganda that the elections are over they already won. It's the only logical explanation.

They are over estimating this distrust in the President, so they're attitude is "fuck you people, we'll run the most batshit crazy loon we can find and we know you'll vote for our candidate because you hate that black guy in the Oval Office."

[blkmusclmachine]

5. Another blowhard from the ANTI-WOMEN GOP (Short version: Don't they know their place?!?!)

[Gothmog]

6. Women In Wendy Davis' Office Earn More Than Men On Average

There are some real differences between Wendy Davis and Greg Abbott http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/wendy-davis-office-average-pay

Women staffers in state Sen. Wendy Davis' (D) Senate office made, on average, roughly $3,000 more than male employees, according to data obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

Specifically, women averaged $43,050 while men in the office averaged $40,378. Of the total 12 employees in Davis' state Senate office, six are men and six are women.

The new information comes as equal pay for women sits in the spotlight of the Texas gubernatorial race between Davis and Attorney General Greg Abbott (R). A spokesman for Abbott's campaign said if he were governor he wouldn't sign legislation that would help women who bring forward pay discrimination lawsuits.

The San Antonio Express-News also reported that female assistant attorneys general under Abbott, on average, make less than their male counterparts. The Express-News found that the 343 male assistant attorneys general made on average $79,464 while the 379 women make on average $73,649.

[Gothmog]

7. Here is a great article on the equal pay issue

Mrs T has been a speaker at a couple of events including the roast of Juanita Jean last summer.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/texas/article/Equal-pay-issue-growing-as-issue-in-state-races-5341418.php?t=b6c5c6fcc3efd9e935

After 42 years in the Texas House, Rep. Senfronia Thompson has earned a nickname - "Miz T" - that evokes equal parts respect, affection and fear. When she filed the Texas version of the Lilly Ledbetter Act to promote equal pay last session, "Miz T" called some old friends at the Texas Civil Justice League, a business group dedicating to fighting lawsuit abuse, and drafted them as allies.

Aided by the group's credibility with conservatives - and by the force of her own personality - the Houston Democrat gained bipartisan support for the measure and it narrowly passed, although her efforts eventually fell victim to Gov. Rick Perry's veto pen.

This issue is not going away