Democrats Plot To Corner GOP With New Equal Pay Bill

[Tx4obama]

Next up in the Democrats’ effort to put Republicans on the wrong side of women’s issues: A new bill to combat gender-based pay disparities.

With the general election in full swing, Republicans are working overtime to repair their image with female voters. But Democrats aren’t about to let that happen. Now that the Violence Against Women Act is poised to be re-authorized in some form, Dems are planning a push to enhance protections for women who sue for pay discrimination, the kind of measure Republicans have opposed in the past.

Senate Democrats intend to bring up the Paycheck Fairness Act for a vote, a Democratic aide confirms to TPM, as first reported by The Washington Post.

The legislation, introduced this month by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), beefs up existing equal-pay laws by protecting women from retaliation if they sue for gender discrimination. It would also narrow the criteria under which an employer can defend pay disparities and enlist the Department of Labor to help eliminate gender-based pay gaps.

-snip-

Full article here: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/romney-democrats-women-fair-pay.php?ref=fpa

[ingac70]

1. That's the way to do it.

Wedge issues can be more than just about oppression!

[freshwest]

2. The GOP will break out in another epidemic of foot-in-mouth disease over this.

[dkf]

3. Why does everything have to be targeted at getting a certain demographic?

It's like there is nothing unifying worth pursuing.

Slice and dice us and make everyone mad at each other. No wonder we can't get along.

[ingac70]

4. So you are against equal pay for women? n/t

[dkf]

7. I'm sorry but I'm a bit suspicious when this only comes up during election time.

If it meant something they should have done it ahead of health insurance reform, when we ran the house.

And part of the problem with women's pay is we don't go to our bosses and demand raises and perks...because we aren't pushy jerks. I actually pulled it off one year, I compared my pay to my brother in laws new government job and asked why I got paid less while working more hours with more years of loyalty. If I hadn't done that and wasn't prepared to walk out, I wouldn't have gotten a raise. Women are more loyal and they take more crap. That's the sad truth.

[ingac70]

8. Lilly Ledbetter....

"If it meant something they should have done it ahead of health insurance reform, when we ran the house. "

[dkf]

10. Lily Ledbetter just allows for lawsuits for longer periods of time for the same exact job

That doesn't begin to touch the 77% thing between all women compared to all men which is being targeted as the inequity.

[starroute]

5. Haven't you noticed that if the Dems are for it, the GOP is automatically against it?

Since there are no unifying issues, the Democrats might as well go for the ones that the GOP will have to pay a price for opposing.

[MrSlayer]

6. Fuck man, the Dems vote in favor of their idiotic ideas.

And they STILL vote against them. The only thing unifying they could vote on is to just give them everything they want.

Unifying, don't make me laugh. These Republican assholes aren't in the business of unity.

[shawn703]

9. Well, when the Republicans only care

About rich white god-fearing males and the companies they run, there isn't much left to vote on that would be unifying.

Unless they were voting for a Congressional pay increase I suppose.