Senate Dems Betray Lilly
Senate Democrats pay female staffers less than male staffers
A group of Democratic female senators on Wednesday declared war on
the so-called “gender pay gap,” urging their colleagues to pass the
aptly named Paycheck Fairness Act when Congress returns from recess next
month. However, a substantial gender pay gap exists in their own
offices, a Washington Free Beacon analysis of Senate salary data reveals.
Of the five senators who participated in Wednesday’s press
conference—Barbara Mikulski (D., Md.), Patty Murray (D., Wash.), Debbie
Stabenow (D., Mich.), Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) and Barbara Boxer
(D., Calif.)—three pay their female staff members significantly less
than male staffers.
After the Lilly Ledbetter Act
passed in Congress and was signed into law, President Obama and Senate
Democrats were self-congratulatory.
Senate Dems Ready for 'Paycheck Fairness Act' Fight
Three years after supposedly accomplishing this with Lilly Ledbetter.
4:06 PM, May 24, 2012
• By DANIEL HALPER
Obama suggests we keep "Washington" out of the arguments against his health-care plan.
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“We
passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- the first bill I signed --
so that equal pay for equal work is a reality all across this
country," Obama said, praising himself and his colleagues. "We are very
proud of legislation we have passed … to guarantee gender pay equity
with the Lilly Ledbetter law," Democratic senator Ben Cardin said,
offering himself and Democrats more praise. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, also
a Democrat, likewise offered congratulations to herself: "I am proud of
what we have been able to accomplish so far… the Lilly Ledbetter Fair
Pay Act, which ensures that all Americans are paid the same regardless
of age, gender, race, or ethnicity."
Nevertheless, with an election coming in November and with
Republicans supposedly waging a war on women, the pay equity Lilly
Ledbetter bill does not appear to have been enough--even for these very
same Democrats.
The next battle on Capitol Hill for Democrats will again be to use this women's issue for political gain.
The first stop will be to bring another pay equity bill to
the Senate floor. As Senate majority leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said
yesterday on Capitol Hill, "Madam President, it is almost universally
acknowledged that Republican obstructionism has reached new heights in
the Senate… We could be considering the Paycheck Fairness Act, ensuring
American women receive equal pay for equal work."
One wonders, of course, if the Lilly Ledbetter bill was so great, why would they need to do this drill all over again?
It's a way to raise support and funds, a senior Senate Republican aide explains. And it's cynical and destructive.
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