There’s nothing quite like the feeling of having the woman of your life come home from an exhausting day at work, collapse on the couch with her iPad to see the news of the day, and have her say, “Oh for Christ’s sake. I would like to know why the government doesn’t think I am entitled to equal pay.” Because, yes, the Senate was unable to overcome a Republican filibuster of the Paycheck Fairness Act of 2012 today. Every Republican voted against cloture and every Democrat voted for it. Majority Leader Harry Reid changed his vote from yes to no for procedural reasons. In the past, some of the women in the Republican caucus supported this bill, but not today. Not even the retiring Olympia Snowe showed any sisterly solidarity.
And the Republicans will deny that they’re waging any kind of War on Women. They’ll say that the introduction of this bill was a political stunt. But it’s only a stunt because the Republicans won’t pass it. “Why do the Democrats keep introducing bills that they know we will filibuster?”
For the record, 53% of the Senate supported the bill. So it failed. That’s our modern democracy in action.
I wonder how the Republican women in Congress would react if they received less than the men. Appears that it would be okay with them.
Our modern democracy in action as shaped by the Dem Senate majority and their frightened liberal allies. It didn’t have to be this way.
That said, this vote should put the final stake in the heart of the GOP in November. And, dare one hope, maybe even do some last-minute mind-changing in Wisconsin.
The part I love is: “GOP spokesperson stated this (equal pay legislation) would put an undue burden on businesses”.
What a total crock of shit.
WTF?! Note this is the same crap we hear every time (once every ten-twenty years) the minimum wage subject comes up.
It’s a “burden” for businesses to pay men and women equally for the same work– what’s next? Paying black people less because they’re black?
Anyone needing more proof the GOP has their slobbering lips permanently attached to the greedy asses of business– you now have it.
So true. My first thought was this was probably the same argument used not to free the slaves…it would put too much of a burden on their owners to keep their plantations solvent if they had to pay their labor.
That along with Biblical justifications for slavery.
Hmmm…I should have y’all talk to my Director of Operations…Melissa (Woman!)…ask her if she is underpaid…she used to be a Democrat in a past life…after having to deal with statist beaurocrats in states like California and Connecticut, and the absolutely absurd concommitant regulations (mainly designed to protect lazy workers looking for free money)…she’s now a proud Republican!!!
Good work!
Before you call me Vampire Romney…I did their m-fing job for LESS money than that are doing for only a few years ago!
To quote Arthur Gilroy…Wake Up!
You are just plain full of crap. What regulations? You do realize that, especially these days, big business writes what ever regulations there are, right?
I think what pisses me off most (besides the failure itself) is people who go on and on saying that women are either not paid less (full stop), or paid what they deserve to be paid (implying the lack of pay is because they are not as career focused as males).