Hoping for clout with women, Obama urges Congress to pass ‘Paycheck Fairness Act’

yahoo newa ^ | 6/4/12 | oliver knox

[central_va]

President Barack Obama, his re-election fortunes heavily dependent on women, pushed Congress on Monday to "step up and do its job" by passing a bill designed to erase the wage gap between male and female workers doing the same job. With Senate Republicans expected to block the Paycheck Fairness Act when it comes up for a vote on Tuesday, Obama urged supporters of the measure to make an 11th-hour push on behalf of the legislation. "At a time when we're in a make-or-break moment for the middle class, Congress has to step up and do its job," the president said on a conference call. "But let's face it: Congress is not going to act because I said it's important; they're going to act because you guys are making your voices heard."

[forgotten man]

How many female firefighters died on 9/11? I have not heard of one, although they get the same pay as the guys who carried the heavy equipment up the stairs.

[Izzy Dunne]

If this happens, is it anyone’s “fault” as such? Is society at large, or corporations, at fault for this sort of situation?

I suspect you know my answer to this, but I'll say NO, of course not.

The wife knows that pregnancy is a possibility. For all the "pro-choice" rhetoric you hear, nobody seems to take having an actual full-term baby is a choice.

Barring weird cases like rape, she chose to reduce her corporate workload and increase her personal workload (and bless those who do; I'm married to one).

The company has no obligation to compensate her for that choice. She's not there for them; why should they be there for her?

There is no doubt discrimination; certain jobs require long-term commitments and women are more likely to break that commitment to have a family.

On short-term thinking though, the proponents of this legislation apparently seriously think, and are trying to convince you, that I, as a struggling business person out after the almighty dollar, will pay a 30% premium to get the same work out of a male employee that I could have from a woman.

I could have hired her for 77 cents, but no, I'll hire him for $1.00.

That's how stupid they think we are.

[TurboZamboni]

Should call it "Lying Bedwetters" :

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 — Democrats Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Patty Murray of Washington, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Dianne Feinstein of California and Barbara Boxer of California — three pay their female staff members significantly less than male staffers.

http://times247.com/articles/paycheck-unfairness-women-paid-less-by-female-senators#ixzz1vtSOZ5SG

[USMCPOP]

“The Equal Pay Act of 1963 already forbids pay discrimination between men and women in the same jobs.”

It’s not about law it’s about “What are we doing to get the attention of today’s voters?”. Make a non-issue an issue and move forward. I’m sure inequities exist, that is the way of things. At least enforce the laws that others have passed in good faith instead of one’s own agenda.

[SaxxonWoods]

Great,equal pay for non-existent jobs.

Problem solved, reelect Bambi.

[Brookhaven]

I read an interesting stat a number of years ago.

People that work 50 or more hours a week make (on average) TWICE as much as people who work 40 hours a week.

Read that again, and let it sink in.

And, who makes up that 50+ hours a week group? It is almost 100% men.

It’s a cultural thing. Women, as a group, have tried to strike a balance between their work and their home life. Men, on the other hand, have traditionally focused on their work often at the expense of their home life.

And, there is a lot of cultural pressure on both to act that way. Men who don’t succeed and get ahead in their work are often looked down upon by society. Women who focus on their work at the expense of the family are often looked down on by society.

Ever hear of the workaholic man? Sure, it’s even a stereotype, and it’s not always a negative. Society still holds a man who works hard to support his family in high (if at times grudging) regard.

Ever hear of the workaholic woman? Not so much, and when you do hear about it, there is almost always a negative spin attached to it.

[Bubba_Leroy]

Female employees in the Obama White House make considerably less than their male colleagues, records show.

According to the 2011 annual report on White House staff, female employees earned a median annual salary of $60,000, which was about 18 percent less than the median salary for male employees ($71,000).

Hostile Workplace Obama White House pays women less than men, records show

[Bubba_Leroy]

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.

Murray, who has repeatedly accused Republicans of waging a “war a women,” is one of the worst offenders. Female members of Murray’s staff made about $21,000 less per year than male staffers in 2011, a difference of 35.2 percent.

Senate Democrats pay female staffers less than male staffers

[jagusafr]

Shameless, really. This is the latest example of the disdain in which this administration holds the citizenry.

[Talisker]

If she knew the consequences to her career advancement, and still wanted to have more time with her children, what then? Where’s the discrimination, where’s the lawsuit in all of this????

Why do you ask such no-brainer questions? She's FEMALE, don't you GET it? She works, she get pregnant, she takes time off, she wants to come back - IT DOESN'T MATTER, SHE'S THE VICTIM. The COMPANY owes her, the STATE owes her, EVERYONE OWES HER - raises, promotions, status, and changing the words used in and around her presence, referring to her and anything she is associated with, judged solely - solely - by how it makes her FEEL.

And pretending to ask about this obvious fact is nothing but abuse - and abuse is malice, and malice means punitive damages. So for asking your question, you have outed yourself as a typically abusive, malicious male. Which means get out your checkbook, buddy - time to pay BIG for being a sexist pig.

And when you're done paying for THAT, she can use the fact of it to prove abuse in DIVORCING you, to get everything ELSE you have - or ever WILL have.

P.S. Go ahead, I dare ANYONE to tell me I'm exaggerating.

[caveat emptor]

a bill designed to erase the wage gap between male and female workers doing the same job

That's not what the bill will say, but something like "comparable worth" or "equal value".

[MarkL]

I wonder when they’re going to apply this “act” to professional sports.

I’m sure that everyone would be thrilled to see every “small” forward in the NBA receive the same pay as Lebron James... Or the owners would be thrilled to see Lebron James take a pay cut to that of all “small” forwards in the league.

And Tom Brady would get the same pay as every other quarterback in the NFL...

Hey, it’s the same position, so it’s the same work.

Mark

[mikey_hates_everything]

If women are really getting lower pay than men for the same job, why aren’t women getting preferential hiring status? Wouldn’t a company be stupid to pay more for a man if it could really get the same job from a woman for less cost?