This past week, as we celebrated Pay Equity Day, the day that women would have to work through in 2015 to make the same as men for doing the same job they both worked in 2014, Michigan Republicans made a laughable attempt to convince their followers that it’s Democrats – and Hillary Clinton, in particular – who are against wage equality and that it’s Republicans who are looking out for women.
This is the graphic they posted on their Facebook page:
The image was accompanied by this wharrgarbl:
Women have transformed the American economy and they should receive equal pay for equal work. That is a basic principle of fairness that Republicans support. It is disappointing that Democrats have repeatedly used this issue as a cynical political tool. Hillary Clinton, the coronated leader of the Democrat Party, is as guilty as any Democrat of this equal pay hypocrisy. She tries to score cheap political points on the issue, even though under a formula she has touted, men made more than women in her own Senate office. Instead of exploiting Equal Pay Day, Democrats should work in good faith with members of both parties to prevent pay discrimination. https://www.gop.com/national-republican-groups-joint-statement-on-equal-pay-day/
If you follow the link, it takes you to a GOP.com page that is primarily focused on smearing Hillary Clinton and that supports the smear with ten different quotes from articles in the media. Actually, I should say “article” in the media. All ten quotes are from the same article in the Washington Free Beacon, a far-right, conservative publication.
The contention that Republicans are the ones who are the champions of wage equality is, of course, is absurd. The last time the Paycheck Fairness Act was voted on in the U.S. Senate, every single Republican voted against it. In the Republican-led House, it wasn’t even allowed to come up for a vote. The vote referred to in the graphic above and on the GOP.com webpage, role call vote #81, was a vote on this amendment:
To establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to promoting equal pay, which may include preventing discrimination on the basis of sex and preventing retaliation against employees for seeking or discussing wage information.
This is a half-measure that would have done little to promote the cause of wage equality for women. And it could hardly be described as a “REAL solution” to the wage gap experienced by women in America. Republicans knew that the Democrats wouldn’t support such a tepid and inadequate response and would vote against it. They simply held the vote so that they could later create graphics like the one the Michigan Republicans posted on their Facebook page this week.
House Democrats offered up a tougher amendment but that one, of course, was voted down by the Republican majority:
A similar but stronger version of this amendment (vote 82), which tracks the Paycheck Fairness Act, introduced by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3), was rejected 45-54.
Perhaps the most disturbing thing about this whitewash of the Republicans’ anti-women record is how gullible their followers are. Here are some of the comments on their Facebook page from people willing to believe anything about Democrats as long as it’s negative:
The democrooks will twist things around and blame the republicans.
It’s ridiculous to think this is even an issue there are laws on the books now if a women thinks she is not getting equal pay she has legal remedies to resolve this issue , but to say women are not paid the same is a faux issue used by Libtard democrats who by the way consistently pay less to their congressional staffers that are female.
I believe in equal pay only because my lady buys me beer and takes me out to dinner every once in a while. You want equal pay? Pick up the tab and buy us expensive gifts.
I am just curious, is there some book of wages I don’t know about? Women need to stand up for themselves and not accept the lower pay, leave a job if they are under paid. Just like some men do. In every case it is women are willing to accept lower pay, not it is being offered lower. There are plenty of men who get paid the same as women, ones that take whatever anyone offers. There are plenty of woman that negioate [sic] more pay the same as the evil men do. Just not as many.
This guy needs to find himself a union stat!:
Equal pay for equal work. Now, how many of you young turkeys are ready to work 100 hour work weeks without any 0/T?
And finally, no Republican comment section would be complete without this guy:
I don’t agree at all, one buddy equal that liberal ideal, tell that to waitress each girl makes a different wage or guy based on there performance.I go along with the dems even because were not about make equal, that big gov idea, not less regulations..
Derp.
