Written by Brett Stevens MN.
Senator Amy Klobuchar D-MN is very serious about getting women equal pay. She’s so committed and knowledgeable about the issue, she was the keynote speaker on May 4th, 2012 “2012 Ultimate Women's Power Lunch.” Rep Jan Schakowsky D-IL sponsored the event to remind women of the Lily Ledbetter Act and especially
show how the, “GOP Presidential race has brought a profoundly disturbing return of anti-woman rhetoric, and now more than ever we need to stand up and remind the GOP what a room full of powerful women can do.” Klobuchar is a key player in the fight for equal pay for equal work. She is also a
co-sponsor of the “Paycheck Fairness Act.”
“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) along with Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) introduced a measure in their respective chambers that would provide stronger workplace protections for women, prohibit employers from punishing employees for sharing salary information with co-workers, require employers to show that disparity in pay isn't sex-based, makes punishment more costly by allowing for punitive and compensatory damages, and requires the development new training programs for negotiating compensation packages.”
This is quite the comprehensive reach into the workplace. This law would encourage employees to talk about their compensation packages openly. It would place a heavy legal burden on employers to prove their pay scales aren’t discriminatory. [Guilty until proven innocent]. For employers who don’t “prove” pay scales are fair, it would allow heavy penalties to be levied. Progressive women like Sen. Klobuchar are not going to tolerate employers taking advantage of their female employees. With a law like this in place, women will get their fair share in the workplace, at least they will unless they work for Democratic Senators.
From the Washington Free Beacon, Andrew Stiles
reports;
“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.”
Uh oh. Just how bad is this gender gap?
“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.
That is well above the 23 percent gap that Democrats claim exists between male and female workers nationwide.” Sen. Patty Murray D-WA is another of the co-sponsors of this very intrusive Paycheck Fairness Act. She pays her female staffers 35.2% less than her male employees. Under the dictates of this act, Murray would have to prove her gender pay gap isn’t discriminatory. It would also allow her staff to share salary information with one another and pay heavy penalties if she can’t prove she doesn’t hate women. But, what about Sen. Klobuchar? Surely, she pays her staff equally, fairly, and without a gender pay gap, right?
Other notable Senators whose “gender pay gap” was larger than 23 percent:
•Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.)—47.6 percent [Notice the self-avowed socialist is also the worst offender]
•Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D., N.M.)—40 percent
•Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.)—34.2 percent
•Sen. Ben Cardin (D., Md.)—31.5 percent
•Sen. Tom Carper (D., Del.)—30.4 percent
•Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.)–29.7 percent
So, Klobuchar actually pays her female staff even less than the hateful capitalists in the private sector do. Her gender gap is 7% more than the national average. If Klobuchar was held to the same rules as the law she proposes, Klobuchar, like Murray, would have to prove to some bureaucratic agency her pay scale was not discriminatory. It would be presumed she’s wants to exploit women for their labor and doesn’t pay them fairly. If she couldn’t prove her motives were pure and there were very good reasons for the pay differences to this bureaucratic machine, she’d be subject to fines both punitive and compensatory. She’d then be forced to give her staff training on how to negotiate salaries with her.
Of course, Klobuchar wouldn’t be subject to the rules as a member of Congress.
But, that doesn’t stop her and the 36 other “gender pay gap” Democratic Senators from pushing this business-busting bill on us. They want to create another layer of bureaucracy to micro-manage the economy. Klobuchar can pay women 70 cents on the dollar and it doesn’t matter. She can create a system that disrupts contractual negotiations in private enterprise, spreads envy and distrust throughout workplaces, and kills job creation without a single qualm. After all, it doesn’t affect her.
She can tell us what to do, and then gaily do the opposite. Surprised? I’m not.
