Yet Another Equal Pay Act for Women – Obama Administration Women in White House Make Less than Male Counterparts – A Political Motive – with no Real Consequence.

The New York Times is reporting on the Obama administrations attempt to roll out yet another equal pay act and begin by citing the fact that the White House staff is under “scrutiny” due to the fact that they pay women less than their male counterparts. (New York Times)

The first Equal Pay Act was passed by John F. Kennedy in 1963 (JFK Library), and the act was basic in its suggestion that men and women doing the same job, should receive the same pay. Consider that this was an Act signed by a beloved President, fifty-one (51) years ago – yet, women still earn less on the dollar than men.

One might consider the fact that the White House and Obama administration in paying women less than men, are only part and parcel of the larger Federal government, where women face the same challenges (Time).



John F. Kennedy signing the Equal Pay Act - in 1963 - that's 1963 - image from Contemporaryfamilies.org

Therefore, as nothing has changed with the passage in 1963, by a very well-respected and popular President – one might suggest that nothing will change in 2014 either – with the exception that in 1963 Kennedy signed the bill without concern for an election year and getting out the gender vote for the Democrats.

Once again, women will be targeted in an election year, and since the “take away your birth control” scam (which is now costing women a nice hike in premiums), isn’t working this time around, perhaps, just perhaps, women will blindly follow the Democrat Party which has not enforced the first Equal Pay Act, which Kennedy signed into law in 1963.

It is the same with all women’s issues, from abortion (pro-or anti) to equal pay, unless women become serious consumers of all things political, and stop putting party ahead of their own best interest and that of their families, and then one can expect the status quo to remain the same. Imagine if, instead of being partisan and split on specific issues related to women, it were possible for those in the gender to work together on an issue, and put non-Party A or B individuals in office who would be more concerned with the cost of food, clothing and why the pay scale isn’t equal, rather than the next DC dinner – women voters would then be a real force to be reckoned with.

As to the latest Bill, one shouldn’t put too much stock in this – except expect a ton of mailings, phone calls, and advertisements, etc. suggesting that “Republicans” will take away your equal pay, while “Democrats” will protect it – expect to be duped again.

Note: Consider under George W. Bush, there were fewer women working in the White House (granted – smaller staff in general), but “Top female employees on average earned nearly 4 percent more than top male employees under Mr. Obama” (Ashlyjudd.com). That figure, although slightly better, did not constitute equal pay for equal work.