I had a friendshare an opinion written by Lilly Ledbetter with me this morning. I am so glad that it was the first article I read this morning. It really inspired me to keep working over the final few days of this very contentious election cycle. Of course we all know the Lilly Ledbetter story, but there are many that don't and there are many that also contend that this is a non-issue. But as we learned from the second debate , there is a stark difference in how President Obama and former Governor Mittens Flip Flops Romeny view frankly put "women in the workplace".
As Lilly says
During the recent presidential debates, Mitt Romney was asked a simple question: Would he have signed a bill that allowed women to earn equal pay for equal work? He refused to answer. Instead, he suggested that women make less money than men because they need more flexible work schedules.
President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter act in his first year in office. A true testament to where he stands on this issue. Mittens talks about "binders full of women". Lilly Ledbetter makes a key point about why this issue is still so important and why the signing of the Equal Pay act was just the first step
In reference to rectifying inequalities in the workplace, Romney was quick to answer. "Binders full of women," he insisted loud and clear. Yes, "binders full of women" is his outreach strategy for hiring capable women, his plan for equality for the millions of women, many the sole breadwinners in their families, facing, as I did, the same unfair situation all across America.
Every day women across America are underpaid simply because they are women. According to Evelyn Waugh, president of the Wage Project, this wage gap translates into a significant loss for women and their families, a loss of approximately $11,000 in annual income compared to men. A high school graduate will lose $700,000 over a working lifetime (47 years of full time work); a college graduate faces a loss of $1.2 million; and for a professional school graduate, the wage gap escalates to $2 million.
If there is one issue that we can point out to undecided folks in swing states this is it. Not only is it important in swing states, but clear red and blue states where there are important downballot races. Now go spread this message. It's one full of hope, promise and doing the right thing. Thank you Lilly again for inspiring us all.