You might say that New Yorkers are dancing around the topic of fair pay for women when Jimmy Fallon sends a correspondent into the streets to ask people to express their thoughts on the Senate blocking the Paycheck Fairness Act – (those jerks). This being The Tonight Show, the nimble New Yorkers must not only express their opinions, but must do it while dancing, rubbing their tummies and patting their heads simultaneously. I may have thrown a step or two into the mix. While the New Yorkers interviewed were awesome and felt that women should be paid equally, Wednesday marked the third time the Democrat-sponsored Paycheck Fairness Act has been voted down by misogynistic, contrary Republicans.
The legislation, which failed in 2010 and 2012, was sponsored by Sen. Barbara Mikulski, the bill has 52 co-sponsors, all Democrats. Not even Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, often allies on women’s issues, are stepping up on this one. This again raises the odd specter of Republican women voting against their own interests.
The reaction was instantaneous. The Democratic political committees, Emily’s List, which helps elect pro-choice women, and Democrats across the board jumped on McConnell. With women a key demographic heading into the midterm elections, Democrats are hoping that Republicans who say such things will revive the “war on women” meme that brought women to the polls in the last election. President Obama won reelection on the strength of a strong gender gap, and Democrats need to duplicate those numbers in key Senate races in November.