The Progress Report wrote:
The Progressive National Security Era
From: The Progress Report [progress@americanprogressaction.org]
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 9:59 AM
To: tomc2322
Subject: The Progressive National Security Era
WOMEN’S RIGHTS — OBAMA SET TO SIGN FAIR PAY LEGISLATION: Tomorrow, President Obama will sign into law his first significant piece of legislation as president when he signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in an East Room signing ceremony. The bill essentially overturns a 2007 Supreme Court decision and allows workers to “bring a lawsuit for up to six months after they receive any paycheck that they allege is discriminatory.” The Court had ruled that workers had only six months from the very first discriminatory paycheck, even if they did not know they were being discriminated against. The House had passed a similar bill last year, but it was blocked by conservatives in the Senate and faced a veto threat from President Bush. At the time, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said women simply needed “education and training” to secure equal pay, and said the law would only “help trial lawyers.” This time around, the bill passed with strong bipartisan support, winning 61 votes in the Senate; President Obama called the bill a priority during his campaign, and invited Ledbetter to join him on his pre-inaugural train ride on the way to Washington. Countering conservatives’ complaints that the bill would open companies to lawsuits, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), the bill’s chief sponsor, offered this advice to employers: “If you don’t want to be sued, don’t discriminate.”
The Supreme Court
AHHHHHHH! The sweet aroma of justice. I hope that the Supreme Court is taking notes. This is the lesson for the court – do the right thing, not the ideological right-wing, drinking kool-aid thing. They must also understand that elections have consequences.
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