President Obama's Policies on Women in the Workforce
By Stephanie Newton
October 25, 2012
In 2008, President Obama overwhelmingly won the support of women with promises that have now proven empty. According to the Bureau of Labor, the President’s policies have driven the number of unemployed women up by 451,000. This does not even include the 4.3 million women who have stopped looking.
While the President boasts about his fight for women’s rights, he neglects to acknowledge the devastating effect his policies have taken on them. Women have suffered a disproportionate brunt, being the only social group to see employment growth that is far behind population growth.
Despite women being granted the right to equal pay nearly 50 years ago, the President believes he has championed women’s rights with the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. While the Administration focuses on this superficial piece of legislation, they try to ignore that women’s participation in the workforce is at the lowest level since 1992. Once we acknowledge the facts, we can fix this by focusing on getting women back to work, bringing up middle class incomes, and repealing the policies that have hit women the hardest.
Stephanie Newton is Congressman Westmoreland's legislative assistant that handles labor and women's issues.