A True Hollywood Stunt

Last week, while speaking on a local Ohio radio show, Rep. Mike Turner proclaimed the Paycheck Fairness Act a “stunt.” Maybe Rep. Turner forgot what a stunt was. To many of us, a stunt is something done for shock value, like an explosive showy action sequence in a Hollywood movie or making claims on a radio show to gain media attention. But not to Mike. Mike thinks ensuring women are paid the same as men for doing the same work is a stunt.

For  those who know Mike Turner and his record on women’s issues, his comments on the Paycheck Fairness Act should not be a surprise, but an expected course of action. In the past, he has voted against providing access to reproductive healthcare and he has voted to decrease funding to protect women from sexual assault.

But, the facts are too obvious to ignore, especially when looking at women in his own state. In 2010, women in Ohio that were working full time were only paid 77 cents for every dollar a man was paid. In Ohio, that was a yearly gap of $10,575! Women with a high school diploma fared even worse, only making 66 cents for every dollar a man made.

For someone who is elected to represent all of the people in his district, Rep. Turner sure is doing it in a strange way.

Luckily, Sharen Neuhardt is running against him.

Sharen has been a vocal supporter of the Paycheck Fairness Act, recognizing the need to make sure employers are not paying women less than they deserve. To Sharen, Equal Pay is not a “stunt,” it’s the right thing to do.

And here at EMILY’s List, we couldn’t agree more. That is why we are supporting Sharen and the many other pro-choice, Democratic women who are fighting for Paycheck Fairness in Congress and on the campaign trail. These women understand that it’s not a stunt to make sure everyone is paid fairly. If you’re looking for stunts, Mike, stick to the movies.