As expected, Senate Republicans filibustered legislation on Monday aimed at helping women fight for equal pay in the workplace, a vote held by Democrats to attack the GOP ahead of the 2014 midterm elections.
The vote was 52 for, 40 against, falling short of the 60 needed to defeat a filibuster. [snip]
The Paycheck Fairness Act was introduced by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and would prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who talk to coworkers about their salaries. It would also require more data collection of employee salaries from businesses.
Senate Democrats can be expected to set up more of these pre-election "symbolic" votes to demonstrate just how far right the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party has careened. Whether the message from this and other contrasting votes will sink in with enough voters over time to make a difference remains to be seen. Certainly, in the Republican-gerrymandered House of Representatives, it may take up to a generation to restore a Democratic majority. But, as they say, the truth bears repeating.
