This was originally posted on my personal blog site “Thoughts From Granny T”and was reader submitted to Real Clear Politics yesterday.*Edit: I’m adding 2 additions to this post. Note: The 2nd addition is at the end.*First addition:I’m editing this post because I forgot to mention something which is very relevant to the theme of this article. This is the introduction of the original news article I mentioned that caused me to write this in the first place:
*While Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has produced a television ad criticizing Sen. John McCain’s position on equal pay for women and pointing out that women in America are paid only 77 cents on the dollar compared to men, Obama pays his own female Senate staffers, on average, only 78 percent of what he pays male staffers. *
Original post plus 2nd addition at the end:I’ve never been a member of NOW [National Organization for Women] even though I agree with SOME of their goals. I believe that chores should be shared around the home between all family members. That is ONE of the reasons I was impressed with Sen. McCain’s VP choice. The Palin family is an example of “What’s going to work – Team Work” in action; a true inspiration for families across America. But, many outspoken feminists across America don’t like Gov. Palin. Are they afraid she might actually let the world know it’s OK to be a pro-life, pro-traditional family, pro-gun rights, and religious conservative female? Were they shocked such creatures exist? Maybe they’ve never heard of Feminists for Life, Christian Womanhood, Joyful Woman, etc.?
I believe in equal pay for equal work; regardless of race or gender. I just read an article that really leaves me very confused since NOW recently endorsed Obama. Have you heard that “Obama Pays Women Only 78 Percent of What He Pays Men”?
Obama pays his own female Senate staffers, on average, only 78 percent of what he pays male staffers.
Women on McCain’s staff, meanwhile, earn 24 percent more on average than women on Obama’s Senate staff. McCain also pays his female Senate staff members a higher average salary than his male Senate staff members…
In percentage terms, McCain paid female staffers 101 percent of what he paid men. Women outnumbered men on McCain’s staff, 26 to 16.
**NOW President Kim Gandy did not view the pay disparity as a problem…
Thirteen of the 20 highest paid members of McCain’s Senate staff were women during the sixth-month reporting period. Eight of the 20 highest paid members of Obama’s Senate staff were women. **
NOW had a choice between endorsing a candidate whose ACTIONS support fairness between genders or a candidate that SAYS they support fairness between genders; even though his actions PROVE otherwise. They chose the empty suit candidate full of empty words.
As an Illinois State Senator, Obama worked hard to raise tax payer dollars to support his favorite charities. As an US Senator, he was working hard to encourage Congress to fight global poverty. Read more here. That was probably part of the reason Oprah endorsed him. Fighting poverty is dear to Oprah’s heart and she has done a good job using her own money supporting that cause.
I’m a strong supporter of our 1st Amendment right and believe God gave each of us the choice as to which religion (if any at all) we want to practice. I personally believe it is Scriptural to give to charity and examine my own records to make sure I give a minimum of 10% [Tithe] of our family income to charity like the Bible teaches. Malachi 3:8 (KJV) “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” I also believe it is up to the individual as to whether or not they obey God and give to charity. But, I’d like to point out some interesting information.
Until recently [2005 – around the time he began his presidential run] the Obama’s charitable contributions were at a lower percentage of their total income than the national average of 2% of gross income. Read more here. In 2007 the Biden’s gross income was $319,853 with less than ½ % [$995] going to charity. Read more here.
How do the presidential candidates compare in charitable contributions for 2007? The Obama’s 2007 income level was larger than that of most Americans, 4.2 million dollars gross income with approximately 6% [about 3 times the national average of 2%] going to charity. Although smaller than the Obama’s, the McCain’s 2007 income is also larger than most Americans, $794,000 with approximately 27% [almost 10 ¾ times larger than the national average] going to charity. Read more here.
Regardless of what happens with our taxes, I intend to continue fulfilling my promise to give at least 10% of our family income to charity. I have a problem with government deciding WHICH charities I should support with our tax dollars. Some of their choices are fine. Some of them go against everything I believe. I really have a problem with the Democrat ticket wanting to put OUR money where THEIR mouth is. Maybe they never learned that charity begins at home.
Obama says Congress should do something about the way mortgage companies do business. He blames the Bush administration and McCain for our “recent” economic crisis. Bush tried to do something about it in 2003. Read more here. McCain actually tried again by co-sponsoring a bill in 2005 to address the problem. But, once again the bill was squashed by the Democrats in bed with Freddie and Fannie. “…Obama in his three complete years in the Senate is the second largest recipient of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae campaign contributions…” Read more here
Obama says he supports immediate troop withdrawal; but allegedly “OBAMA TRIED TO STALL GIS’ IRAQ WITHDRAWAL” Read it here.
Obama says he wants to reform government. “Obama sidesteps reform in Illinois.” Read it here.
Something to think about:Hypocrite means “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.” What does that say for Obama’s and NOW’s words vs. their actions? I wonder – What kind of picture would be next to the definition of the word hypocrite in a dictionary?
Edit: 2nd addition:
Something more to think about:Didn’t Obama claim running his campaign is proof of him having executive experience? Upon examining that type of “resume” – which candidate could we really expect to make changes for equality among the sexes? Sen. McCain pays males and females of his staff virtually equally; although women are paid about 1% more than men among the top positions and chose a woman to be his VP. Obama pays women 22% lower than men and chose a man as his VP. Does Obama’s “resume” mean we should expect “more of the same” suppression of equality between sexes if he is elected the chief executive of America? Once again Obama talks “change” while McCain performs change.
