LETTER: Why would women vote for Walker?

To the Telegram:

In the dark of night on April 5 2012, Gov. Scott Walker signed into law a number of bills that had been waiting on his desk. Included were bills that restrict access to abortion, require public schools to emphasize abstinence-only sex education, and prohibit workplace discrimination lawsuits against employers and repeal the state “equal pay for equal work” law.

These bills all disproportionately affect the women of Wisconsin.

A year ago, Walker and the Republican-controlled Legislature in Madison began their assault on women’s rights when they stripped collective bargaining from public employees but exempted fire and police unions. These unions are predominantly male while the other unions—teachers, government employees, health care workers—are predominantly female. Now the Republicans have furtively extended this assault on Wisconsin women.

The Republicans have stated that “equal pay for equal work” laws are cumbersome regulations that interfere with “job creation.” If the repeal of this law was such a great thing, why wasn’t the law signed in the light of day with great fanfare and jubilation? Why did the governor skulk around and sign the bill at a time when he hoped no one would notice?

When the lawmakers say women can be paid less than their male counterparts simply because they’re women, this is a clear message as to how valued women are to them. It says women’s work is “worthless.” That’s what it says. Sen. Glenn Grothman went so far as to state men need to be paid more than women because men have to support their families.

Really? Is this 1950? Single moms don’t have to support their families like men do?

We have the opportunity to let the legislature and the governor know what we think about this when we vote in the upcoming recall election.

After what the Republicans have done, I don’t understand why any Wisconsin woman who gets a paycheck would vote for any Republican in the upcoming elections — and if she has a male partner, why he would either?

Barbara J. Hauck,

Ridgeland, Wis.

Tags: opinion, letters