Ebony | January 30, 2009, 6:08pm | #

I think you guys are seeing this in a weird way, because in order to sue you have to be able to prove it. You guys talked about the "boss" being dead when she filed the lawsuit, as if somehow this would change something. Unless you work for a mom and pop establishment, who do you know that is paid by "the boss"? Goodyear is a corporation, and has to, by law, keep records. Her check would not have said the "boss's" name. It said Goodyear. So THEY (Goodyear) knew what she was making and what her counterparts were making, for the same work. This is about equality. I can understand different educational levels, time on the job and all that, but this bill was not about any of that. It was about a woman who was doing the SAME work, for the SAME company, for much less money, and that's not fair. You also stated how this will benefit trial lawyers. There is not much money to be gained by lawsuits like this. I think you guys are giving this an undeserved raw deal. We are always talking about independent women, equality, etc. But "our mouths" are our biggest enemy as we are the biggest naysayers. Here, he signs a bill with us, and his daughters in mind, and you guys are the main ones on TV talking it down. What do you want? At least he cares! He didn't have to sign this bill...this is early in the administration, he has a great approval rating, so what could he possibly benefit from this? He has already won the election. (In reference to the red flag comment you said in the podcast about bills like this--but funny, if there was a bill signed in the 60's how, then, did it not help Lilly Ledbetter?) He would have 4 years to jump and sign this bill, if he needed political leverage...why now? Unless he cared? Neither he, nor Lilly Ledbetter stood to get anything from this... I just don't understand your argument. It seems petty... I watched Michelle Bernard on Hardball making this same argument, and as much as I respect her, it seemed petty and catty. I can't say that this happens all the time, but for those few REAL cases like Lilly Ledbetter (which Goodyear did not DENY her statement was true---it got thrown out for timing, not for lack of evidence), they deserve their day in court. If it's 20 or 30 years later like you said, 1st of all, no lawyer would take it, and secondly, the burden of proof would be solely on them as most businesses don't keep records past 10 years! I think this whole argument is really petty. This makes us look hard to please. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.