Democrats use equal pay as a platform issue

1. Democrats use equal pay as a platform issue

2. As we discussed during our women’s rights talk, women on the whole earn less than men. One equal pay statistic has become a talking point for many Democrats: Women earn 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. The equal pay fight has been a part of many mid term election campaigns (especially for the Texas governor race). The reason why the Democrats have called attention to this key issue is to try and change the subject from the President and thorny issues like the Affordable Care Act. Wage fairness for women in the workplace . According to one pollster, "It's extremely potent. It's the No. 1 issue that gets single women out to vote, but it also unites men and women.” In many polls, for example, men are wildly in favor of equal pay. Some arguments against passing the Paycheck Fairness Act: it may cripple the ability of private businesses to set their own pay scales based on merit, it is redundant given the federal protections already on the books, and the gender pay gap is not attributable to discrimination alone. Studies show that women often take lower-paying jobs more than men, and they work fewer hours, which would throw off the statistics.

3. In Other News • The trial of Oscar Pistorius, accused of killing his former girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, was postponed until April 7 because one of two assessors was hospitalized. The assessors will help the judge decide the verdict. South Africa does not have jury trials. • The Philadelphia 76ers are historically bad. With Thursday night's 120-98 loss to the Houston Rockets, the Sixers have tied the NBA record for most consecutive losses. Philly is now tied with the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers. Philadelphia break the record this Saturday when they return home to play the Detroit Pistons. Should the 76ers lose again, they'd hold the record for the longest losing streak in all of the four major professional sports. • President Barack Obama gave Pope Francis a box of seeds as a gift, a fitting token as their first-ever meeting provided a fresh start of sorts between the administration and Catholic leadership after years of strained relations. "These, I think, are carrots," Obama told the Pontiff, showing him a pouch from the box, which was made from timber from the first cathedral to open in the United States, in Baltimore. The Pope gave the President two medallions -- symbolizing the need for peace and solidarity between the two hemispheres -- and a copy of "Evangelii Gaudium," or "The Joy of the Gospel." The book was penned by the Pope and calls for a new era of evangelization and a renewed focus on the poor.