In my last column I suggested there is a convergence of interest between Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Democrats in Congress.
Today I suggest that pay equity for women could influence the political future of America. This includes turning Texas blue, especially because the entire Texas Republican delegation to the U.S. House and Senate, as far as I know, opposes pay equity for women, while Texas Hispanic women are among those treated most unfairly.
This week Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) introduced a discharge petition that would require the House of Representatives to vote on pay equity for women. Three cheers for Rep. DeLauro. I urge readers to contact their members of Congress and urge them to sign the discharge petition.
Pay inequity is an outrage committed against women of all demographic groups. What most people do not know is that the hardest-hit of those who suffer pay discrimination may well be Hispanic women.
We can quibble about the exact numbers, but if women generally earn 77 percent of what men make -- the most quoted number -- Hispanic women earn closer to 60 percent or 62 percent, or even less.
Some Republicans concerned about the Hispanic vote, as they should be, are increasingly taking a more reasonable position on immigration. Next they should take a more reasonable position on pay equity and stop supporting those who discriminate against Hispanic women and so many other women.
This is a nationally powerful issue that could give Democrats enough new seats to take control of the House of Representatives in 2014. Equal pay for women has potential realigning power for swing states and red states with large populations of women and Hispanics, such as Texas, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.
As I have suggested before, the question is when Texas turns blue, not whether.
It is astounding that both Texas Republican senators and the Texas Republican House members are so aggressively against pay equity for women, including Hispanic women. I expect pay equity will be a major issue that helps Texas Democrats running for the Senate, House and Texas state offices in 2014. And it even could tip the balance to help Hillary Clinton carry Texas in 2016.
This is true in many states. House Republicans from all states should be asked to support the pay equity discharge petition. Republicans from suburban, centrist and swing districts could be defeated in close races if they continue to oppose pay equity.