Not for Women Only
Pocketbook Politics
Women are more likely to cast their ballot to help their families than to achieve personal gain, according to Lake Research. Here's a look at what's at stake for working women and their families in this November's presidential race.
Health Care. Women spend almost two out of every three health care dollars in this country but are significantly less likely than men to have health insurance through their employer. Clinton supported and signed the Family and Medical Leave Act, and he supports guaranteed health care for all Americans. Dole opposed the Family and Medical Leave Act and supports Medical Savings Accounts, a tax shelter that would primarily benefit the wealthy.
Education. Fifty-nine percent of working mothers worry a lot about the quality of education their children are receiving, and a majority of women believe education should be the president's top priority, according to Lake Research. Clinton has proposed a $10,000 deduction on taxable income for college tuition and expanded funding for Head Start. He believes in offering parents a choice among public schools. Dole has proposed dismantling the Department of Education and supports using tax money to help parents pay private school tuition.
Retirement. One in four older women lives in or near poverty--with Social Security providing most, if not all, of her meager income. Dole voted to allow Social Security funds to be used to balance the budget, and led the Senate in proposing a bill cutting $270 billion from Medicare, the primary health insurance program for the elderly. Clinton opposed and vetoed this bill--and he supports pension reforms protecting surviving and divorced spouses.
Opportunity. Women are paid, on average, 74¢ for every $1 paid to men. Clinton has argued that affirmative action--which ensures that women and minorities are given equal consideration--needs to be "mended, not ended." Dole introduced legislation to dismantle affirmative action programs-he believes women can achieve equality without a formal program.
Crime and Violence. Clinton lobbied for and signed the crime bill, which put 100,000 cops in the neighborhoods and established the first national hotline for victims of domestic violence. Dole opposed the bill because it also included a ban on assault weapons.
Unions. Unionized women make an average of 38 percent more per hour than non-union women. Dole supported the TEAM Act, which would have permitted "company unions," and also led the effort against banning permanent replacement workers in strikes.
Environment. Ten million children in this country live within four miles of a toxic waste site. Dole believes taxpayers -- not polluters -- should bear responsibility for cleaning up toxic waste sites. His 1995 budget cut funding for safe drinking water, toxic dump cleanup and environmental enforcement. Clinton supports expanding the Right-to-Know Act, which informs Americans about toxic chemicals in their communities, and giving the Environmental Protection Agency more authority to enforce standards already on the books.
Income. Women make up more than two-thirds of minimum-wage earners and, as adults, are twice as likely as men to fall below the poverty line. Clinton expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), helping working families keep more of what they earn. Dole's tax plan would cut EITC altogether -- which translates into an average tax increase of $270 per year for 8.9 million low- and moderate-income families.
Tax Cuts. Dole has proposed a $550 billion tax cut that would benefit primarily the wealthiest 10 percent of all Americans. Unfortunately, as Dole himself has acknowledged, this will have to be funded by cuts in programs that help families -- like nutrition programs for mothers and children, and food safety programs like meat and poultry inspection.
