Senator Portman’s voting record against Equal Pay for Equal Work

The following is DWCSO President Sheridan Lijoi’s letter to the editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer about Senator Rob Portman’s record of voting against Equal Pay for Equal Work, printed on March 13, 2017.

We have just celebrated the International Day of Women, yet here in Ohio Senator Rob Portman seems determined to keep women in a position of second-class status. Since 2012 Senator Portman has voted five times against the Paycheck Fairness Act which would build on the 1963 Equal Pay Act and the 2009 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Ohio women still only earn approximately 78 cents on the dollar compared to Ohio men, a larger pay gap for Ohio women than even the national average. I was always taught that actions speak louder than words. No matter what pretty campaign jargon we hear during election season, Portman’s actions clearly send the message that he doesn’t see women as his equals and that he’s willing to let them suffer from sustained wage discrimination. It’s time for this Ohio senator to stand up for the women in his own household, in his state, and in his nation.

Published in the Cincinnati Enquirer, March 13, 2017

Issue Teams

The Butler County Democratic Party (BCDP) has established the following Issue Teams that are focused on specific topics:

Health Care

Gun Control/ Responsible Gun Usage

Environment

Civil Rights

Voting Rights

Education

Immigration

We are seeking at least one or two members from our club to join at least one of these committees and assume the responsibility for keeping the club informed about legislation and other actions related to each of these issues.

You can sign up for an Issue Team that attracts your interest here:

http://butlercountydems.ngpvanhost.com/form/18578447974531072

Aftab Pureval – Dancer and Politician

True to his name, which means sunshine, Aftab Pureval lit up the room with his good humor, intelligence, and enthusiasm when he spoke to the Democratic Women’s Club of Southwest Ohio on February 20^th. An estimated 50 to 60 club members and their guests filled the meeting room at a local restaurant to hear Aftab speak.

Aftab is considered by many to be a rising star in the Ohio Democratic Party.

The son of a refugee, Aftab was born in Beavercreek, Ohio and explained with a smile that he is half Tibetan, half Indian, but looks Hawaiian. His impressive resume includes, but is not limited to, the Ohio State University, where he was student body president; the Domestic Violence Clinic at the University of Cincinnati College of Law; and the Proctor and Gamble company.

Among his credentials, Aftab claims some people say he can dance really well. In 2015, he was one of eight local celebrities paired with professional dancers from the Arthur Murray Dance Center in the 3^rd annual Dancing with the CLC Stars fundraiser and dance competition. The CLC (Children’s Law Center) is a local nonprofit serving Greater Cincinnati’s disadvantaged and vulnerable children. Watch the YouTube video of Aftab’s performance and judge for yourself. I tend to agree.

Dance ability aside, Aftab’s claim to fame stems from winning last year’s election for the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts. He is the first Democrat to hold this office in 100 years.

Aftab ran for Clerk of Courts because he knew the potential the office held and believed it was important and winnable. Now his goal is to make the courts more fair and equitable regardless of who you look like and how much money you have. He encouraged all of us to consider running for office. “Real change that affects real people happens at the local level,” he said.

“Right now we have to fight and protest,” Aftab said. “Persevere. Keep resisting. Resist with town halls, calls and letters.”

Senator Sherrod Brown is the only progressive leader representing Ohio at the national level. “Senator Brown needs us to have his back,” Aftab said. “If we don’t win the county, we can lose better.”

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