Once During a U

question 38

Essay

Once during a U.S. presidential campaign, a lobbyist for a prominent national women's organization made the claim that women in the United States earn $0.60 for every $1.00 earned by a man. A reporter, who was prepared for this statement, asked the lobbyist why wages paid to the organization's secretarial staff (all of whom were women) were significantly below the national average if they were truly interested in raising the rates of compensation for women. If you were the lobbyist, how would you have answered this question? Do you think your answer is convincing? Explain.

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Definitions:

Scapegoat Theory

A social-psychological concept that suggests individuals or groups are blamed and punished for problems or issues, often unfairly, to alleviate feelings of guilt or responsibility in others.

Racist Ideologies

Systems of beliefs that assert the superiority of one race over another, often used to justify unequal treatment or discrimination.

Social Stability

A state in which a society experiences consistent functioning, low levels of social unrest, and predictability in social relationships.

Charter Groups

The French and the English in Canada; Porter recognized the important role these groups played in Canadian history and contemporary social and political development.