| Feature Story
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Money Talks,
They Listen |
Elizabeth
Dole
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| Caricature
©1999 Bill Yund |
Back in 1990, when Elizabeth Dole was George Bush’s
Secretary of Labor, the Labor Department was not known for fierce
enforcement of laws against child labor. Federal law allowed only
a $1,000 maximum fine against employers per child labor violation.
But the DOL usually meted out even smaller penalties to offending
bosses — an average of $159.
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Child laborer in a New
York sweatshop in 1990, during Elizabeth Dole’s tenure as
Labor Secretary. Dole refused to back legislation increasing
penalties against employers using child labor. At the time,
employers were fined an average $159 per violation. Photo
© Cara Metz, Impact Visuals |
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After sponsoring hearings that uncovered harrowing
stories of child labor, Rep. Donald Pease of Ohio wrote to Labor
Secretary Dole asking her to support his bill to increase
penalties against child labor violators. Eventually Dole let Pease
know she was opposed. Apparently she viewed $159 as a sufficient
deterrent. Or perhaps she didn’t view child labor as such a
serious offense.
Hardline record ...
On the campaign trail, Republican Elizabeth Dole
may talk about the need for "more freedom, more tolerance,
more compassion." But her record is as a hardliner. As Bush’s
Labor Secretary, she opposed the Family and Medical Leave Act,
which even Republican moderates (especially women) supported. She
also favored undermining the minimum wage by creating a lower
"training wage" for young workers.
Before her DOL stint, Dole was Reagan’s
Secretary of Transportation, where she also did damage. "I
oversaw the largest privatization in government history when we
sold the government freight railroad Conrail," she happily
reminded Iowans in announcing her prospective candidacy. In fact,
Dole says, "I’m proud to have been a lieutenant in Reagan’s
army."
Like most every other presidential candidate from
the two big parties, Dole likes NAFTA, fast track, and other trade
policies that hurt workers. In announcing her intention to run for
president, she didn’t even bother to mention the issue of health
care. More pressing, she apparently feels, is the need for a
president who will "use the bully pulpit" to remind kids
that "drugs are not cool."
Dole’s corporate backers include American
Financial Group, Archer Daniels Midland, Tyco International, Bank
of America, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Americhoice Health Services,
Dell Computer, and many more.
— Laura McClure
See also:
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