What to Ask the Democratic Candidates

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/24/opinion/letters/democrats-candidates-women.html

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To the Editor:

It is shocking that not a single one of the questions The New York Times posed to the Democratic presidential candidates in “18 Questions. 21 Candidates. Here’s What They Said” (nytimes.com, June 19) related to women’s economic security, dignity or equality.

American voters would like to know what these 21 candidates plan to do to ensure that all working people have access to paid family leave, which only 17 percent of American workers have now; to narrow the wage gap, which won’t close until 2059 for all women and well beyond for women of color without a change of course; and to expand protections against workplace harassment and discrimination for the 4 in 10 women who experience them.

A handful of candidates have spoken on these topics already, but until every candidate is asked, too many will ignore these critically important kitchen-table issues.

The economic security, dignity and equality of women — who are 47 percent of the work force, 51 percent of the population, 57 percent of Democratic primary voters and 64 percent of primary or co-breadwinners in families with children — must not be sidelined any longer.

Jennifer Klein Vicki ShaboWashingtonMs. Klein is chief policy and strategy officer for Time’s Up. Ms. Shabo is senior fellow for paid leave policy and strategy at New America, a think tank.