Head to head: Gore fights for civil, women's rights

Vice President Al Gore has proposed a number of initiatives to continue Democratic efforts on civil rights, including ending racial profiling, discrimination against ethnic minorities and hate crimes. \nOn women's rights, Democrats have worked to expand opportunities for women, by moving to erase the earnings gap between men and women, fighting for quality child care services, increasing funding for women's health care programs and protecting a woman's right to choose.\nCivil Rights\n"I believe that God has given the people of our nation not only a chance, but a mission," Gore said, "to prove to men and women throughout the world that people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, of all faiths and creeds, cannot only work and live together, but can enrich and ennoble both themselves and our common purpose."\nDemocratic accomplishments on civil rights over the past several decades hardly needs mentioning. Just in the last eight years, the White House has achieved increased funding for civil rights enforcement programs, with a 13 percent rise this year, bringing enforcement funding to $698 million. Without adequate financing, our civil rights laws lack the teeth they need to be effective.\nGore has fought attacks, such as California's infamous Proposition 209, by conservatives to end affirmative action programs that seek to create opportunities -- not quotas -- for minorities and women. Democrats have made two priorities: increased investments in urban areas and lending availability to minority-owned businesses.\nGore will propose legislation to outlaw racial profiling, vigorously enforce civil rights laws and oppose any roll backs of affirmative action. As president, Gore will propose increased penalties for crimes motivated by race, gender or sexual orientation, appoint responsible U.S. Supreme Court justices who are committed to civil rights, and ensure that the federal government's workforce is as diverse as the nation it represents.\nWomen's Rights\nSadly, a 1998 study indicates that, on average, a woman earns 75 cents for every dollar a man earns for the same job. The administration is seeking to double this fiscal year's funding for training and assistance to employers on how to comply with equal pay requirements, launching a public service announcement campaign on wage issues to raise awareness and job training for women.\nSusan Bianchi-Sand, the executive director of the National Committee on Pay Equity, told a group at a White House briefing that "Vice President Al Gore has brought this issue of equal pay to the forefront for working women in this country. If he did not champion this issue ... we would still be in the shadows on (equal pay)."\nDemocrats passed the Family and Medical Leave Act, which covers millions of workers who have benefited from the up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a new baby or sick relative. \nGore supports a woman's right to choose -- a stark contrast to his opponent. Kate Michelman, president of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League said during the organization's endorsement ceremony, "Vice President Gore…(has) always been dedicated to the principles embodied in Roe v. Wade."\nHealthcare:\n• Gore has fought for access to high-quality cancer detection and treatment for women. \n• Gore cosponsored the Women's Health Equity Act, addressing ovarian cancer, infertility, breast cancer and other deadly diseases\n• Gore and the administration fought to expand Medicare coverage of prenatal care annual mammograms.\n• Gore and the administration helped end "job-lock" caused by fears of losing health insurance coverage.\n• Gore worked to enact a real Patients' Bill of Rights, extending it to more than 85 million Americans.\nNov. 7, you have a choice between proven leadership that has brought us a strong national economy, with increasing protections for women and minorities, and well ... the other guy. When you make your choice, look at what candidates have done, not what they promise to do. Democrats have a record of leading the United States in the right direction.\nLet's keep going.