Augusta's No-Women Policy Under Fire in Congress

by Mulligan Stu on Apr 3, 2007 4:07 PM EDT

They should just do the prudent thing and invite Judy Rankin or Nancy Lopez to join. It's going to happen eventually, might as well just do it and prevent things like this from becoming a constant distraction:

In what has become as much an annual rite of spring as the Masters, US lawmakers are considering a bill to remove tax breaks for expenses at male-only enclaves like Augusta National Golf Club.

US representative Carolyn Maloney introduced the bill before the US Congress with specific mention of Augusta National, host club for this week's 71st Masters, the year's first major golf championship.

"Golf courses are set up to allow fair competition between men and women. But at the Augusta National clubhouse, men have long had an unfair advantage," Maloney said.

"Men who belong to clubs like Augusta National reap financial benefits - either directly through tax deductions for business expenses or indirectly through career opportunities and board appointments - that women can't get just because they are women.

"The American taxpayer shouldn't be subsidizing discrimination. These unfair writeoffs should be driven off the golf course and out of the tax code."

I give Rep. Maloney kudos for her creative approach. In fact, maybe Augusta should invite Rep. Maloney to join!

Tweet Comment 0 comments | 0 recs |