When politicians talk “fairness” and “equity,” they usually mean the opposite. So watch out for the Paycheck Fairness Act, up for a Senate vote soon. Democrats have forced former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to say he supports pay equity and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, signed into law by President Obama in January 2009. Now they want to see if they can get him to support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Pay equity, defined as equal pay for equal work, is already law. But the Paycheck Fairness Act — which failed in the 111th Democratic Congress — seeks equal pay for different jobs, which is manifestly unfair.