Yesterday’s congressional approval of the bailout bill fails women. Why?

Because its focus is almost entirely on financial difficulties while the deepest, most serious economic problems relate to unemployment.

Sure, it’s important to get the banks in order. But was this the emergency it was cracked up to be? Nope. It was shock and awe Wall Street style.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a record 1,777 mass layoff events in August. The three most severly affected industries—temporary help services, school and employee bus transportation, and professional employer organizations—employ far more women than men.

True, the Wall Street mess is making the recession worse, and women do struggle as a result. But the best way to help would be to send $100 billion in emergency aid to the States so they don’t have to cut essential spending on health, education, heating, and housing. Such spending helps women far more than billions to swashbuckling Wall Street gamblers.