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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
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The US is the only only industrialized nation on the planet that doesn’t guarantee paid parental leave through a federal law.

Not only that, for a "high income country" we also have the highest rates of infant mortality. We also have the highest maternal out of developed nations. That says something along with no federal law on paid parental leave.

It sounds like it takes both parties to come across the aisle and work together to figure this out. Other countries do it - the US should be able to do it.



https://time.com/5590167/paid-family-leave-united-states/

https://www.npr.org/2016/10/06/495839588/countries-around-the-world-beat-the-u-s-on-paid-parental-leave

In fact, here's another point. During WWII, there was paid childcare. https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/blog/wwii-universal-childcare/

It's possible. It just takes our elected representatives to sit down and actually work on it and figure it out for how it works in the US.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
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While I do not disagree with the idea, my question is simple: who pays for it?
Answer #1: Federal government. Great, how? We already have record deficits and debts. Government spending is out of control (and this is, honestly, a MUCH bigger discussion), we do not need to add ANOTHER unfunded program. Which means raising taxes. On who? Everyone? Only the rich? If the rich, (who, incidentally, don't really need this type of program), then it becomes one more example of the government stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. It is one more step toward socialism.
Answer#2: State and local government. Great, with what money? Many state and local governments are already trying to figure out how to keep their states in the black, due to C19 lowering tax bases while requiring more services. This is one of the biggest sticking points in passing C19 relief - whether or not to provide aid to state and local governments who are currently underwater. Adding a new program they have to pay for cannot be a good idea at this point in time.
Answer #3: Employers. Many smaller employers are shutting down, going out of business due to travel restrictions and lockdowns. Smaller businesses simply cannot afford another cost. And the bigger businesses are responsible to their bottom line. Sure they can afford it. But most will do so by finding ways to recoup those losses. Lower wages, cutting other (optional) benefits like vision and dental or 401K matching, etc. Most employees of those larger businesses will almost definitely see some form of wage or benefit loss to pay for this - which they may or may not ever need (individually). I would not hold my breath waiting for a round of thanks from these folks.
Answer #4: Employees. By creating a salary offset, similar to FICA, all employees could contribute to a big pot which pays out as needed. This, once again, lowers the effective wages of all employees, which is hardly a good solution in the current time of folks living paycheck to paycheck or even going deeper into debt with each passing month due to layoffs and/or reduced hours.
Answer #5: ???? No clue beyond those four. If anyone has a better answer, let me know.

I am actually dealing with this issue right now (albeit in a very different situation than Seth and Lauren). I was shot on the job, and am currently not working because my right arm cannot support weight, and I cannot drive. For about two and a half weeks I couldn't even wipe my own butt, and for three weeks I couldn't put on a t-shirt, even with help. I have worker's comp, but that only covers 2/3 of my pay. My wife had to take FMLA to be my caregiver - and worker's comp doesn't pay jack diddly for her lost wages. If I wasn't already retired AND receiving a sizable disability check from VA, we would be delinquent on our mortgage right now. I know that my situation is far better than others, and I am incredibly lucky in that regard, where even without her working, and my reduced pay, we can still put food on the table. (One of the many reasons why I am happy that it was me who was shot instead of one of my coworkers. I am not happy that ANYONE was shot, but if it was going to be someone, thank God it was me.) Finances are tight, but we can pay the bills.

Paid FMLA for her would be a Godsend for us, financially. But I just cannot see how we can pay for it, unless we tax the rich even more than we already are. Which I am both philosophically and politically opposed to.
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CW3 Dick McManus
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I made up the following questionnaire to weed out candidates who seek your endorsement, but who supported political views exemplified by the Trumpster and Qanon believers.
26 incidents of "unwanted sexual contact" by the Trumpster and 43 instances of inappropriate behavior were detailed in the book, All the President's Women: Donald Trump and the Making of a Predator. https://www.businessinsider.com/women-accused-trump-sexual-misconduct-list-2017-12?fbclid=IwAR1h75H0hHZhlxGb4eDzmCOf4wYDB2svhBJ-PfPkoXoHm3JRiNiDGPjhmNc#jessica-leeds-1


Former White House chief of staff, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, has told friends that President Donald Trump "is the most flawed person" he's ever known. Trump can't stand to hear the Truth! He lies, steals & cheats! He has 2000+ court cases awaiting him as a defendant! His dishonesty is the transactional nature of every relationship.


Where do you stand on these issues?
And of course, you and candidates should feel free to explain their answer(s). And even refusing to answer some questions may tell us a lot about the candidate.
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Do you believe we are will never run out of CHEAP oil and natural gas?

Do you believe scientists are wrong about global warming being a very serious threat and the cause is not man-made?

Do you believe the population growth is nothing to worry about?

Do you believe only three bullets were fired at President Kennedy and Lee Oswald fired all three?

Do you believe people have actually seen an alien being or a space ship (aka UFOs from out-space); notwithstanding that people have seen strange things/lights in the sky that are unexplained?

Do you believe that the US government has recovered parts of an alien out-space craft, that aliens brought technology to earth and that is the reason we humans now have it?

Do you believe human civilizations in the past gained advanced technologically that science has only discovered in the past 100 years?

Do you believe that Nikola Tesla invented unlimited, free energy and the energy producing, companies are keeping it secret?

Do you believe that people can somehow predict the future, communicate with dead people, and/or read other people's thoughts?

Do you believe that there may be real ghosts and demons that make people crazy, aka “demonic possessed”?

Do you believe that the US did not really land a man on the moon and/or 12 Americans did not really walked on the moon?

Do you believe our elections can be faked or hacked even if the exit polls results agree statistically with the election results?

Are you troubled by the fact that Nancy Pelosi did not publically speak up after she learned in about 30 private briefings that Bush and the boys were planning to use torture?

Do you believe the Democratic led Congress was wrong for not prosecuting of Bush et al for war crimes, for allowing Gina Haspel to become CIA Director, and for not prosecuting CIA officer Jose Rodriguez for destroying the video tapes of CIA torture?
Are you troubled about all the past presidents who have made war on other nations without a Congressional declaration for war and Obama doing drone attacks (aka a war on terrorism)?
Do you believe economic sanctions placed on other nations by presidents should require a Congressional declaration of war by sanctions?
Do you believe a President Trump should have gotten a Congressional declaration to sell weapons to nations like Saudi Arabia given their war against Yemen and after they killed a US journalist?
Do you believe on 9/11 that all three of the World Trade Center buildings totally collapsed to ground level only due to airplanes and office fires?

Do you believe it is freedom of speech for corporations to give money to candidates?

Do you believe that the holocaust of the Jews did not happen?

Do you believe that our national income tax is unconstitutional?

Do you believe that low levels of fluoride used to prevent tooth decay in our drinking water, is poisoning people?

Do you believe vaccines cause autism?

Do you believe depleted uranium weapons used by the US military did not harm civilians during the wars and long after the wars end?

Do you agree we are in a war on science?

Do you believe we need a new law called “assessor to a pandemic” to punish sheriffs who violates the order of our Governor for social distancing and etc?

Do you believe we need a new law authorizing the Secretary of Defense and/or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to protect the Congress and US Supreme Court Justices from a rioting mob if the President does not act?

Shouldn't we be asking every candidate these questions, even candidates for judge?

What other questions do suggest we should be asking?


My answers are all NO except for:

Are you troubled by the fact that Nancy Pelosi speak up publicly after she was briefed in about 30 private briefings that Bush and the boys were planning to use torture. YES

Do you believe the Democratic led Congress was wrong for not prosecuting of Bush et al for war crimes, for allowing Gina Haspel to become CIA Director, and for not prosecuting CIA officer Jose Rodriguez for destroying the video tapes of CIA torture? YES

Are you troubled about all the past presidents who have made war on other nations without a declaration for war by Congress or by Obama’s drone attacks, aka war on terrorism? YES
Do you believe economic sanctions placed on another nations by presidents need to require a declaration of war by sanctions by Congress? YES

Do you believe a President Trump should have gotten a Congressional “declaration to sell weapons” to nations like Saudi Arabia due to their war against Yemen and after it killed a US journalist? YES

Do you agree we are in a war on science? YES
Do you believe we need a new law called “assessor to a pandemic” to punish sheriffs who violate the orders of our Governor? YES

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Stay safe,
Richard McManus
Chief Warrant Officer-3/counterintelligence special agent (more like an FBI agent than CIA officer) and combat paramedic/LPN, Vietnam US Army retired, BS psychology and nursing, ,former 911 telephone guy Seattle police department and King County Police officer, Everett, WA
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
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I'm confused as to what this post has to do with the OP regarding paid parental leave...
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CW3 Dick McManus
CW3 Dick McManus
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - It was a test to see what pushes you hostile button. Off topic cop?
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