BlueNC Women on Wednesdays

It's a great post and I'm glad it's up there. I LOVE the teaser.

I'm not sure I know what this is, and I don't think I want to - but I've been sick of Lieberman since he was Gore's running mate.

We've got to stop choosing vp candidates because they fit a geographic and demographic profile, and choose them because they'd make a good president, if god forbid, something would happen to the President.

For what it's worth, I thought we got it backwards in 2004.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

Turns your stomach, doesn't it? Uggh...

And how ironic he writes, "Today, women are choosing to leave the work-force to start a family rather than choosing an abortion to stay on the job."

And then has the nerve to say, "If the debate is to be meaningful, the pro-choice people must be intellectually honest."

LMAO!

He is right about one thing, "The con game is still alive and kicking."

Sure enough is!

Third party-child care is close to becoming a government-bestowed right. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act requires employers to give parents up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, if they want it, to care for a newborn. Today, women are choosing to leave the work-force to start a family rather than choosing an abortion to stay on the job.

Third party child care is expensive(pdf): the average cost of child care for an infant is NC ranges from $7800 to $10,000 per year. For single parents, the cost of care for an infant is about 41% of their income. In NC, the median income for families with children under the age of 18 is $46,486.

So figure that a family has an infant. Mom takes 12 weeks of unpaid leave (FMLA only applies to companies with 50 or more employees, let's just give Martinez the benefit of the doubt on this one, and say that she's fortunate enough to work for a company that allows unpaid leave with a guarantee of a position upon return to work.)

Let's say, too, that Mom is conscientious about her baby's health, and has decided to breastfeed for at least those 12 weeks. So for a while, baby food and formula are not a cost factor for this family. However, nutritious food for breastfeeding Mom is definitely an issue. You can't breast feed well and eat generic macaroni and cheese and .10 a pack ramen noodles, you know? Health care is also an issue. Will her company continue to pay her health care costs, or is the family going to have to come up with those costs as well? There are also well-baby costs: diapers, whether the family decides to go with disposable or washable, are an expense. Electricity, rent or mortgage, food, insurance - all these things are a factor when you're thinking about those 12 weeks.

Then you have to consider whether or not Mom will go back to work. Can this family afford the astronomic cost of child care without assistance? Do they qualify for assistance? The answer to both of those questions is probably "no." The cost will be too high, but if they're earning that median income, they make too much money to qualify for child care subsidy.

And even if they did qualify for child care subsidy, in some counties right now in NC, there is a 4 to 6 month waiting list. What - exactly is the family supposed to live on while Mom waits for child care? Oh - and what if Mom is single? What then?

Please don't take my statements here to mean that I think that abortion - late term or otherwise - should be used because child care is expensive. I'm making these statements to show that Mr. Martinez obviously has never had reality smack him in the face. Let him come and work with some of my employees who work with parents everyday who face these dilemmas, and try to help them find creative solutions. Let him go down to his local Department of Social Services and actually talk to real women in real situations instead of right-wing wanking in front of a computer. *@&%*!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

for another great Wednesday.

You gals rock!