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I fully support Paid Family Leave.  I am shocked by some of the opposition to it that runs along the lines of "I don't have kids so I don't want to pay a dime to those that do.  If you want kids, pay your own way" and "Plan for your own problems - if you don't have the means, tough luck on you."

The way we collectively value our children, the sick and the elderly says something about our moral fitness as a nation, regardless of GDP.  Children are in investment in the future of our society, and it is a sign of how individualistic and self-centered our culture is that those without children think that they can completely abdicate any obligation to provide an environment that nurtures and cares for the next generation. 

Taking a philosophical stand such as "I believe in zero population growth" or "low income people shouldn't even have kids" is denying reality.  The fact is, people WILL have children.  Many of those parents will be in financial difficulty, either due to their income level or due to unforeseen illness of the child.  Will we do our best to ensure that those children get the healthiest start they can in life, or do we turn away and shrug off responsibility by blaming the parents for "poor planning"?  Such an approach will surely cost us far more in the long run.

Furthermore, it is sheer hubris to think that you can plan for every contingency.  Can you say for certain that you will never have a sick or injured family member?  That you yourself will never be a financial burden on your family?  I have no issue paying 2 cents an hour knowing that it may help my co-worker, whose mother has cancer, whose child is in the hospital or who has just welcomed a new baby.  

posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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