As a pro-life Democrat, I believe in supporting families from cradle to grave. This is the position that was originally staked out by Governor Mike Huckabee. While we don’t share a party, we do share a belief in the value of human life in the womb and beyond.
Families are the core of our society. Diversity makes us stronger. Children are our future. Everyone agrees with these statements. Human decency doesn’t have a party. We must change our laws to reflect our values. That is why I advocate for a comprehensive family plan to support our children and our businesses.
1. Paid six week family leave plus six additional unpaid weeks
2. Fully tax deductible child care costs
3. Fully tax deductible educational expenses
These aren’t pie in the sky policies. If we are going to allow billionaires to deduct private airplanes and suites in the most expensive stadiums, surely we should allow families to deduct their investment into our most precious asset, children, in full! This is just common sense. If a parent wants to spend more on their child’s education, that is a good thing! We shouldn’t cap those expenditures. We should incentivize them.
Paid six week family leave is good for business. It encourages workers to stay in the work force and eliminates the mommy penalty by allowing both men and women to take time to help their families adjust to new circumstances. Family leave should be allowed for the birth or adoption of a new child, care of a seriously ill child, and care of elderly family members. These are our realities. If we want to keep people from bankruptcy, welfare lines, and off of government assistance, we have to have policies that promote and encourage them to work!
