Democrats to introduce WORK Act to give all mothers the same choice Ann Romney had

[ProSense]

Democrats to introduce WORK Act to give all mothers the same choice Ann Romney had

by Kaili Joy Gray

Now that Republicans have flip-flopped on their decades-long denigration of mothers and decided that staying at home to raise children is work—or at least, it's work when Ann Romney does it; poor mothers, not so much—House Democrats are telling them to put their money where their mouth is. Ryan Grim at Huffington Post reports:

A handful of House Democrats, encouraged by the recent bipartisan agreement that stay-at-home moms should be considered just as hard working as anyone in the workforce, will introduce legislation to apply that standard to mothers on welfare as well.

Under current law, raising children does not count toward the required "work activity" that must be performed by recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, the federal program that emerged from the 1996 welfare reform. Some states make an exception for mothers with children less than a year old.

The Woman's Option to Raise Kids (WORK) Act, a copy of which was provided to HuffPost in advance of its introduction, would allow mothers with children ages 3 and under to stay at home with their children and continue receiving benefits.

The WORK Act won't really give all women the same choices Ann Romney had. As she explained:

No, I did not work. Mitt thought it was important for me to stay home with the children, and I was delighted.

Under the WORK Act, however, mothers whose husbands don't have profitable stock portfolios to support them, but who also think it's important to "stay home with the children" and would be delighted to do so, would have to return to the work force when their child turns four. Still, such legislation would be a much-needed step in the right direction. And it's one Mitt Romney should be first in line to support. After all, as his wife told us last week:

This is obviously an awesome responsibility, to raise children. It's, to me, the most important thing we can do. I will tell you that Mitt said to me, more times than you would imagine, "Ann, your job is more important than mine." He was making money and doing the things, raising funds and investing and helping other companies, and he would come home and say, "Ann, your job is more important than mine."

- more -

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/18/1084402/-Democrats-to-introduce-WORK-Act-to-give-all-mothers-the-same-choice-Ann-Romney-had

Ann Romney’s Birthday Cake At Trump Fundraiser (Photo)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002576092

[safeinOhio]

1. Just give Mitt and Ann enough rope

and the election is in the bag for the Obamas.

[eShirl]

2. Would stay-at-home fathers be covered?

[loyalsister]

6. I would hope so

Another reason why we need the ERA! Men benefit from it too.

[abelenkpe]

19. hope so! nt

[jwirr]

28. If they were the primary care provider. Back when that this was actually legal there were not that

many stay at home fathers. Most struggled to maintain outside work and taking care of the children. I know men who got married again in order to have someone to care for their children. Had an ancestor who married three times for this reason.

[CTyankee]

3. Way to stick it to the repukes, Dems!

I want to hear what Boner says about this! God, that's good news!

[AlbertCat]

20. I want to hear what Boner says about this!

"This will just encourage welfare queens to have more children just to get the check."

"We don't have time for this! Jobs jobs jobs are our #1 priority. Now back to business: all in favor of making women have their abortions in public....?"

"We'll have to take money from SS and every other social safety net to pay for it!"

"We'll only consider it if they finish the pipeline of sludge from Canada to TX."

"HELL NO YOU CAN'T! Whaaaaah! sniff sniff"

[CTyankee]

21. Their silence speaks volumes.

They can't say a goddamned thing and they know it.

The OOPS is on them!

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Given the current flavor of Congress, this bill

is no doubt intended mostly to make the point about Ann Romney, but wow, if it could actually be passed, it would make a tremendous difference for the better in many lives. Many children would be far better off for the rest of their lives as a result of having had 4 years of maternal care rather than being subjected to the combined stresses of mothers forced into the often brutal low-income workplace and the inadequate childcare that they are often forced to use.

[FirstLight]

9. I wish this would pass

...many women on assistance are recovering in some way, from loss of spouse, from abuse, form addiction, etc... having to put the children in state-run daycare while being forced to work is a travesty, and it stresses the entire family unit. Not to mention the guilt of having to leave your kids somewhere you may not be comfortable with, or the inability to hold a job because of sick kids and a plethora of additional reasons ...

I know what of I speak, been there done that...my kids are 9 & 10 and I am STILL struggling to make it, can't find a 40hr job to keep us afloat, but even if i could, all it takes is one round of flu and me having to be home for a week with each kid and I am in trouble with the boss...or fired. One boss actually told me I had to clear doctors appointments with her before making them...and that was for a specialist because my daughter has a birth defect!
I've made the 'choice' in many ways to live in poverty and freelance, even if it is a struggle, because it is what my family needs from me... to BE THERE for THEM. No other job is as important... but with the way so many devalue women - especially poor ones - in our culture as a whole...I doubt any of my observations or wishes make a difference.

[ProSense]

16. It's good

in general. Something like the OP proposal should pass. Still, Senator Harkin has a comprehensive proposal that's a really good start to addressing many of the issues that are holding low- and middle-income workers behind.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002493939

That should be a priority.

[loyalsister]

5. Happy birthday Ann

This is awesome. There goes the "welfare mom" stereotype that republicans have used to demonize women for so long.

[tk2kewl]

7. good one!

[dkf]

8. What burns people is having to work harder and pay more taxes to support people who don't work.

This is a bad idea even if it might seem like a zing to Romney.

[kestrel91316]

10. Yeah. I for one am tired of having to pay taxes to support the Ann Rmoneys of the world in

their lifestyle.

If you can show that the Rmoneys consistently pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than the little folk like me I'll take that back.

I'm so stunned that you are carrying water for the Rmoneys still. Not.

[Cali_Democrat]

12. Why exactly is this such a bad idea?

[ProSense]

13. This is bullshit!

For being the proclaimed world leader, the U.S. has the worst benefits structure for workers.

Your comment is the typical RW comeback to any issue that would improve the quality of life of Americans.

At Least 30 Countries Have Unemployment Benefits More Generous Than The U.S.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/04/16/465307/30-countries-unemployment-benefits/

I mean, in a country where the likes of the Bushes and Romneys have contributed to destroying the economy and jobs, why are millions of people who have yet to find jobs kicked to the curb by the system that failed them?

[ProSense]

14. Here's

what's acceptable:

Two dozen Fortune 500 companies paid no corporate income taxes in 2011
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002543288



http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002518466


The taxes on a handful of those companies or individuals could support a lot.

[SemperEadem]

17. no, that burns pride-filled, selfish, self-centered and self-absorbed xitian people

who do not believe that "love they neighbor as they self" applies to them, even though the god they worship commands, not asks, that they do so.

[dkf]

25. Ah so you have no worldly assets then?

How very Christ like of you.

If you have then you need to get rid of them pronto.

[SemperEadem]

27. that's non sequitur

what I do or do not own is not the issue.

I'm addressing the hypocrisy of so-called xtians who claim they follow the teachings of Jesus and God, but then act like it doesn't apply to them when he said "feed the hungry, cloth the naked, shelter the homeless", etc.

I don't mind my tax dollars going to help those in need. At. All. I can make more money if needs be.

[kctim]

29. As an atheist, I find this argument kind of funny

How do you know they don't "feed the hungry, cloth the naked, shelter the homeless" etc...?
Why do they have to do it according to how you believe they should, in order for it to count?
Did Jesus or God teach that they should give money to a government to help others, or did they teach it is an individual responsibility to help them?
Why is what you do or do not own not the issue, but what others do or do not own is?

The reason I ask is because almost all of the Dems and Reps I know are Christians and they say it is an individual responsibility to help their fellow man. And while none of them believe government should do nothing, they do believe there is a limit on what it is responsible for.

[SemperEadem]

30. because I say so

and you don't have to like it. You're welcome to put me on ignore if it bothers you that much.

I'm not trying to write policy to a libertarian, selfish bend in order to snatch safety nets out from under vulnerable people.

[kctim]

32. Aw, don't worry

I'm man enough to debate the facts with anybody, so nobody goes on ignore.

"Because I say so" is good enough for me. Few people are so willing to admit they don't know what they are talking about as you have, so I have to respect that.

FWIW: "Because I say so" is why Democrats make up the majority of the party while liberals/progressives are stuck with a far less minority.

[TBF]

22. That's for sure - I'm damned tired of paying a higher tax rate than the millionaires

out there and thereby subsidizing their luxurious lifestyles. And it's about time it stopped.

[dkf]

24. The whole tax code is chock full of unfair things.

It doesn't matter how much you make, it's how you make it, how you spend it, and how many people you can claim that determines your tax rate.

[TBF]

26. It really does matter how much you make when 1% owns over 40% of the wealth in the country -

I refuse to minimize reality.

[deacon]

11. Kick + R

[felix_numinous]

15. This is great

and we need the ERA passed pronto. The RW needs to be reeducated as to what century this is.

http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/

[abelenkpe]

18. + 1000 nt

[riderinthestorm]

23. Way too excellent to fall off the front page K&R! nt

[bullwinkle428]

31. Romney counter-proposes with WORK WILL MAKE YOU FREE Act!