Get your shit together, America.

[MrScorpio]

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, MrScorpio.

[littlemissmartypants]

3. Why do you think we are so

Out of touch with this need?

[csziggy]

6. Family values!

[Uncle Joe]

9. Because mega-corporations dominate our society, Wall Street is king and this permeates

throughout our nation.

We have come to worship two things, the almighty dollar and short term vision.

Our nation, Republicans in particular may give lip service to "family values" but their actions betray their words, the only family they care about is the Golden Calf.

[merrily]

11. Yes, but the meme is about not hurting small businesses that

create most of the jobs and are "the backbone of this country."

If you cannot afford to be an employer, maybe your business model is not that great.

In any event, you have no right to expect employees to make personal sacrifices, just to be sure that you make a profit, any more than you would expect your landlord or your suppliers to make personal sacrifices to ensure that your business stays afloat. That is not personal responsibility by any means.

[Uncle Joe]

15. I don't believe in trickle down economics but I do believe in trickle down modus operandi.

Too many small businesses are influenced by mega-corporate actions and the U.S. corporate media.

I agree with you about the oft promoted meme of "not hurting small businesses" but I'm convinced the real concerns of those in power are the vast quantities of money coming from the major corporations; they're the power brokers.

This is especially true after Citizens United it's not just the money but major propaganda power as well, they shape to a large degree the values that our society prioritizes.

How often do you see honest and open comparisons by the corporate media of U.S. business practices to that of more enlightened or progressive nations?

They should be consistently doing that, not just on occasion or once in a blue moon.

[merrily]

16. I agree. The meme about small business is a smokescreen to protect huge business.

As far as media, they are FUBAR.

[Uncle Joe]

17. I totally agree, merrily, FUBAR sums it up quite well.

Peace to you.

[merrily]

18. And also to you.

[Hekate]

2. KnR. We are so damn backward sometimes. nt

[stillwaiting]

22. Only because we have been so successfully brainwashed.

We have been carefully programmed to not recognize the importance and value of community/the commons/empathy. The elite have been wildly successful in the U.S. We are a nation with a huge number of assholes within it.

[Ron Green]

4. While we're at it let's do single-payer health care and

a comprehensive passenger rail system.

We could be a "world class" country, with a little work.

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. Greed won't allow that.

We could be a world class country, with a little work.

And then there is that whole ¨socialism¨ thing that scares the crap outta the average repug.

[merrily]

13. We avoid cries of socialism by telling private employers they have to pay, not the USG.

But, socialism is government's owning the means of production and, no matter who bears the cost of family leave, the US is a very long way from that.

We need to stop letting the right use that word incorrectly with impunity.

[Major Hogwash]

5. Good point.

We only have about 2 days -- on that first weekend -- to get used to just having a new baby, and then . . wham!, it's back to the salt mines we go.

It's about as damned backward as having to have a paid insurance policy before we call the doctor to set up an appointment with them for a health checkup.
I swear, if healthcare insurance isn't a racket, then my name is Morgan Freeman.

*cue voiceover*

Oh, but it is a racket.
And that's why we need a single payer program like the Medicare program to apply to all the people.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. But,.....that cuts into PROFITS!!!!

Wall Street will NOT approve!!!

So, we can all FORGET IT.

Right?

[steve2470]

19. yep, that's the bottom line, has nothing to do with the common good nt

[merrily]

10. And, of those 3 countries, we are the largest by far.

See, I told you we were exceptional.

[Kablooie]

12. Or ...

Since America is the greatest country the world has ever known, the other countries should catch up with us and eliminate paid family leave.

Can't allow people to go around criticizing God's country now, can we?

[LibDemAlways]

14. Today a friend posted on his Facebook a table

showing that, unlike other more civilized countries, the US has no laws mandating employee vacation time. Wouldn't you know a rightwing idiot immediately weighed in that if people want time off they should move to one of those other countries.

I'm sure the response to paid family leave would be much the same. There's no reasoning with morons.

[Enthusiast]

20. Kicked and recommended!

[Laelth]

21. k&r for labor. n/t

-Laelth