Reply #40: I quit to stay home with our kids--most of my salary would've gone to childcare.

[knitter4democracy]

At the time, I was a teacher in the Catholic schools, and we were already using med school loans to help cover some living expenses, so when I got preggers and started looking around, I was shocked to find out that staying home would only cost five grand more in med school loans than staying in the classroom. Given that I was sick and tired of the political crap and whiny kids, it was an easy choice.

National healthcare and national childcare. Those would lift so many out of grinding poverty right there, and it might encourage some to take jobs they wouldn't normally with lower pay to make our society stronger.