Does America want Moms to stay at home?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-02-2005
Does America want Moms to stay at home?
987
Mon, 12-12-2005 - 11:28am
It was actually dh that suggested that America (gov't I suppose) wants Moms to stay at home. From what I have learned from these boards daycare is hideously expensive and maternity leave is very short. Many have said they couldn't afford to work because of daycare costs. Compare this to Canada where we have $7 a day daycare and Quebec is increasing maternity leave to 2 years at 55% pay or 1 year at 75% pay in January. With the $7 a day daycare Moms can easily afford to work, and with the paid maternity leave Moms can easily afford to stay home. It seems that in the states you're 'forced' into situations because it's your only option. Can't afford daycare? Stay at home. Maternity leave too short or have to work to support the family? Go back to work. Would any of you prefer if it would be easier financially to make either decision like it seems to be in Canada or are you fine with how it is?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:18am

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Flat tax, I tell ya ... Flat tax.

Most of the people that believe in getting rid of the minimum wage also believe in flat tax and getting rid of some of the "bad" policies you mention.

You're right; it currently *isn't* a free market economy, it is a managed one. That's why I'm a Libertarian; I think things would work better in a free market economy.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:20am

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Of course.

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Requiring more workers and more wages.

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Nope. But many companies are barely making a profit as it is. Being forced to raise wages across the board can put many small companies under. And then those employees have no job at all.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:22am
Also, if you were talking about *a particular* company or a handful, you'd have a btter case. But when you talk about *every company in the US* your argument goes out the window. Eventually prices are gonna increase.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-03-2005
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:24am
So what's your argument? I thought you said wage increases don't result in increased prices?
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-2004
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:25am
Free market, communism, all sorts of imaginary things have come up in this subthread. But wage and benefits exploitation isn't one of them. The minimum wage is tied up with a lot of fairly shocking history. The "free market" has been used against it since the beginning. And it's by no means the most nonsensical policy we have in a capitalist system.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-2004
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:31am
Industry loves to complain about downward pressure on their profit margins from progressive reforms. The auto industry said it couldn't afford seat belts or air bags. It now says it can't afford greener cars. The minimum wage is just one of a slew of reforms big business has always resisted on the basis of the free market, threat of imminent collapse, increased unemployment, you name it. It's their job to squawk about such things. Yet big business has never been more powerful than it is today.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-2004
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:36am
Don't you think I know better by now than to use words like "every", "always", "never", "all"... If I ever express myself like that it'll be because I'm momentarily impaired ;-)
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-2004
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:37am
Well, you objected to my claim that wage increases might not lead to price increases if the increase is saved rather than spent.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:43am
What about not enough sleep and no discipline at home?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 12-16-2005 - 8:46am
Why is a mother spending time with her newborn important to the business world, except indirectly because presumably she'll be a happier employee?

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