Ensuring Domestic Tranquillity.

While I wouldn't say we're poverty-stricken here at chez Squelch (witness the monthly expenditure for a DSL line with which to type this blog at hunt-and-peck speeds), we do occasionally have the experience of living paycheck-to-paycheck. Usually this is somewhat illusory--we do have a decent savings, after all, and we don't run out our checking account or max our credit cards--but this past month, enough bills piled up and forced us to live off this past week ('til Monday, when K gets paid) without much money in the checking account. I have tried (successfully) to get through the week with just the dough in my wallet. Now all that's gone, and I face a cash-free weekend.

I wonder how long I'll last? Considering that I need to get D into the city pool tomorrow to swim with K, probably not long. But we have it easy. We're not going to starve anytime soon. But (how's this for a transition to politics?) considering the government doesn't offer paid maternity leave, we may starve once the new baby is born.

Isn't it about time to change that, folks? K had to use up all her vacation and sick leave for D's birth and more (she was able to get sick leave donated to her by others). Donation isn't an option this time around, and though she has just enough for six weeks' leave, if she has to go on bed rest (as she did last time) she'll be out in the cold.

I'm unemployed by choice, and I could probably go back to working at the Kennedy Center if we needed money. But don't let that distract you from the larger issue: the government does not give its employees paid maternity leave. When you throw this into the mix of "Mothers Need to Stay Home," "Welfare Mothers Need to Work," "Insurance Companies Need to Pay for Viagra," "Insurance Companies Don't Need to Pay for Birth Control Pills," and other general Congressional proclamations... well, I, at least, find it pretty much irrefutable that the current leadership has it in for women and wants them barefoot and pregnant while their husbands cavort in strip clubs. Another thing I could add to that list is the recent flap over day care vs. home care; the pundits said again and again, "See! Women should stay home!" but never for a moment suggested that men might do the same.

It's transparent. Stay in the kitchen, Trixie, and let Ralph Kramden bring home the bacon.