Working sick

by: Nancy Watzman

Mon May 05, 2008 at 08:32:36 AM MDT

Like any other family with two working parents, that means we're scrambling. My parents, who can sometimes pinch hit, aren't available today. I'm at my desk now for several hours while my husband is with the kids. Then he'll go to work. I'll stay in touch with my office as best I can by phone and cell. I'm already plotting about the best strategy for both kids to nap at the same time this afternoon so I can work then, too.

Although my husband and are going to have a challenging day, we still have it far better than most. He is a federal government attorney, and providing he gets his work done somehow some way, the office is quite flexible about family needs. I work from home for Washington, DC-based public interest groups that, deadlines permitting, are also quite understanding. But according to 9to5, an organization working for family-work balance, three out of four low wage workers have no paid sick leave.That means that when a bug strikes, they lose much needed income.

In Congress, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has a bill, H.R. 1542, that would require employers of more than 15 people to provide a limited amount of paid sick leave. Eligible employees would be those who work at least 1,000 hours per year. It has 89 cospsonors, but not a single one hails from Colorado.

In the Senate, the companion bill, S.910, sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) in the Senate, has 24 cosponsors, including Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama (D-IL), but not Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). But again, no cosponsors from Colorado.

Go Back to School

by: Nancy Watzman

Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 09:19:27 AM MDT

"They need the education and training, particularly since more and more women are heads of their households, as much or more than anybody else," he said.

More education is always nice. But the problem is that women who spend the same amount of time studying still come out behind men when it comes time to collect paychecks.
 

Franny Airlonowitz

by: Nancy Watzman

Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 12:41:00 PM MDT

Marilyn's sweet rewards

by: Nancy Watzman

Thu Apr 10, 2008 at 09:32:32 AM MDT

She's also gotten money from U.S. Sugar Corporation, another Florida-based sugar company that has benefited from the decades old U.S. sugar price support program-one sugar producers are pushing to preserve in this year's farm bill in the face of Mexican competition opened up by the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Then there's the Florida Sugar Cane League, which has also given her campaign cash. Also some folks from Minnesota, American Crystal Sugar. All together, Musgrave's gotten more than $46,000 from sugar interests for her campaigns over the years, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.  

Not in a toilet stall

by: Nancy Watzman

Mon Apr 07, 2008 at 15:51:41 PM MDT

With the American Academy of Pediatrics recommending that women breastfeeding their infants for six months exclusively and continue for more than a year, working women need all the support they can get. It's not easy and it's not fun to pump at work-you do it for the kid.

Before I retired my breast pump several months ago, I had figured out how to pump almost anywhere. Airports, spare offices, cars. Even the staff meeting room at Arapahoe Basin. (Ok, that wasn't so I could work, but rather so I could ski-but thanks to the folks at A-Basin for allowing it.) I can't say I enjoyed any of it, but what I can say, most definitively, that the least pleasant and sanitary place of all to do it is a toilet stall.

While the Colorado House voted 59 to 6 and the Senate 25 to 8 in favor of the breastfeeding legislation this time, in 2006, a similar bill was quashed when business interests, including the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, opposed it.

Meanwhile, federal legislation that promotes breastfeeding in the workplace by offering employers tax credits, among other measures, remains stalled in committee. And only one member of the Colorado House delegation-Democrat Rep. Diana Degette-has signed on as a cosponsor.

This isn't the kind of issue that grabs headlines. Indeed, many people are squeamish and would rather not think about it at all. But for the thousands of working mothers, it could make all the difference between whether they continue to nurse or not.

McCain's Memphis Cash

by: Nancy Watzman

Fri Apr 04, 2008 at 13:54:32 PM MDT

I wrote this piece for Huffington Post today about how McCain is quite familiar with Memphis already--from his fundraising from white, wealthy parts of town.

Speaking of birthdays, it's McCain's Keating Five anniversary

by: Nancy Watzman

Wed Apr 02, 2008 at 13:10:46 PM MDT

Happy birthday Anya Rose

by: Nancy Watzman

Wed Apr 02, 2008 at 12:58:17 PM MDT

*saying "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii,"

*trying to stick her fingers into light sockets,

*popping items from our not-so-pristine floors into her mouth.

If I had to settle on two words to describe our daughter, they would be "intrepid and indefatigable." She is dogged in pursuit of her goals, whether it's exploring the nature of toilet water or yanking me by the hair to turn my face toward hers when she wants attention. She has to be. She has an older brother.

Political Arteries Clogged with Health Care Cash

by: Nancy Watzman

Mon Mar 31, 2008 at 14:48:03 PM MDT

While two-thirds of that cash has gone to the GOP, in the most recent election in 2006, the money was more evenly split: 52 percent to Republicans, 48 percent to Democrats. That's not surprising, given one of the basic Theorems of Money and Politics: money follows power. The 2006 elections, after all, were the first after the Democrats took over the legislature in 2004.

With so many dollars clogging political arteries, it's tough to have a debate on the merits on the health care proposals. Whenever a lawmaker speaks, he or she must make the choice about whether it's worthwhile angering a past or future health industry campaign contributor. Meanwhile, the 700,000 people in Colorado who lack health insurance are unlikely to be able to afford to give a campaign contribution at all.  

Stories I can't read anymore

by: Nancy Watzman

Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 11:26:34 AM MDT