Bush Veto of Parental Leave Bill

The President’s veto of the family leave bill (front page, July 26) will no doubt provide ammunition for Democrats anxious to show that the Democratic Party (the party virtually suicidal in its anti-capital punishment and pro-criminal/anti-victim stance) is somehow now the party of traditional family values. I hope the electorate will set aside emotion and see through this totally bogus, political issue.

The truth of the matter is that the family leave bill is a “yuppie” bill and nothing more. By providing leave without pay, the working poor are quite likely to return to work ASAP, regardless of parental leave availability. Only upper-middle income professionals are likely to take some “quality” time to “bond” with their newborns or assist an ailing parent.

It is interesting to observe that with or without a federal parental leave bill, the impact of the veto on California is minimal. California has for many years had a law requiring employers to provide up to four months unpaid leave to female workers unable to work because of pregnancy.

The world hasn’t stopped. Large California employers have learned to work around the problems created by absent workers. Many small employers continue to ignore the law (either from ignorance or unreasonable cost). A federal bill will not change that.

ROBERT PREECE

Pomona