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October 09, 2003

Bush: Anti-Family/Anti-States Rights

Bush DOL Repeals "Baby-UI" Rule that Allowed States to use unemployment insurance funds for new parents.

The Clinton administration had approved the "Baby-UI" rule at the end of his administration to give states more flexibility to address the needs of new parents unable to work because of the need to take care of newborns.

But for all this administration talks about "block grants" and "flexibility for states" and being "pro-family", the decision to repeal this rule symbolizes that it's all lies. (No more recent link- but BNA has reported repeal is a done deal.)

The only time Bush wants to give such flexibility to states is when it will hurt working families. In a case like the "Baby-UI" rule, this was a chance to actually help fund paid family leave for new parents, but the Bush administration is killing that opportunity before any state had even had a chance to try to use this innovation.

The administration has justified the decision by citing the lack of money in state unemployment insurance trust funds, but it's typical that the administration prefers its giveaway tax cuts over additional unemployment funding to help working families.

Make no mistake-- this administration is completely hostile to parents and families, whatever it's rhetoric. And it doesn't respect "states rights" or any such nonsense its says. Like everything this administration says, it's all lies.

Articles about the lost advantages of the "Baby-UI" program here.

Posted by Nathan at October 9, 2003 10:52 AM