Paid leave is overdue

As a mother of two who experienced the value of paid leave, I hope Vermont legislators pass a universal paid family and medical leave program this year.

Paid leave after the birth of my children afforded me time I could never get back. A paid leave policy that protected my job and financial stability meant I was ready to return to work when I did.

In my career as an early intervention physical therapist, I see many families who do not have the experience I did. I work with clients who are returning to work as new parents, sometimes as parents of a child with significant needs.

Later, many families are faced with lack of paid or even unpaid leave when their child has life-altering medical procedures. Families are forced to make difficult decisions that can put their child at risk, such as delaying medical treatment.

Passage of a universal paid leave program is long overdue. Paid leave gives growing families a strong start — from which we all benefit. When parents can attend to a child’s medical needs, they’re healthier in the long-run. When caregivers can balance their career and their family, they stay in the workforce. Investing in the health of Vermont’s children and caregivers builds stronger communities and saves taxpayer dollars.

I urge lawmakers to pass H.66 and make paid leave a reality for all Vermont workers, not just a privilege of the few.

Amber Hewston

Wilder

Shaheen’s priorities

A recent op-ed (“Shaheen takes a wrong turn with funding bill,” March 8) discusses the short-sighted funding cut for the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division proposed by the Appropriations Committee headed by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. My aim is to add context to this funding cut, from $278 million to $233 million (around 20%), as compared to other spending Shaheen supports.

The budget for fighting monopolies and anti-competitive behavior totals $708 million (including $430 million for the Federal Trade Commission). Strong antitrust policy has been a success for the Biden administration and is the only leverage consumers have to counteract greedy corporations. While Shaheen wants to reduce this funding, she also supports sending at least another $50 billion in military aid to Ukraine to continue a war that unfortunately cannot be won. Shaheen is happy to spend $50 billion on Ukraine, but not $45 million on fighting anti-competitive behavior that directly impacts middle class families by driving increased inflation and corporate profits.

Why would Shaheen support billions for Ukraine but propose a comparatively small cut to fight monopolies? The only rational explanation is she is responding to her true constituents. Her friends in the military industrial complex make billions in profit from the war but her corporate buddies hate antitrust because it reduces their ability to fleece consumers. Simply follow the money. Shaheen does.

John Trummel

Hanover

Time to wake up about war

Polls are saying that a lot of the American population is opposed to having the U.S. involved in wars that are not directed hitting the USA. Apparently, most people under the age of 60 slept through their social studies high school classes.

Simply review: We need to be involved in any war where one or both sides have nuclear bomb capacity. And Russia has one of the biggest capacities.

This country needs to wake up. There are wars where no one is throwing things at us, and we can watch, not participate. And there are wars that we need to influence a lot. Helping Ukraine directly helps us, and if you don’t see the direct connection, you need to go back to high school, wake up and take notes about the Cold War. We do not want a hot war to start, not even a lukewarm war.

Nancy Brittain

White River Junction

Getting ready for Trump 2.0

Preparing for a second Trump presidency means understanding just how much power he wields. Trump has already whipped his followers into a murderous frenzy. He will not hesitate to do so again. Trump thrives on adoration and attention. He will do anything to feel the glowing sensation of the spotlight. Beware the power and consciencelessness of the megalomaniac, the demagogue, the narcissist. If it serves his ego, Trump will unleash his brown shirts on anyone. Term No. 2 will be something indeed.

Dan Weintraub

Quechee/Boston