Charles Camosy proposes a grand bargain for Democrats and Republicans:
How to pass federal paid family leave and limit abortions
Family leave programs and child-care support are energetically backed by liberals….[But] these kinds of programs violate the extremist small-government orthodoxy of the Republican Party. Even if Democrats were to win the presidency this year, and a majority in the House and the Senate, the GOP would almost certainly filibuster bills that meaningfully addressed paid family leave and child-care costs.
That means that Democrats who want to see such bills pass need to come up with a carrot to get moderate Republicans on board. A nearly perfect one exists: the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which was passed by the House last year but filibustered by Senate Democrats. The bill would ban elective abortions past the 20th week of pregnancy. The United States is extreme in allowing such abortions in the first place; it is one of only seven countries in the world that permit abortions beyond 20 weeks.
Hmmm. Paid family leave and child-care support in return for limiting abortions after 20 weeks instead of 26. Camosy is right: there are probably some Democrats who’d back that deal. At a guess, there would be at least enough to defeat a filibuster and put this on the president’s desk. So let’s give it a try!
Oh wait. We need some Republican votes too. At the moment I can think of…zero Republicans who wouldn’t dismiss this out of hand. Other than that, though, it sounds like some great out-of-the-box thinking.
