What- Yellow Ribbon Car Magnets Aren't Good Enough For You?

A Senate-passed plan to create a liberal leave program for those taking care of the children of deployed U.S. troops appears to be dying because a key House committee chairman believes it is unneeded...

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., is the chief sponsor of what he calls the Military Family Support Act, which passed the Senate by voice vote and is now being discussed by House and Senate negotiators who are trying to write a compromise version of the defense bill...

The proposal is facing difficulty with House negotiators after Rep. P. “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, said he opposed the Feingold plan. Because McKeon’s committee oversees labor law, he has virtual veto power over whether the proposal makes it into the bill because he would have to waive his committee’s legislative jurisdiction for it to be approved.

Steve Forde, communications director for McKeon, said the congressman “absolutely sympathizes with the families of our deployed men and women around the globe” but doesn’t believe the Feingold plan is needed. “The fact is, employers currently have — without congressional action — the ability to allow workers to use leave in this way,” Forde said.

ARMY TIMES

Hey, I remember these- the Frequently Feingolds. Do I remember how to approach them though? Do I pretend to be critical of Russ, writing something about this being a cynical pre-presidential campaign ploy? I mean really- sponsoring a pro military family bill he knows won't make it through the Republican House is so transparent. Have you no shame, Russ?

Or do I write something like: Flex time for babysitters seems a reasonable suggestion if we truly are in the decisive "Ideological Struggle" for the 21st Century- as MY PRESIDENT says we are? After all, I'd hate to finally lose this struggle for hegemony over something as silly as baby-sitting... Since everything else about it seems to be going so well.

I can't quite remember. Maybe I should take a less tactful approach and write something about these family members knowing what they were in for when their loved ones signed up. I mean where would they get the idea that military service was a walk in the park? Baby-sitters indeed!

Well, with practice I should get my stride back soon.