Jobs for moms

To the Editor:

I'm a paraplegic who depends on caregivers for personal hygiene, cooking, wound care, transportation, errands, walking dogs, and house cleaning, among other tasks.

They usually don't have health care insurance. Some of them have bad teeth and poor vision because they can't afford dental and eye care for themselves and their kids. Many stay home and collect welfare because they can't afford childcare.

My current caregiver couldn't get her 3-yearold into preschool. That's because she couldn't afford the cost for three days of care a week at $450 a month.

President Biden's nearly $2 trillion social spending bill includes $400 billion for early childhood development. It's an investment in human infrastructure. It would extend the child tax credit to save families an average $100 a week. Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democrat, said this may be too generous.

Two cornerstones of the bill are universal preschool and affordable childcare, in which most families would pay no more than 7% of the cost. It would get moms out of the house to join the workforce.

All 50 Senate Democrats would have to approve Biden's bill for passage. Manchin said he will not vote for it after negotiations with Biden broke down. It's time to give Manchin what he wants. Items cut from the deal could be included in future legislation. Biden hopes he can still work something out with Manchin. Robert Dorroh

Sonora