Pete Buttigieg has been on paternity leave amid supply-chain crisis

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  1. Readmikenow profile image95
    Readmikenowposted 2 years ago

    I read this, and then I read it again, and then I laughed.  My how things have changed from when my wife and I had our children.  I saw what happened to my wife for 9 months and then what occurred when she gave birth.  I was in the room.  I believe she needed paternity leave to let her body heal.  I took some vacation time and my mother-in-law came to help.

    WHY does this guy need paternity leave?  I have a suspicion that neither he nor his partner had a developing human inside them for 9 months and then delivered it into the world.  I have to ask myself what is he or his partner recovering from? 

    He is the Transportation Secretary.  This man has enough money to afford a nanny.  He can work.  Like every Democrat in the Biden administration, Buttigieg is just milking the system.  A failed may who is the US Transportation Secretary, not a shred of experience in the industry.  Maybe we're better off with him at his home.

    "Pete Buttigieg has been on paternity leave amid Biden supply-chain crisis

    While Americans worry if they’ll be able to afford — or even find — presents for their children this holiday season, the Biden administration’s point person to clear up the supply chain bottleneck, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, has been home playing with his.

    Besides several recent television hits, Buttigieg has been a stay-at-home dad Politico reported — out on paternity leave for nearly two months amid the spiraling crisis to spend time with his husband and two newborn babies. And the Biden cabinet secretary plans to continue to give them home support in the coming weeks, the report said.

    The news of Buttigieg’s daddy day care comes as dozens of large ships remained stuck in a traffic jam near the Los Angeles coast for more than a month waiting to dock and unload goods including toasters, sneakers, bicycles and cars. A shortage of truckers has also prevented companies from distributing supplies across the country.

    As the holidays approach, experts warned that the cost of children’s toys is up as much as 10 percent, noting many in-demand gifts will likely be out of stock soon.

    “For the first four weeks, he was mostly offline except for major agency decisions and matters that could not be delegated,” a spokesperson said of Buttigeg’s absence in the crisis. “He has been ramping up activities since then.”

    At the same time, the secretary will “continue to take some time over the coming weeks to support his husband and take care of his new children.”

    On Aug. 17, Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, revealed the two had become dads but said the process wasn’t “done yet.”

    “For some time, Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We’re overjoyed to share that we’ve become parents!” the former South Bend, Ind., mayor tweeted."

    https://nypost.com/2021/10/15/secretary … in-crisis/

    1. Sharlee01 profile image80
      Sharlee01posted 2 years agoin reply to this

      "Pete Buttigieg has been on paternity leave amid Biden supply-chain crisis"

      Please tell me this is a joke.  With all that is going on at our ports, we needed him working or at best someone to pinch-hit. This makes me even more discussed than usual...   And In thought, I had reached my boiling point. 

      We have had a growing problem at the ports, and he takes paternity leave. OMG

      1. Readmikenow profile image95
        Readmikenowposted 2 years agoin reply to this

        It is NO joke.  It is for real.  I will bet money he didn't give birth to those twins and neither did his partner.  So, what are they recouping from?  Signing adoption papers?  This is really sick and twisted.

        1. Sharlee01 profile image80
          Sharlee01posted 2 years agoin reply to this

          When one takes a position in the cabinet of the President, you are expected to represent the people, and carry out the job you accepted.  The crisis at the border has been getting worse seen March, and now we have pretty much a supply chain crisis that is adding greatly to inflation.  What's the saying "it takes two". Family planning perhaps should have been considered before he took the job... It should have been pretty easy, neither had these children, neither needs a recuperation period. Maybe his partner should have taken the paternity leave instead of Mayor Pete. Please don't tell me they both did... Please...

          I don't care about his sexual preference,  he should be front and center doing his job while this country is in crisis.   The port/trucking industry is deeply affecting our supply chain.  If  Pete can't handle a family and his job,  he should resign. It's pretty clear he can't do the job anyway nor does it appear he qualified.  What a crock.

          "Buttigieg has some experience in dealing with transportation issues. He pioneered South Bend's Smart Streets program which got rid of one-way streets and expanded sidewalks and biking downtown. During his administration, the city also installed several roundabouts, but the city's streets were always a big challenge."

          OMG, I will be so glad to see this bunch gone in 2024.

          1. Readmikenow profile image95
            Readmikenowposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            I don't understand why anybody would need time off it they adopt.  A woman who goes through birthing a child needs time to recuperate.  If it's a difficult pregnancy, she may need help for many weeks.  I talked about this with a friend, at his work a woman and her husband adopted three children from another country ages 3, 5, and 8.  THEY got paternity leave.  Why?

            1. Sharlee01 profile image80
              Sharlee01posted 2 years agoin reply to this

              It's called bonding. It's the time the parent or parents bond with the infant before they dump it in daycare at three months old. Which the baby then is at the hands of mere strangers for care. Go figure. But many parents feel these three months take the place of actually staying home and caring for a child. Go figure...

              1. Readmikenow profile image95
                Readmikenowposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                Anybody who has had children knows you are going to have years and years of bonding.  There was a study done that showed how much closer a parent and their child get when the child is able to walk, talk, etc. 

                I still go back to the woman my friend told me about who with her husband adopted 3 siblings from Eastern Europe ages 3, 5 and 8.  So, was the paternity leave she and her husband got for bonding?  They'll have many years of it.

                1. IslandBites profile image89
                  IslandBitesposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  You obviously have no idea what you're talking about. When you have kids, specially at that age, that go live with total strangers (and worse in a new country!), kids that already are traumatized, and with possible health or mental issues, you NEED time. Plus at the beginning you have multiple medical appointments, social workers visits, etc.

                  And I know, because two years ago we adopted two siblings age 5 and 6.

                  1. Readmikenow profile image95
                    Readmikenowposted 2 years agoin reply to this

                    You're right.  I never adopted.  You deserve admiration and credit for doing such a thing.  You have my respect. 

                    It still makes no sense to me.

                    I still believe maternity leave should be to help a woman recover from giving birth.  All the things you mentioned such as medial appointments and social worker visits, it seems to be part of having a family.

                    I know people with special needs children who have regular appointments with therapists, state agencies, medical appointments, school meetings, etc.  They got the maternity leave when their children were born, but now they have a full schedule of appointments with care workers to care for their children.  They don't get government sanctioned time off for it either.

                    So, again, with adoption, it doesn't make sense to me.

                2. Sharlee01 profile image80
                  Sharlee01posted 2 years agoin reply to this

                  Yes, it is true one has many years to bond with their children.  I was really trying to point out one of the reasons that are used to why parents need parental leave. Myself, I feel if possible someone should be home raising the kids. That's an old fashion view, but it's mine.  I think Mayor Pete adopted infants that were actually just born before they adopted them.  So, these babies will know no other parents.

        2. Sharlee01 profile image80
          Sharlee01posted 2 years agoin reply to this

          News flash --- You can sleep better,  Mayor Pete is back on the job. Just in time to join Biden and the 12 senior administration officials at the UN climate summit in Glasgow that starts Oct. 31.  Could this all get funnier?

          1. Readmikenow profile image95
            Readmikenowposted 2 years agoin reply to this

            It is funnier than any type of skit you see on Saturday Night Live.

            1. Sharlee01 profile image80
              Sharlee01posted 2 years agoin reply to this

              Yes, it really is. Am I alone, or is this the most (to put it kindly)  strangest, nontraditional administration you have ever seen? We are just spinning out of control, and it seems so many are unaware.

    2. abwilliams profile image68
      abwilliamsposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, this is  pathetic, all the way around.
      Who in this Administration has a clue and who among them, cares to get a clue?
      Cue Jeopardy music.....

      I guess these two fellas are exhausted over the IDEA of labor....lol!
      I had no help, we have always been self-employed, my hubby couldn't afford to take a day off, we were just fine!
      Pathetic.

  2. IslandBites profile image89
    IslandBitesposted 2 years ago

    The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. It also requires that their group health benefits be maintained during the leave.

    These employers must provide an eligible employee with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year for any of the following reasons:

    For the birth and care of the newborn child of an employee;
    For placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care;
    To care for an immediate family member (i.e., spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health condition; or
    To take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition.

    https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/benefits-leave/fmla

    Buttigieg said that during his time off, he was available to handle urgent matters. While on leave, he said he continued to be involved with work related to the ongoing supply chain crisis.

    The rest...

    The sad truth about bigotry is that most bigots either don't realize that they are bigots, or they convince themselves that their bigotry is perfectly justified.

    1. Readmikenow profile image95
      Readmikenowposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      He's been the transportation secretary for less than a year.  Does he really qualify?

      "Employees are eligible for leave if they have worked for their employer at least 12 months, at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months, and work at a location where the company employs 50 or more employees within 75 miles. Whether an employee has worked the minimum 1,250 hours of service is determined according to FLSA principles for determining compensable hours or work.

      "Buttigieg said that during his time off, he was available to handle urgent matters. While on leave, he said he continued to be involved with work related to the ongoing supply chain crisis."

      Well, hasn't he done one lousy job of handling the crisis.

  3. abwilliams profile image68
    abwilliamsposted 2 years ago

    Island, it is not the Government’s role to compensate anyone for this very personal decision; whether giving birth to children or adopting children, it is up to the parents to have a plan in place beforehand. Beyond that, extended  family, neighbors, friends, churches, all step in to help, as needed.
    None of this is to be a service of Government nor mandated by Government that businesses must do this. If businesses choose to, on their own, that’s a different matter.

    All of that being said, I commend you for adopting children and giving them a chance, in a loving home.

 
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