Should Stay-At-Home Parents Be Paid?: The Broadsheet

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Kristalina Georgieva takes charge at the IMF, Ivanka Trump is partnering with Google on tech training, and we take a look at the proposals to pay stay-at-home parents. Have a relaxing weekend.

EVERYONE'S TALKING

- They work hard for no money. Should stay-at-home parents be paid for their labor? It's not a new question, but it is one that's gained fresh relevance as several of the Democratic presidential hopefuls have proposed some type of payment for people caring for their children or other relatives.

How each candidate is approaching the issue varies, but there's broad support (read: Senators Michael Bennet, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker) for the American Family Act of 2019, reports the New York Times' Claire Cain Miller. That bill, introduced by Bennet, "would send all but the highest-earning families $300 a month for each child up to age 5, and $250 for each child 6 to 16. People who don’t work for pay would be eligible—in contrast with the existing child tax credit—and it would be paid monthly, not just at tax time."

While the Democrats may be leading the issue right now, Cain Miller notes that paying stay-at-home caregivers is actually the rare issue that has fans—and detractors—on both the left and the right. Liberal proponents cheer the payment of historically ignored and undervalued domestic work, while liberal doubters suspect that such a policy would "reinforce unequal gender roles and set women back in the labor force." On the conservative side, those who support such payments say they would encourage traditional family values, while opponents dislike anything that smacks of social welfare. As such, it's a far more complicated idea than it might initially appear (just take a look at the reader comments on the Times story if you don't believe me!).

What do you think, Broadsheet readers? Should full-time caregivers be paid? And if so, what's the best method to do so? We'd love to hear your thoughts—email me at [email protected] (and we may use your response in a future Broadsheet).

Kristen Bellstrom
[email protected]
@kayelbee

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

- IM-Fix. Kristalina Georgieva officially took the helm at the International Monetary Fund this week. Her goal is to "fix the roof" while the "sun is shining," as Georgieva says Christine Lagarde would say. Wall Street Journal

- Trump and tech. Google CEO Sundar Pichai joined Ivanka Trump for an event yesterday where Google announced 250,000 "training opportunities" in technology. We need to "celebrate the many pathways to career success that exist today," Ivanka Trump said at the announcement. CNBC

- She Said, he said? Legendary journalist Bob Woodward moderated a discussion with She Said authors Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey this week. Although he's an expert in investigative journalism, Woodward didn't seem to have a firm grasp on sexual harassment or the cultural conversation surrounding it. He repeatedly interrupted the authors and was heckled by the crowd. Washington Post

- Strike sales. Even as its workers' strike wore on, Mary Barra's GM saw strong results in its third-quarter earnings. Auto sales climbed 6.3% thanks to pickup trucks and SUVs. The strike has limited supply to dealerships, but consumers are still buying new vehicles. Wall Street Journal

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Head of mergers and acquisitions Celeste Guthleft Deutsche Bank for PJT Partners. Alison Cooper, No. 8 on Coins2Day's Most Powerful Women International list, resigned as CEO of tobacco company Imperial Brands. Martina Merz took over as CEO of thyssenkrupp, the German industrial conglomerate. Kristin Peck was promoted to CEO of Zoetis. Longtime HBO head of entertainment PR and talent relations Nancy Lesser is leaving the company.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

- Politics in Peru. Mercedes Aráoz was named acting president of Peru by the country's Congress—but resigned just a few hours after being sworn in. Her appointment was part of a battle between President Martín Vizcarra and his opposition. BBC

- Right back where we started from. Republicans are hoping to reclaim Orange County, California, which the party lost in the blue wave of 2018. Young Kim, who lost the race to now Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros by a hair and would have been the first Korean-American woman in Congress, is preparing for a rematch. New York Times

- Ava on Amanda. Ava DuVernay gives a peek inside Amanda Theater, the home base for projects made by and featuring women and people of color through DuVernay's growing Array empire. "Look, we’re black ladies. This is our screening room," she says of the space. "We want hot pink chairs? We’re going to have them." LA Times

Today's Broadsheet was produced by Emma Hinchliffe. Share it with a friend. Looking for previous Broadsheets? Click here.