THUMBS DOWN A FAMILY AFFAIR

THUMBS DOWN to Rep. STEVE BARTLETT, R-Dal-las, for his leading role in scuttling the Family and Medical Leave Act. The bill would have given workers in companies of50or more employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave without risk to their jobs and eased the burden that falls largely on working women (i.e., most women) torn between job and family. Bartlett, who yammered about “yuppie welfare,” helped torpedo a measure favored by some 70 percent of Americans.