(Cedar Rapids, IA) Democrat presidential candidate Bill Bradley on Tuesday called upon American corporations to promote good citizenship through fringe benefits and time off for “family time.”
“We need companies that will give more time off for people to be with their children,” Bradley said in a phone interview with Radio Iowa. “I think we also need companies that will provide as a fringe benefit the right to volunteer in community activities.”
During the past two weeks, Bradley has used part of his time on the campaign trail to call for government action to end poverty among children, although he offers few specifics.
“The government, I think, should provide significantly more assistance for day care and for child care,” he said. Bradley’s focus on reducing poverty brings to mind the “Great Society” first outlined by former President Lyndon Johnson.
“We’re entering a period of time where we’re going to have a tremendous period of economic growth and the country is going to have a lot more in terms of tax dollars coming in. We see a surplus on the horizon and this is a time to begin to keep our promises to all Americans,” said Bradley.
Bradley also uses the issue to poke at the performance of the Clinton Administration, and by association, his rival: Vice President Al Gore.
“It’s a shame that after eight years of a democratic administration that there are still a very high number of children who are in poverty in this country and I think we need action both at the private sector, the government, and also the civil institutions of our country… everybody knows that we have an incomplete promise as a country as long as 15 million children are still in poverty,” Bradley said.