Dear Meghan McCain

We need more than just paid maternity leave.

Yesterday, Meghan McCain, daughter of deceased Senator John McCain, returned to her seat on the daytime talk show, The View, after taking maternity leave. McCain is the most conservative voice on the show and surprised the audience by making a pitch for legislated paid maternity leave. However, her pitch caused many to question why it took her own experience for her to come around to her new support for paid family leave. I decided to write her a letter asking her some hard questions while welcoming her to the cause.

Dear Meghan McCain,

First, I want to congratulate you on joining the ranks of mothers around the world. I know that you, like all mothers, are over the moon about having baby Liberty in your life. Welcome to the mother’s club. There is nothing else like it as you now know.

I saw your segment on The View yesterday where you passionately called for paid maternity leave, and I left it feeling both hopeful and angry for many reasons. Why didn’t you care about all of the other women in the country giving birth before you did? While I am glad that you have come to your senses regarding the need for paid maternity leave, you must understand that the backlash that you are facing from those who have been paid leave advocates comes from the fact that you…