Baby Boom

Mat Leave Backslide

What's going on: Shoko Kawata, the mayor of Yawata, Japan, is about to make history… again. She’s her city’s first female mayor, and now she is set to become Japan’s first elected official to take maternity leave. After Kawata's announcement, she was flooded with support. And, this may shock you, but there were also some men with opinions. One politician called it “a long vacation.” Sir. Please. Japan’s maternity leave policies cover six weeks before the expected birth date and up to eight weeks after birth. Public employees are eligible, but elected officials aren’t specifically covered — maybe because less than 4% of municipal leaders are women. Another female mayor in Japan chimed in, telling The New York Times, “Taking leave should not be news.” And yet.

Clocking back in: While this high-profile debate plays out in Japan, the Trump admin has been encouraging American women to have more children — even though the US is still the only wealthy country in the world that does not mandate paid parental leave. (Props to all the moms pumping at work.) And, the corporate leave that does exist is disappearing. Deloitte and Zoom recently cut their benefits, and new data shows that parental leave policies in the US are down 18% in recent years. One editorial supporting Kawata said, “Japan needs to create an environment in which people can take that leave as a matter of course.” Louder for the men in the back.

Related: Erika Kirk Says You Should “Have More Babies Than You Can Afford” (CNN)

Overruled

SCOTUS’s Final Week Frenzy

A win for mail-in voting: In a surprising 5-4 decision yesterday, the Supreme Court held that states can count mail-in ballots that arrive late if they're postmarked by Election Day (congrats, procrastinators). Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the three liberals in rejecting the Trump administration’s challenge to a Mississippi voting law allowing for this kind of grace period. Trump — who’s claimed without evidence that mail-in voting is rife with fraud — used the news to again pressure Congress to pass the SAVE America Act.

A refusal to weigh in: In another loss for Trump, SCOTUS refused to review the president’s appeal after a federal jury upheld an earlier verdict that he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll. But the story isn’t over. Trump’s DOJ recently opened a criminal investigation into Carroll. At least 18 women have accused Trump of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Expanded presidential powers (with an *): SCOTUS did hand Trump one real win (even if he might consider it a partial one). Justices expanded presidential authority to fire independent government regulators, despite laws established to protect them. However, the court says Trump can’t technically fire Fed Governor Lisa D. Cook for his accusations of mortgage fraud since she *checks notes* has never been charged.

Related: SCOTUS Won’t Hear Alan Dershowitz’s Claim Against CNN (NBC News)

Home Sweet Home

Thank You for Being a Roommate

What's going on: If you've dreamed of living with your college roommates forever (raises hand), there’s still time. More older adults now share homes like the Golden Girls — splitting bills, chores, and dating gossip under one roof. As home sharing grows in popularity, so do third-party companies ready to help retirees find roommates through background checks, interviews, and compatibility assessments. Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose had the grocery store bulletin board. Today’s retirees have algorithms. Governments have started to embrace the idea, too — offering incentives to homeowners who rent out spare rooms, while others have rolled back restrictions on unrelated people living together through so-called “Golden Girls” bills. Glad they’ve seen the light.

So, pass the cheesecake? If late-night dessert meetings weren’t reason enough, homesharing comes with plenty of perks. Older adults can stay in their homes, earn extra income, and — if they strike roommate gold — gain companionship in a sometimes lonely era of life. Renters gain access to lower-cost housing during a period of rising rents due to inflation and housing shortages. And, this trend means less demand for new construction. That’s not to say challenges won’t exist (looking at you, food labelers). Meanwhile, homesharing can't replace affordable housing policy. But picture it: an alternative path for seniors looking to avoid Shady Pines and tap into their inner Sophia. 

Related: What Will It Take to Fix Retirement? (WSJ)