Bill Clinton: “Well, I just disagree. Look at the evidence. Twelve million people have taken a little time off when a baby was born or…”

“Well, I just disagree. Look at the evidence. Twelve million people have taken a little time off when a baby was born or when a parent was sick, and small businesses are exempt because of the problems with work schedules. And the American economy has been growing like crazy since we passed the family and medical leave law. We've had a record number of new businesses started; we have had 10\1/2\ million new jobs. There is no compelling evidence that this has been bad for the economy. Anything you do that helps people to succeed at home and at work is a good thing to do. That's basically what welfare reform is all about. It's just what Tom says: We've got to find a way for every American to have a chance to succeed at work and at home, and that's what family and medical leave was all about. So I just simply--I just respectfully disagree. I think we were right to do it. I think those who opposed us have been proved wrong by the evidence. And I think a very modest and limited expansion--it's like anything else, you could overdo it, but we're talking about a very modest and limited expansion, directed toward helping people go to their parent-teacher conferences and go to regular doctor's appointments. It's not a big, radical step. It's pro-family and pro-work. Thank you.”