It seems like an issue we can all agree on: New parents need guaranteed paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child. But that idea has long been controversial to Republicans who believe that federally-mandated paid leave will destroy businesses.

Hillary Clinton, along with other Democrats at Tuesday's presidential primary debate, could not disagree more.

Clinton not only championed paid leave, she went a step further. The former secretary of state criticized Republicans who don't support mandatory policies to help new families, but have no problem using "big government to interfere with a woman's right to choose."

"They're fine with big government when it comes to that," Clinton said, referencing Congressional attempts to defund Planned Parenthood. "I'm sick of it."

"This is typical Republican scare tactics," she added. "We can design a system and pay for it that does not put the burden on small businesses."

CNN moderator Dana Bash started the exchange by asking Clinton about GOP presidential candidate and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who opposes a federal mandate for paid leave.

Clinton recalled her own experience as a working mom and pointed to a state-based insurance program in California as evidence that the country can move toward a universal paid leave policy. That program taps the state's disability fund to pay workers up to 55% of their weekly wages for six weeks of leave.

Clinton says California proves that paid leave laws can help families, w/o hurting business. She's right. http://t.co/MQuJtXeESj — Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) October 14, 2015

Only 59% of U.S. workers are guaranteed 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Workers who aren't eligible for FLMA and whose employers don't offer paid leave, must either return to their jobs soon after birth or adoption, or use savings and debt to finance their leave.

The Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, a bill sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y), would create a federal insurance program partly for parents caring for a new child. It would provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave.

Clinton said she would fund the expansion of paid leave by "making the wealthy pay for it."

No matter what @carlyfiorina says, paid family leave is good for women, good for families, and good for America. #DemDebate — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 14, 2015

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley also expressed their strong support of paid leave.

Perhaps speaking inelegantly, Sanders said women "should stay at home" after the birth of a child, noting that every other industrialized country in the world provides some type of paid leave.

"That is an international embarrassment that we do not provide paid family and medical leave," he said.

While none of the candidates mentioned fathers or partners, they could be eligible as primary caregivers to participate not only in the California program, but also FMLA and Gillibrand's proposed legislation.

Last month, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio became the first GOP presidential candidate to offer his own plan. It would award tax credits to companies who offered paid leave, but not require them to do so.

Clinton made it clear that she sees the Republican position on this issue as woefully inadequate.

"We should not be paralyzed by the Republicans," she said, "and their constant refrain, 'big government this, big government that,' that except for what they want to impose on the American people."