Democrats' Daycare Obsession Is Built on a Feminist Myth
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TL;DR
- The demand for formal childcare, particularly universal childcare, is presented by liberal media and Democratic politicians as a major unmet need.
- Academic research and public polls indicate that most parents do not desire two full-time jobs combined with institutional childcare.
- Studies suggest that mothers are not kept out of the workforce primarily due to a lack of childcare, but rather due to personal preference and norms regarding maternal care.
- Economist studies, including those by Elizabeth Cascio and Henrik Kleven, found little impact of increased childcare availability on married mothers' labor force participation.
- Polling shows a majority of parents prefer to be the primary childcare provider, and only a small percentage of voters identify childcare costs as a significant burden.
- The article suggests the insistence on universal childcare stems from the elite liberal bubble and special-interest politics that benefit from supporting the 'care economy' and public-sector unions.