WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, PolitiFact released a fact check claiming that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is wrong in suggesting that the Democrats’ Build Back Better bill would lead to a complete government takeover of child care.
Carrie Lukas, president of Independent Women’s Voice, issued the following statement:
“So many so-called ‘fact checkers’ are laughably biased, and this is certainly one of those times. This fact checker implies that because there isn’t a subsection in the text of the Build Back Better legislation that says ‘Government Take Over of Childcare Sector’ that it’s wrong to recognize how the massive regulations and hoops that the federal government will impose on any provider that wants to qualify for government subsidies will fundamentally change the industry.
“Does anyone seriously think that childcare providers won’t be nudged into doing exactly what the federal government wants in order to be eligible for their cut of hundreds of billions in taxpayer subsidies? Does anyone seriously think that government regulators won’t start imposing their vision of what and how young children should be taught in all of these facilities? What do we call this process if not a takeover?
“The real fact is that progressive activists and their media allies like ‘Politifact’ are clearly worried that the public is asking questions about how the childcare provisions in this legislation will really affect them. Parents around the country are used to being told that they shouldn’t trust their own lying eyes about what is happening in their kids’ public schools. And they are rightfully rejecting this government overreach.
“There are better ways to make child care and child rearing affordable for parents. Policymakers could give more tax relief or support directly to parents in need with young kids. Why aren’t they taking that approach? Why are they instead dangling money at facilities and attaching a long list of regulations that providers must comply with? Why are they explicitly limiting the ability of faith-based child care centers to compete? It’s because progressive activists in government want a say in how parents are raising their children and want control over those facilities.
“Parents should recognize this for what it is and insist that they aren’t going to co-parent with government.”
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Independent Women’s Voice fights for women by expanding support for policy solutions that aren’t just well intended, but actually enhance freedom, opportunities, and well-being.