To the Editor:
Re “Would $5,000 Bonuses Spur New Child Growth?” and “E.P.A. Poised to Cancel Grants to Research Risks to Youngsters” (entrance web page, April 22):
What a rare juxtaposition of articles on the entrance web page!
On the one hand, President Trump desires to encourage bigger households (“I need a child increase”), together with a proposal to provide $5,000 money bonuses to moms of newborns (youngster assist that in itself could be supported by Democrats like me).
Alternatively, within the adjoining article we study that the administration is ready to cancel tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in grants to scientists learning environmental hazards confronted by youngsters in America, particularly in poor and rural areas, corresponding to pesticides, poor air high quality and “ceaselessly chemical compounds.”
Mr. Trump’s hypocrisy is obvious. Whereas wanting to extend the variety of youngsters being born, he cuts applications to guard their well being earlier than and after delivery.
John Mason
Santa Rosa, Calif.
To the Editor:
“Would $5,000 Bonuses Spur New Child Growth?” describes a number of incentives the White Home is contemplating implementing to extend U.S. birthrates, together with financial compensation and medals for girls who give delivery. These incentives will fail as a result of they give attention to rewarding particular person ladies reasonably than on bettering broader financial, social and political components.
Most younger adults wish to have children sooner or later. However they wish to accomplish that in secure, steady environments the place they really feel linked throughout generations and supported in communities. The hardships of elevating households at a time of elevated social isolation, political polarization and hovering well being care and youngster care prices give potential future mother and father pause. Moreover, rising restrictions on reproductive rights and rising charges of maternal mortality make many ladies really feel undervalued and unsafe.
If the U.S. authorities actually desires to incentivize delivery, it ought to work to enhance the lives of girls and kids already dwelling on this nation. Begin by bettering the establishments that households depend upon — from well being care to varsities, housing to infrastructure. If folks expertise a supportive world, they could wish to reproduce and guarantee its future.
Janelle Lamoreaux
Tucson, Ariz.
The author is the affiliate director and an affiliate professor on the College of Anthropology, College of Arizona.
To the Editor:
I laughed out loud once I learn concerning the coverage proposals being thought of by the Trump administration to induce ladies to have extra youngsters.
A “child bonus” of $5,000 when the price of elevating a baby is estimated to be not less than $200,000 to $400,000? The proposal is insulting to potential mother and father’ intelligence.
How about contemplating significant help to ladies and households corresponding to sponsored youngster care and paid parental depart? And the way about acknowledging that the chance of being pregnant to ladies in lots of states has elevated for the reason that Dobbs choice due to inhumane anti-abortion legal guidelines? How about making certain inexpensive well being care for folks and their children?
Alas, the present administration is extra more likely to go within the path of “The Handmaid’s Story” than take into account such measures.
Maureen Ratigan
South Hadley, Mass.
To the Editor:
Re “MAGA Natalism Is Doomed to Fail,” by Michelle Goldberg (column, April 27):
It’s good to see Ms. Goldberg name out the regarding pronatalist developments within the MAGA White Home. The Trump administration’s method to growing the birthrate will solely backfire as a result of it fully disregards folks’s preferences and circumstances.
Inhabitants Connection just lately performed a survey by which we requested 1,400 Individuals which components had a significant impact on their means or choice to have youngsters. The highest limiting components for youthful adults had been concern over the state of the world and funds.
For Gen Z respondents and youthful ladies, psychological well being and worries about how abortion restrictions would have an effect on them or their accomplice throughout being pregnant additionally performed a significant position. Greater than half of respondents stated that elevating children on a crowded and warming planet makes them uneasy.
In different phrases, to assist everybody obtain their desired variety of youngsters, we’d like insurance policies that enhance social welfare, well being and environmental safety — the precise reverse of what President Trump’s broligarchy is doing.
We disagree with Ms. Goldberg on one level: that “quickly declining fertility actually is an issue.” Whereas inhabitants ageing does current socioeconomic challenges, these may be lessened by out there and helpful coverage measures that enhance productiveness and scale back dependence.
Our finite planet is already overburdened. The earlier inhabitants progress ends, the higher.
Olivia Nater
Washington
The author is the communications supervisor at Inhabitants Connection.
