To the Editor:
Re “Would $5,000 Bonuses Spur New Baby Boom?” and “E.P.A. Poised to Cancel Grants to Study Dangers to Children” (entrance web page, April 22):
What a unprecedented juxtaposition of articles on the entrance web page!
On the one hand, President Trump needs to encourage bigger households (“I need a child growth”), together with a proposal to provide $5,000 money bonuses to moms of newborns (baby help that in itself could be supported by Democrats like me).
Then again, within the adjoining article we study that the administration is ready to cancel tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in grants to scientists learning environmental hazards confronted by kids in America, particularly in poor and rural areas, corresponding to pesticides, poor air high quality and “eternally chemical compounds.”
Mr. Trump’s hypocrisy is evident. Whereas wanting to extend the variety of kids being born, he cuts packages 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 Increase?” describes a number of incentives the White Home is contemplating implementing to extend U.S. birthrates, together with financial compensation and medals for ladies who give delivery. These incentives will fail as a result of they concentrate on rewarding particular person girls quite than on bettering broader financial, social and political elements.
Most younger adults need to have children sooner or later. However they need to accomplish that in secure, secure environments the place they really feel related 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 baby care prices give potential future dad and mom 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 needs to incentivize delivery, it ought to work to enhance the lives of ladies and kids already residing 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 need 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 after I learn in regards to the coverage proposals being thought-about by the Trump administration to induce girls to have extra kids.
A “child bonus” of $5,000 when the price of elevating a toddler is estimated to be not less than $200,000 to $400,000? The proposal is insulting to potential dad and mom’ intelligence.
How about contemplating significant help to girls and households corresponding to sponsored baby care and paid parental depart? And the way about acknowledging that the chance of being pregnant to girls in lots of states has elevated because the Dobbs determination due to inhumane anti-abortion legal guidelines? How about guaranteeing inexpensive well being care for folks and their children?
Alas, the present administration is extra prone to go within the path of “The Handmaid’s Story” than think about 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 rising the birthrate will solely backfire as a result of it fully disregards folks’s preferences and circumstances.
Inhabitants Connection lately performed a survey during which we requested 1,400 People which elements had a significant impact on their skill or determination to have kids. The highest limiting elements for youthful adults had been concern over the state of the world and funds.
For Gen Z respondents and youthful girls, psychological well being and worries about how abortion restrictions would have an effect on them or their companion 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 kids, we want 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 getting old does current socioeconomic challenges, these could be lessened by accessible and useful policy measures that improve productiveness and cut back dependence.
Our finite planet is already overburdened. The earlier inhabitants development ends, the higher.
Olivia Nater
Washington
The author is the communications supervisor at Inhabitants Connection.
