The state of politics these days is such that most things Democrats say are just knee-jerk reactions to something Republicans said first, and vice versa. Take, for example, a recent interaction between Arizona state Democrats and a new Republican Senate candidate.
Blake Masters, a senior executive for billionaire Peter Thiel’s investment firm and foundation, announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly this week and was immediately treated to scorn and condescension — even though parts of his platform sound more like the Democratic Party’s than the current GOP’s.
Masters said he wants to build an economy where families can live on a single income. He didn’t cite specific policies he supports that would make this possible, but it sounds like he might get on board with a plan similar to Sen. Mitt Romney’s, which would dramatically expand the child tax credit.
This was the Pima County Democratic Party’s reaction:
“We need to build an economy where you can afford to raise a family on one single income” is code for: women should not work. #Qnuts #Handmaiden #UnderHisEye #BizarroAd #AZGQP #Bonkers https://t.co/HB0gHO62Da
— Pima County Democratic Party (@PimaDems) July 12, 2021
This criticism is not just dishonest. It’s also politically asinine. The idea that families should be able to live off of one income has been a staple Democratic talking point for years. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts even wrote a book about it. Is she also a sexist bigot who wants women to be trapped at home?
Of course she’s not. She actually opposes a return to the stay-at-home mother model. And for all we know, Masters might too.
Regardless, the point Masters made is one that the majority of the Democratic Party would agree with: Parents who want to stay home with their children should have the financial freedom to do so instead of feeling helpless and strapped for cash. So why is he being accused of wanting to turn the United States into a totalitarian regime that oppresses women? Because, these days, anything can be used as a political weapon with the right framing.
The Pima County Democratic Party might not want to admit it, but Masters is right. Parents should be able to raise their children comfortably with one income, and it would be great if the federal government helped make that possible. There’s been a lot of debate on the Right about what this assistance might look like, and about whether rewarding families financially for having children is a good idea at all, but it’s good to see Republicans begin to treat the family like a serious policy priority.
I’m sure a lot of voters would agree. And maybe that’s what Democrats fear: a Republican coalition that emphasizes the importance of family and community and wins elections because of it.
