Childhood mortality -- death before age 15 or so -- used to run at about 50%.
Every second child born, died before becoming an adult, all over the world, for as far back as we've been able to track.
We didn't turn the corner until about 1900, when science got us the germ theory. That sparked sanitation and vaccination.
A cabinet nominee (RFK Jr) who questions vaccines is frightening. A nominee who brags about not washing his hands (Hegseth) is terrifying.
Despite trying to force women to have morre children, Republicans actually hate kids.
Almost every GOP policy worsens the lives of children. Republicans deliberately vote for "punish the poor" public policy.
School lunch debt
Medicare reductions
Antivaxxer
Expired child tax credits
Teen pregnancy
Child marriage
Child labor
Birthright citizenship
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/29/the-republican-partys-obsession-with-families-has-taken-a-fanatical-turn
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/11/republican-child-food-aid/
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/09/trump-vance-childcare-fake-populism/679725/
It's hard to support children's lives and children's health across the board while subscribing to the "Great Replacement" idea. Current proposals seem to try to increase the birth rate across the board, deport the people they deem undesirable, and only provide health care and nutrition for the ones they like. This won't work -- public health exists in part because the powerful a few generations ago were realizing their kids died too -- but some people aren't bothered by facts.
Jennifer Hamilton, MD PhD
Nicole Parsons
MoxieGrrl