Resurfaced audio is once again reminding us of J.D. Vance‘s weird obsession with Americans choosing not to have children.
During a forum held by the Center for Christian Virtue in 2021, Vance attacked Democratic leaders and American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten for not having children and accused them of “brainwashing” students. (Weingarten is a mother by marriage.)
When responding to a question regarding the state’s “Backpack Bill,” legislation that would expand tax-funded scholarships to private schools and homeschooled students in grades K-12, Vance took the opportunity to tout his disdain for people who don’t have children. “So many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but they’re people without kids trying to brainwash the minds of our children. And that really disorients me, and it really disturbs me,” the then-Ohio Senate candidate lamented. “Randi Weingarten, who’s the head of the most powerful teachers’ union in the country, she doesn’t have a single child. If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone.”
Weingarten — who along with the union supports radical ideas such as promoting literacy and mental health, and free school meals — slammed Vance’s remarks on Tuesday. “Gross! JD Vance’s comments are sad and insulting to millions of modern families, and school teachers including Catholic nuns, none of whom should be targeted for their family decisions,” wrote Weingarten on X.
Donald Trump’s running mate has received sharp backlash for complaining that America is being run “by a bunch of childless cat ladies, who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made,” while referring to Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, who has two stepchildren through her marriage to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff.
Vance has also floated the idea that Americans without children should be punished with higher taxes, and that parents should get additional votes on behalf of their children to more heavily influence elections.
As previously reported by Rolling Stone, Vance has called on the right to “go to war against the anti-child ideology that exists in our country” and has argued that a national abortion ban was necessary to prevent people seeking abortions from crossing state lines.
But while the Republican vice presidential candidate would like to posture as pro-childbirth and pro-family, he has consistently opposed policies aimed at making it financially easier for Americans to become parents.
In 2021, Vance tweeted, “‘Universal day care’ is class war against normal people,” and during his 2022 campaign, he opposed President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation, which included provisions to reauthorize the expanded Child Tax Credit, and provide paid family leave and universal pre-K.
As a senator, Vance voted against legislation that would help codify the right to fertility treatments and IVF.
