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submitted 1 month ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

White House proposes giving out $5,000 checks to address falling birthrates amid growing ‘pronatalist’ movement

One of Donald Trump’s priorities for his second term is getting Americans to have more babies – and the White House has a new proposal to encourage them to do so: a $5,000 “baby bonus”.

The plan to give cash payments to mothers after delivery shows the growing influence of the “pronatalist” movement in the US, which, citing falling US birthrates, calls for “traditional” family values and for women – particularly white women – to have more children.

But experts say $5,000 checks won’t lead to a baby boom. Between unaffordable health care, soaring housing costs, inaccessible childcare and a lack of federal parental leave mandates, Americans face a swath of expensive hurdles that disincentivize them from having large families – or families at all – and that will require a much larger government investment to overcome.

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[-] PancakeTrebuchet@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

My wife and I would consider another kid if the fed wanted to kick us an extra $25k per year.

A one time fee of $5K is hilarious. You'd maybe be able to cover the hospital bill from having the kid with that sum.

[-] 5too@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

You’d maybe be able to cover the hospital bill from having the kid with that sum.

If there's no complications.

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[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

It's not even his idea.

https://taxfoundation.org/blog/hillary-clintons-proposal-5000-baby-bond-essentially-already-here/

Sen. Hillary Clinton’s plan to give every newborn a $5,000 bond, money meant to defray college costs when the kids hit 18, continued to draw criticism yesterday from her right-wing rivals.

“It’s a quick way of trying to buy votes, which is irresponsible when it comes to the economic future of the nation,” said New York Conservative Party chief Mike Long, adding that the White House would have to raise taxes to finance the plan.

The bonds would cost about $20 billion a year, based on the 4million American babies born annually, according to Time magazine, which last month proposed a similar plan.

[-] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

Just what we need... more boomers on the way

[-] selokichtli@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

I'm not American. I thought "$5k/month for sure". Lol.

[-] misteloct@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

It should be 1 penny. It has the same exact effect on childbirth rates, has a greater demoralizing effect on Democrats who understand policy, and allows more money to be siphoned to billionaires in tax cuts, all of which are the real goals here.

When you want to piss off a waiter on Sunday morning after church, you don't leave a 5% tip. You leave a penny.

[-] Ironfist79@lemmy.world 0 points 1 month ago

I thought Republicans were against giving people handouts?

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[-] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

$5k is roughly 1/4 the cost...

... of a birth.

Alone. Just, average medical costs of a birth, without insurance.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/health-insurance/how-much-does-it-cost-to-have-a-baby/

https://www.uwhealth.org/news/how-much-does-it-really-cost-have-baby

... And they are slashing Medicaid.

If you do have insurance... $5k is about half the cost of a birth.

So... congrats, you can have two kids, and then uh lol have fun paying the cost of raising two kids, which is about half a million dollars.

And that's just to 18, btw, this assumes those kids can find a job immediately after high school and move out into a place they can afford on an entry level income.

Which uh, is basically wildly unrealistic at this point.

Because all entry level jobs require 2-3 years of experience.

And housing costs are insane.

[-] KumaSudosa@feddit.dk 0 points 1 month ago

It costs 20 000 USD to give birth? My goodness that is insane

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

That's on the low end. My son spent three months in the NICU due to being born premature. His hospital bill ran into the six figures.

Fortunately, thanks to a hiccup of history in which one of JFK's family members was in the NICU for a similar length of time and experienced sticker shock. She lobbied Kennedy and he lobbied Congress. So now, this bill is automatically covered by Medicaid.

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this post was submitted on 06 May 2025
239 points (97.6% liked)

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