Govt Licensing Requirements: How To Sneak More Govt Into Paid Childcare
This is a great way to take away an important source of income from poor women, who can't work a 9-5 job and care for their children, but can take care of their children and take some money for caring for others' in their home.
Timothy R. Carney writes at the Wash Ex that the Obama admin is pushing for more guidelines in who gets grants for childcare, but that this, per AEI research fellow Katherine Stevens, is likely a sneaky way to make childcare more regulated. The sort of rules they're going for?
These aren't rules governing basic health and safety standards, like drinking water, cleanliness or broken glass. Some are micromanaging: "cot placement" for daycare. Others are about requiring credentialing -- such as requiring preschool teachers to have bachelor's degrees....Excessive regulation of daycare and preschool mostly hurts the poor and working class. For one thing, it makes daycare rarer and more expensive.
Some on the Left will respond and say, "well, let's just subsidize them more." That doesn't address the other problem: curbing work opportunities for women.
More importantly, unnecessary regulation and credentialing requirements take away from many women the best way they could make money: at-home daycare.
via @instapundit
Have you read Elizabeth Warren's "The Two-Income Trap", Amy? I think you would enjoy it.
NicoleK at December 24, 2014 8:01 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2014/12/govt-licensing.html#comment-5694436">comment from NicoleKI haven't -- no time to read anything but science, now, NicoleK, but thanks for recommending it.
Amy Alkon
at December 24, 2014 8:25 AM
For one thing, it makes daycare rarer and more expensive.
Some on the Left will respond and say, "well, let's just subsidize them more."
Oh, that's worked so well on cutting the cost of college tuition. Also, there's magical thinking that you will suddenly and mysteriously increase supply to meet demand, even while you're throwing up additional roadblocks in the way of potential suppliers of the service.
Sure, in theory everyone now has health insurance. But does that actually translate into health care? Is this the Progressive's idea of an "invisible hand"?
h/t to Adam Smith
I R A Darth Aggie at December 24, 2014 11:57 AM
Carney is one of the best and most promising voices in libertarianism. Like Postrel, he understands that there are times when only government can answer certain needs... And he understands that human nature is an imperfect thing.
(He's Catholic.)
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at December 24, 2014 3:30 PM
I have read it NicoleK. I found it quite accurate and informative even if she flubs the conclusion. You can't just absolve people of the consequences of their decisions.
Ben at December 24, 2014 7:54 PM
NicoleK - that's a great book - well written, strongly supported ideas and conclusions. I'm glad you mentioned it.
Michelle at December 24, 2014 10:59 PM
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