Kari Lake, a candidate for Senate in Arizona, discussed her plans to expand the child tax credit in an exclusive interview with the Truth Voices. She believes that increasing this subsidy could help address the declining birth rate in the US.
Lake, a former TV news anchor and gubernatorial candidate, emphasized the need to incentivize and support families in raising children. She pointed out that the current birth rate in the US is unsustainable, and she wants to make it easier for people to have families.
The total fertility rate in the US has dropped from 2.1 births per woman in 2007 to 1.7 births per woman in 2021, below the replacement rate of 2.1. Lake highlighted the importance of increasing birth rates for future growth.
While Lake did not specify a specific percentage for increasing the child tax credit, she stressed the importance of examining and expanding it to effectively encourage family growth and boost the birth rate.
Lake compared the situation in the US to European countries, where declining birth rates have led to challenges associated with importing a new population. She believes that supporting families is essential to avoiding these issues.
The child tax credit currently stands at $2,000 for minors but was temporarily increased under President Biden’s COVID-19 relief legislation. Republicans have varying opinions on family benefits, with some preferring lower tax rates and others supporting larger benefits for parents.
Lake is the expected Republican nominee for Senate in Arizona and is set to face Rep. Ruben Gallego in a closely contested election. Both candidates support a bigger child tax credit as a way to address the declining birth rate.
Experts are divided on the impact of government subsidies on raising the birth rate. Lake emphasized the need for Republicans to gain control of the Senate and White House to prevent tax increases and support economic growth.
The Arizona Republican primary is scheduled for July 30.
