Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) has hit his stride as former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, delivering impressive performances on the Sunday talk shows of ABC, CBS, and CNN. Vance effectively pinned the blame for inflation and the border crisis on the Biden-Harris administration’s disastrous policies, while also questioning the character of Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN).
Vance’s highlight came when he made a strong case for a pro-family Trump-Vance agenda. He emphasized the need to make it easier for families to start and thrive, by bringing down housing costs and increasing the child tax credit. Vance also highlighted the importance of providing more options for families to raise their children in a happy and thriving way.
In contrast, Vance criticized Vice President Kamala Harris’s “anti-family” ideas, such as suggesting that it’s reasonable not to have children due to climate change. Vance argued that this message is the opposite of what the country should be sending to young families.
The Democratic Party’s policies, such as raising the cost of energy, are also anti-family, Vance argued. He noted that the Biden-Harris administration’s version of the child tax credit is flawed, as it targets only low-income families and creates a cutoff for higher-income families.
Vance emphasized the importance of extending the child tax credit to all families, not just low-income ones. He argued that this would be a more pro-child policy, as it would not create marriage penalties in the tax code. Vance pointed out that research shows that children do better when raised in a married household, and that the Democratic Party’s policies have led to record-low marriage rates and growing income inequality.
Vance is articulating a new direction for family policy, one that recognizes the importance of young men and women starting new families together. He believes that an expanded child tax credit would be a step in the right direction, and that it would help to address the fundamental problems with the system.