New Mexico is first state in US to offer universal child care

Post by lp251 » Tue, Sep 09, 2025, 3:21 PM UTC

dghlsakjg wrote: post #34

kccqzy wrote: post #10

I'm very unfamiliar with New Mexico (having only been a tourist in Albuquerque and Santa Fe for a few days), but according to U.S. News it ranks 50 out of 50 for education: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education . Given some level of geographic mobility it doesn't seem like a place I would want to raise a child. Am I mistaken? Thoughts?

You have to look at variability. The cities are doing ok, but it is out in the rural areas, and the reservations specifically, where there are going to be extreme negative outcomes. There are areas on some of the reservations that are yet to be electrified as an illustration of just what kind of challenges NM is up against.

Post by itake » Tue, Sep 09, 2025, 3:22 PM UTC

Aurornis wrote: post #80

mothballed wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would make sense IMO to provide an equal value waiver to those who take care of their kid rather than send them to childcare. Stay at home moms do not provide a less valuable service than childcare providers. This policy appears to disincentives children staying with their mother even when it is preferred.

> Would make sense IMO to provide an equal value waiver to those who take care of their kid rather than send them to childcare. This is a great way to kill a policy. It would technically be most fair if every parent was given the same amount of money per child, period. Then they could do what they needed or wanted with it. But doing so would not only increase the costs dramatically (by a multiple) it would give money…

Post by chongli » Tue, Sep 09, 2025, 3:22 PM UTC

dzink wrote: post #12

This is fantastic! I hope they succeed and there is no abuse or other issues, because it will show how much an economy can grow when women are allowed to work to their full potential. Families who were previously in poverty because the mom would struggle to pay for childcare to work can now have assurance kids are ok while the mom can pursue jobs, start her own small business (huge chunk of businesses are small busin…

Post by defen » Tue, Sep 09, 2025, 3:22 PM UTC

toomuchtodo wrote: post #20

Nifty3929 wrote: post #15

It's easy to promise things, but hard to deliver them. How can the state "guarantee no-cost universal child?" Will the state provide the child care itself? Or will the attempt to provide funding, relying on the private market to provide the service. Are there a bunch of underworked child care providers just waiting around for new customers? Or would they expect the child care industry to go on a hiring spree? Regardl…

I drive on roads, I use libraries, I have police and fire protection. My children go to school. My city and state provide services to me and fellow citizens. This is no different, and we pay for it with taxes. I like taxes, with them I buy civilization (which I also am fond of). (The evidence also shows economic benefits of enabling parents to work when they want to by providing childcare) https://illumine.app/blog/h…

Post by WD-42 » Tue, Sep 09, 2025, 3:23 PM UTC

mrkeen wrote: post #81

WD-42 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You realize a lot of people actually prefer to give their child their best instead of outsourcing it so they can focus on bettering the economy, right?

It's an interesting way to divide up a country's labour. 50% do child rearing, and the other 50% do literally all other professions. If you did have such a large cohort engaged in that activity, there should probably be some kind of education where one could learn 'the best'. Of course people with kids would be too busy to attend. And the ones who did attend wouldn't have any kids to look after.