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"'Ask Grandma To Watch Them For Free' Is Not Policy": People Are HEATED At J.D. Vance's Suggestion To Lower Childcare Costs, And The Backlash Is Brutal

"One of the ways that you might be able to relieve a little bit of pressure on people who are paying so much for daycare is maybe grandma and grandpa want to help out a little bit more."

Michaela Bramwell
by Michaela Bramwell

BuzzFeed Staff

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Childcare costs in America have become a vital issue for voters in 2024. Working parents everywhere are struggling, and 88% of respondents to a recent childcare survey said a candidate's position on childcare costs would influence their vote. Well, J.D. Vance is going viral for his statements on childcare, and it's not going over well.

J.D. Vance speaking at an event; he is wearing a suit and striped tie, standing behind a microphone with blurred supporters holding signs in the background
Jeff Swensen / Getty Images

In a clip from a sit-down interview with Charlie Kirk, a Turning Point Action founder, J.D. Vance was asked, "How will we lower the cost of daycare?"

Charlie Kirk and J.D. Vance sit on a stage in business attire during a Turning Point PAC event, with a backdrop displaying the organization's logo
Rebecca Noble / Getty Images

"One of the ways that you might be able to relieve a little bit of pressure on people who are paying so much for daycare is maybe grandma and grandpa want to help out a little bit more," Vance responded.

Rebecca Noble / Getty Images

"Or maybe there's an aunt or uncle who wants to help out a little bit more. If that happens, you relieve some pressure on all the resources that we're spending in daycare."

J.D. Vance speaks animatedly into a microphone at a Turning Point USA event, wearing a suit and tie with a small U.S. flag pin on the lapel
Rebecca Noble / Getty Images

Vance went on to say that he believes we should provide greater access to education to help people get trained in becoming caretakers and that state governments should relax the requirements for caretakers. 

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As you can probably guess, people were not happy about Vance's comments, and many took to social media to criticize him:

“Ask grandma to watch them for free” is not policy. https://t.co/fVrBqHbQdZ

— Chasten Glezman Buttigieg (@Chasten) September 5, 2024
C-SPAN / @Chasten

Sorry, Grandma and Grandpa work full-time because they can't survive on Social Security. https://t.co/jxkkUh6OrZ

— Swede Duck 🦦 (@SwedeDuck) September 5, 2024
C-SPAN / @SwedeDuck

@ajuravi

Hey J.D. this is Grandma of Grandma and Grandpa and I don't want those damn kids so come up with a new childcare policy.
pic.twitter.com/kSEThJgQvr

— TheRealThelmaJohnson (@TheRealThelmaJ1) September 5, 2024
C-SPAN / @TheRealThelmaJ1

@JoJoFromJerz

In response to Vance's viral statements, Kamala Harris's  campaign issued a statement on X highlighting an old tweet of Vance's from 2021 in which he professes his disapproval of universal daycare. "JD Vance says 'normal people' don't want families to have access to child care."

JD Vance says “normal people” don’t want families to have access to child care https://t.co/VlPoI6sWDU pic.twitter.com/nykmyRJBVh

— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) September 5, 2024
CSPAN / @KamalaHQ

It's important to note that Vance reportedly did not attend the Senate vote to expand the Child Tax Credit, which would have reduced taxes for lower-income families by up to $2,000 per child.

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