Every top 2020 Democrat is backing big changes to child care in the U.S.

(Image credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

published 15 January 2020

There's one big thing every 2020 Democrat debating Tuesday night can agree on.

When asked about America's child care system, every one of the six Democrats onstage Tuesday made it clear they believe something needs to change. "It makes no sense for child care to cost two-thirds of somebody's income," former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said, kicking off a spree of candidates calling for access to affordable and even free child care.

Buttigieg has announced a $700 billion investment into child care before kindergarten, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) continued his conversation by calling for a free universal child care program for 4- and 5-year-olds. Beyond that, Warren said, America needs to "stop exploiting the people who do this valuable work, largely black and brown women" by raising wages for child-care workers and preschool teachers. Sanders continued her call for free universal child care, saying "our current child-care system is an embarrassment."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Speed Reads Us News

To continue reading this article...

Create a free account

Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.

Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.

Cancel or pause at any time.

Already a subscriber to The Week?

Unlimited website access is included with Digital and Print + Digital subscriptions.
with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.

Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us

Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox