Billionaire Elon Musk, left accompanied by U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and Musk’s son, X Musk, speaks during an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Something has been nagging at me when I see all these male Republican politicians parading their babies and young children around like, “Lookit me! I’m Superdad!!”
Verily, baby spit-up is the new must-have accessory for the MAGA male politician. Look! It’s J.D. Vance toting his kid off an airplane and the kid is wearing pajamas!!! And what’s this? Co-President Elon brings his 4-year-old son to the Oval Office for a press conference where he smeared his snot-rockets all over the resolute desk. Presh!!!
The achingly socially awkward Musk clearly brought the kid as a distraction, and I suppose it worked since so many R’s gushed about the precocious spawn atop Musk’s shoulders.
Look! A man holding his own child!! What miraculous feat will the world’s richest person perform next? Wash his own cereal bowl?
Closer to home, a Republican in my North Carolina State House was praised on Monday for bringing his toddler to work.
In a fawning article entitled “Republican Dads Are Leading by Example” in the conservative newsletter, Longleaf Politics, Andrew Dunn writes glowingly of Republican State Representative Mike Schietzelt’s decision to hold his 18-month-old son during a speech.
“Schietzelt showed that being a father and a public servant aren’t just compatible—they’re powerful together,” Dunn wrote, adding “There’s a new crop of Republican leaders with young children who are unapologetic about their balancing act while in office…Family isn’t an obstacle to leadership. It’s part of it.”
For those of you old enough to remember SNL character “The Church Lady” you know what I’m ‘bout to say.
Well. Isn’t that special?
Let’s leave for another day the mind-blowing irony every seasoned woman officeholder must be feeling now that it’s not just “OK” but laudable to bring your child to work.
Here’s why this celebration of Republican dads in office ticks me off. While it’s true Rep. Schietzelt is brand new to the General Assembly and therefore had no personal vote against the Medicaid expansion, his party and his fellow legislators most certainly did. For many years.
For year after year after year, the Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly refused to accept the Medicaid expansion that would’ve been life-changing (and often live-saving) for the state’s poor families.
Finally, in December 2023, it became apparent that was a fool’s game and a mean-ass fool at that. Former Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat prevailed (thanks be to God), but only after nearly a decade of mudslinging and, far worse, ignoring the state’s desperately poor children and families. The Republicans’ Christmas capitulation wasn’t noble. No, no. They just looked around and realized the nation’s eighth-most populated state would be FORTIETH to expand Medicaid and we were looking more cruel and callous than the jewel of the South vibe we were going for.
Think of the thousands of children and families that had to wait that out all those years. In North Carolina today, 41.2 percent of all children rely on Medicaid for health coverage. Let that sink in for sec.
So, FINALLY, these folks have a chance as of early 2024.
But wait! There’s a plot twist! Donald Jetraitorous Trump is leading the call for Congress to cut $880 billion – which would have to include Medicaid reductions. North Carolina’s Medicaid recent expansion, which is conditioned on the feds picking up 90% of the cost, would almost certainly disappear — along with coverage for many other low-income folks. Yes! Let’s balance the budget on the backs of hungry toddlers and sick children.
A pox on him. And anyone who doesn’t see this for what it is.
Republican dad politicians, you can parade around with your photo-opp adorables all you want. I don’t worry about YOUR kids. Your income is fine. I worry about the millions who don’t have a daddy in the State House or U.S. Congress who want to slash the first decent chance at security and good health a generation of children has seen.
Would Freshman Representative and kid-totin’ Mike Schietzelt have broken ranks with his party and supported the Medicaid expansion early on? Maybe. We’ll never know.
What I do know is These Handmaid’s Commanders yammering about needing to boost birthrates while they strap their kids to their hips as props have demonstrated zero care for the nation’s poor children time after time.
They remind me of the creepy rich guy in “Titanic” who grabs a random urchin from steerage and fibs, “I’m all she has” to get a spot on the lifeboat.
And I’m being kind.