Reflections on Parenthood, Policy, and Why I Ran for Congress

My wife and I just had our first baby—likely our last—at a time in our lives when we are both in our early 40s. The joy of welcoming a child is immense, but it comes with a complexity of emotions, especially as I write this from the hospital while we learn to be parents for the first time. Despite doing everything society asks of us—she has a PhD, and I have a master's degree—the economic burden of having a child almost made this impossible. Our experience is not unique, and it underscores a broader crisis facing American families today.

Reflecting on our journey, it has become clear to me that the current decline in American birth rates is not just a demographic trend—it’s a sign of deeper structural problems. Financial instability and the lack of real, systemic parental support are driving countless families to reconsider or forego parenthood altogether. Recent data shows this downward trend persists, not because people don’t want families, but because the costs are overwhelming. When affordable childcare, paid family leave, and job security are missing, raising a family becomes a daunting and isolating experience. Countries like Sweden have shown that robust parental benefits can make a difference, but in the United States, we continue to place the entire burden on individuals, leaving many in a state of economic uncertainty and hopelessness.

The Intersection of Reproduction and Policy

At the same time, policy debates around reproductive rights are often shaped by anxiety over declining birth rates. Instead of investing in families, some lawmakers pursue restrictive measures—like limiting abortion access—as a way to address demographic concerns. These efforts do not address the root causes of declining birth rates; rather, they create additional hardships, particularly for low-income women and marginalized communities. Historically, such coercive approaches have failed to achieve population stability and have led to serious public health consequences.

Restrictive abortion laws, for example, disproportionately endanger low-income women, as wealthier individuals often retain the means to bypass such barriers. International precedents, such as those observed in Romania, demonstrate that coercive reproductive mandates rarely achieve population stability and instead lead to tragic public health outcomes.

Experts argue that by creating economic precarity, the system ensures a consistent supply of labor and military recruits while simultaneously eroding the autonomy of women to control their own reproductive timelines.

Socioeconomic Pressures and Systemic Inequality

Too often, the debate over birth rates ignores the real issue: the erosion of the American social contract. Rather than supporting families, our current systems penalize them with stagnant wages and underfunded social safety nets. This perpetuates a cycle where working families, and especially families of color, are left to struggle under mounting pressures. Instead of focusing on how to help, policymakers frequently shift blame onto individuals, masking systemic failures in wage growth and retirement funding.

This is why I decided to run for Congress as an independent Democrat, advocating for universal, cradle-to-grave economic policies. My candidacy is rooted in the belief that addressing these systemic failures will require a fundamental shift in how we value parenting and family life in America. We must build a future where financial security and meaningful support are accessible to all, not just the privileged few. Only by investing in families and providing the infrastructure for them to thrive can we reverse these troubling trends and restore hope for the next generation.

—Gamy Enriquez, MPA

References:

1. Economic Policy Institute. "The State of American Wages 2023." https://www.epi.org/publication/state-of-american-wages-2023/

2. Center for American Progress. "The True Cost of Caregiving." https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-true-cost-of-caregiving/

3. National Partnership for Women & Families. "Paid Family and Medical Leave: A Racial Justice Issue and Opportunity." https://www.nationalpartnership.org/our-work/resources/economic-justice/paid-leave/paid-family-leave-racial-justice.pdf

4. Institute for Women’s Policy Research. "The Costs of Reproductive Health Restrictions." https://iwpr.org/iwpr-issues/reproductive-health/the-costs-of-reproductive-health-restrictions/

5. Roosevelt Institute. "Rewriting the Rules of the American Economy." https://rooseveltinstitute.org/publications/rewriting-the-rules-of-the-american-economy/