GOP policies have created labor shortage

Idaho Senator Chuck Winder, R-Boise, recently argued that women are doing the nation a disservice by not producing enough kids for the workforce. Blaming women is easier for Chuck than taking responsibility for the policy decisions of his own party.

Republicans have been in power in Idaho for decades. Blame must fall squarely on their feet. For example, Chuck and his friends refused to accept $38 million in Federal grant money to help expand childcare because they did not want to “make it easier for women to come out of the home.” They didn’t want women in the workforce. Apparently, they’re only interested in their (male) offspring.

According to Idaho Voices For Children, the lack of affordable childcare costs our economy $525 million each year because parents must refuse jobs due to childcare issues.

The Republican-led legislature could fix the childcare crisis, so more parents could work. They could increase workforce housing, so more workers could afford to live here. Idaho could stop criminalizing doctors for saving women’s lives, so doctors could stay and young people would want to work here.

The policy choices made by Idaho’s Republican-controlled legislature have created a labor shortage. Their policy choices could fix it. To Chuck Winder: 1) stop blaming women for poor policy outcomes; and 2) forced pregnancy is not the answer to our problems, economic or otherwise.

LINDA LARSON

Sandpoint