The 3rd RNC Debate Let Us Down Again

By Sammy Chavin-Grant, Jaida Jenkins, and Staci Bryant

Watching last night’s debate, we were thankful to be participating in the FV@W live chat. In the face of xenophobic, racist, and sexist attitudes and behavior on the stage–and an alarming tilt towards authoritarianism–knowing we weren’t alone made it easier to watch. No matter the political party, presidential debates can be exhausting. Everyone spends the evening avoiding the questions the moderators asked, trying to slip in their quippy one-liners and distinguish themselves from the other candidates.

The tenor of this debate was missing a critical component: care. Not just the critical care policies that we know millions of families desperately need like paid family and medical leave, paid sick and safe days, and affordable child care. While foreign policy took center stage in the conversation, the complete lack of regard for everyday issues was shocking. We know all too well that those few with the resources to afford time from work to heal or take care of loved ones continue to fare far better than most. Our culture of capitalism and white supremacy continues to make economic stability and job security tenuous for working families, LGBTQIA+ people, Black women, and Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrants, and disabled communities.

We were listening for care, and finding none, were able to create our own community of care. Checking in on each other’s health and wellness in the face of shocking behavior from the people who want to lead this nation. Rather than debating if we should ban TikTok, let’s talk about a path to really helping kids. We owe it to our future generations to create sustainable systems of care that are publicly funded, accessible, and affordable. During the brief focus on domestic issues, we were left wondering, what is the plan for care and caregiving? We no longer have time to wait for a vision–we have the plan already: paid family and medical leave, paid sick and safe days, and affordable child care. We know what works, it is tested and proven in the states, and now all we need is a government willing to act.