Libertarian dissects 'blood and soil' themes behind 'demagog' JD Vance’s 'childless Dems' claims

31 July 2024

Although J.D. Vance's attacks on "childless cat ladies" and "childless Democrats" received some criticism back in 2021 and 2022, they are drawing much more intense scrutiny now that he is Donald Trump's running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

Vance demonized childless Americans relentlessly in interviews, saying that they deserve to be "punished" through higher taxes for not having biological children and even going so far as to describe them as "sociopathic."

In a scathing and lengthy article published by The Bulwark on July 31, libertarian/conservative journalist Cathy Young tears apart Vance's arguments bit by bit — and slams them as a troubling example of the "blood and soil" and "national conservative" ideology fueling MAGA Republicans.

"Vance's remarks received some attention at the time," Young observes. "But obviously, his words sound much more inflammatory when the speaker isn't just a loud-mouthed Senate candidate, but a potential vice president of the United States. Hence the recent recrudescence of the controversy."

Young points out that Vice President Kamala Harris, one of Vance's targets, has been a stronger supporter of the Child Tax Credit and that a long list of prominent Democrats have kids — including some of Harris' "prospective running mates."

"Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has four children; Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly each have two," Young notes. "House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is a father of two, while House Minority Whip Katherine Clark is a mother of three. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison and Vice Chair Sen. Tammy Duckworth each have two kids."

The Never Trump libertarian/conservative continues, "So does Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has been mentioned as a possible presidential contender or vice-presidential pick. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, another Democrat with a likely future in national politics, is a father of four…. Harris herself is a stepmother to her husband's son and daughter from his first marriage."

Vance's "demagogic" and misleading comments about "childless Democrats," according to Young, show that he "isn't just a MAGA culture warrior, he’s a jerk."

"But the 'cat ladies' controversy does reveal a few things about Vance’s ideology and style — none of them good," Young explains. "One: The continued insistence that people with biological children have a more real, 'physical' commitment to their country's future underscores, like the cemetery plot story in Vance's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, the strong presence of blood-and-soil themes in his rhetoric…. Two: This ideological hobbyhorse once again reflects Vance's connections to 'national conservatism,' the brainchild of Israeli-American political scientist Yoram Hazony…. Three: While Vance's imprecations against the childless are often, at least ostensibly, gender-neutral, his 'cat ladies' riff indicates the degree to which he is willing to play to misogyny for the right audience."

Young adds, "It is also indicative of his immersion in the toxic online swamps of the far right…. This isn’t just 'weird,' per the new and wildly successful Harris label for the Trump-Vance tandem. There is also a real and disturbing ugliness at the heart of this story.

Cathy Young's full article for The Bulwark is available at this link.

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