5 ms·

So we can reduce the cost of childcare by reducing the quality? Sure, but these are children, not screws, or planks of wood, or consumer electronics. The gover

So we can reduce the cost of childcare by reducing the quality? Sure, but these are children, not screws, or planks of wood, or consumer electronics. The government is mandating minimum _safety_ standards for the people who are minding the next generation of humans. We really need to be asking where that money is going and why costs are so high. The government really is not the problem here other than that they're not subsidising it enough.

Ekaros 3y ago
It comes to general question of cost of living. Why is cost of living so high? Solve the cost of living and labour becomes cheaper and thus things like childcare come cheaper.
- maxehmookau 3y ago
  I agree, mostly. Except in the case of childcare, in the UK anyway, average earnings for childcare workers hasn't increased in real-terms since 2008. So the cost of labour isn't going to come down, nor should it.
polski-g 3y ago
> So we can reduce the cost of childcare by reducing the quality? Yes. Just like certain apartments are cheaper than others when the unit has no washing machine or microwave. Or like certain cars are cheaper because they don't have a backup camera. The cost doesn't disappear because you scream "Think of the children!"
- maxehmookau 3y ago
  Except in one of the richest countries on the planet the cost can literally disappear if governments prioritise differently. The US prioritises other things, so childcare is more expensive than it otherwise might be.
  - polski-g 3y ago
    If the government subsidized childcare by $400/mo, then providers would raise costs by $400/mo. They already know what the market can bear. My cousin has several car dealerships. During the Cash for Clunkers program, the government was giving a $2000 new car tax credit. He raised the cost of every car on the lot by $2000 exactly. If you want something to come down in cost, then you must make it's input costs decrease in price.
    - maxehmookau 3y ago
      > If the government subsidized childcare by $400/mo, then providers would raise costs by $400/mo. Then the government steps in and forces them not to. I understand that in the US the idea that the government could have the best interests of its citizens in mind is an alien one, but in much of Europe this is a solved problem. It requires political will. The costs of childcare haven't actually soared, it's a captive market. Reducing quality is dangerous (because, again, these are small humans who require high-quality care from qualified individuals), so regulation is the only option.

Ekaros 3y ago

It comes to general question of cost of living. Why is cost of living so high? Solve the cost of living and labour becomes cheaper and thus things like childcare come cheaper.

maxehmookau 3y ago
I agree, mostly. Except in the case of childcare, in the UK anyway, average earnings for childcare workers hasn't increased in real-terms since 2008. So the cost of labour isn't going to come down, nor should it.

polski-g 3y ago

> So we can reduce the cost of childcare by reducing the quality? Yes. Just like certain apartments are cheaper than others when the unit has no washing machine or microwave. Or like certain cars are cheaper because they don't have a backup camera. The cost doesn't disappear because you scream "Think of the children!"

maxehmookau 3y ago
Except in one of the richest countries on the planet the cost can literally disappear if governments prioritise differently. The US prioritises other things, so childcare is more expensive than it otherwise might be.
- polski-g 3y ago
  If the government subsidized childcare by $400/mo, then providers would raise costs by $400/mo. They already know what the market can bear. My cousin has several car dealerships. During the Cash for Clunkers program, the government was giving a $2000 new car tax credit. He raised the cost of every car on the lot by $2000 exactly. If you want something to come down in cost, then you must make it's input costs decrease in price.
  - maxehmookau 3y ago
    > If the government subsidized childcare by $400/mo, then providers would raise costs by $400/mo. Then the government steps in and forces them not to. I understand that in the US the idea that the government could have the best interests of its citizens in mind is an alien one, but in much of Europe this is a solved problem. It requires political will. The costs of childcare haven't actually soared, it's a captive market. Reducing quality is dangerous (because, again, these are small humans who require high-quality care from qualified individuals), so regulation is the only option.