Getting Kids Back to School Safely

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, August 14, 2023

“My purpose here is not about efficacy or recommending a policy change. It’s to express, as many parents have before and will continue to after me, the deep weight and heavy sadness of raising children in a generation with historic gun violence. 

In simpler times, my parents drilled hiding under desks for Soviet atomic bombs (another questionable strategy), but thankfully, they never fell. Our kids know gun violence happens in real life. My 8-year-old and 5-year-old, whom I adore, will ask why they have these backpacks as I'm moving over their Lego, cactus, and shark keychains. I’ll say something that’s true but not the whole truth. But kids talk. 

Something about the clear backpacks is an everyday reminder that the threat could be anywhere. It’s not those Cold War soldiers; it’s us, it’s each other. That is heavy and dark in a new way for our country and those raising families in it.  

This year, Pew Research did a survey about Parenting in America. Mental health topped the list of concerns, affecting all but a small sliver of parents. Nearly half of parents were extremely to somewhat worried about their child being shot.”

Here's My Advice for the GOP

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, July 2023

”The GOP presidential field is shaping up. The first debate will be at the end of summer. As a retired campaign hand, I thought I’d share a few thoughts.

First, we need messaging based in reality. There seems to be bifurcation in the GOP field between those running on darkness — the end of America as we know it if we have a second Biden term — versus those happy warriors saying it’s a new day, a great day in America, and the only thing that’s wrong is our attitude and some woke stuff. Having hung around Republican campaigns over the last two decades, I can promise you that nearly all consultants paid big bucks argue for the latter approach.

But a smiley optimism risks ringing hollow in today’s environment. Patriotism is at an all-time low. Only 38% are “extremely proud” to be Americans, according to Gallup. Confidence in institutions has plummeted, with the largest declines in the presidency and Supreme Court. Congress ranks dead last with just 7% of respondents expressing a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in Capitol Hill. And few people believe that their children will be better off than they are, according to Wall Street Journal Polling. 

Dare I venture to posit that the cowboy hat, swagger and tax cuts of Ronald Reagan would have trouble sweeping these dust bunnies under the rug.”

The Wrong Place to Draw a Red Line

Abby McCloskey, Politico, June 23, 2023

“I have been disappointed that the rollback of abortion rights in red states — like mine, Texas — hasn’t been met with more robust financial support and protection for mothers and children. I understand that more government support is a turnoff for conservatives, especially in our fiscal environment. But in this case, I believe it’s the wrong place to draw a red line. As someone who values life and believes in the importance of strong families, it is a logical extension of the pro-life argument to protect and value life at all of its stages, but especially in the unmatched vulnerability of infants.”

Is Pro-Life Whole Life?

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, June 24, 2023

“Who’s marching for them? Who’s advocating for their families’ protection and support post-birth, the needs of which surpass what is currently given philanthropically and extend to public policy issues like job protection and our social safety net more broadly? For those familiar with the pro-life movement both in the early church and the movement’s American founding in the early 20th century, it was rooted in a broad whole-life ethic.”

The GOP's Moment of Truth on Immigration

Abby McCloskey, The Dallas Morning News, June 3, 2023

“Border security is exactly the kind of thing that has normal, “exhausted majority” people so frustrated with government, and in this case, the massive oversight of the Democratic Party failing to acknowledge a real and obvious problem. And it’s the kind of thing that could help push Republicans over the line in 2024, despite the party’s own egregious mistakes on the issue (more on that shortly). GOP strategist Karl Rove recently wrote about a South Texas poll that showed Hispanics leaning Republican largely because of surges of illegal immigration. But before Republicans go assuming that immigration is their issue to win, I present three things to keep in mind.”

School choice may be part of the solution. Reading definitely is

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, May 22, 2023

My husband recently taught a class in a local high school on spy thriller writing. If you haven’t felt old lately, you’re about to. No one in the class had watched Homeland, which was basically as current as I Love Lucy. No one had heard of the spycraft master John Le Carré (RIP) or read modern thriller writers like Brad Thor. But here’s the kicker: When my husband asked if anyone had read a book — any book — in the last year, only one or two hands went up. And this was at a well-to-do local high school; other schools likely fare worse.

What does it mean for kids’ attention spans, ability to learn, ability to engage in the world around them in all its beauty, pain and complexity, if they are not reading books? And lest adults feel off the hook, nearly a quarter of American adults report not reading a book in any format in the past 12 months either, according to Pew Research.

Now, the point of this piece is less to bemoan books or spy fiction, although the McCloskey family has a bit of a vested interest here. But something is amiss in our education system where books and high schoolers are fish and air, and it points to something bigger: For all of our education policy conversations from before kindergarten (child care, universal preschool) to after high school graduation (student loan debt, college access); for all of our conversations about critical race theory, “woke” history lessons, screen time and offensive library books; for all of the debate about teacher pay and school funding, the heart of the issue is that in our education system our kids in K-12 are struggling to learn the basics — how to read, write and do math.”

Heaven May Be Real, But Is It Relevant?

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, May 18, 2023

“Today is Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter, remembering when the risen Christ ascended from earth into heaven. Most of us think only about heaven when there’s been a death. And if you, like me, grew up in the evangelical church or in the Bible Belt, you might have a bit of a dull view of the whole thing, although my subsequent decades in the Anglican church have livened it up.

Taking promises of eternal, supernatural bliss seriously may seem credulous to some readers. But to those of us who do, it can be a source of great hope. And while I prefer to keep my nose in books of political economy, the two might be more connected than it initially appears.”

Between opinion and identity

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, April 30, 2023

“The 2024 presidential cycle is upon us. If you’re feeling queasy, unsure how to constructively engage, you’re not alone. The betting markets currently show the race being a showdown between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis close on Trump’s heels. There’s still plenty of time for things to unfold, but on its face, this feels like a sad deja vu.

Unsurprisingly then, there’s been excited chatter of a third-party candidate, or an independent unity ticket. A recent survey found that the share of independents in America has hit record highs (49%) in 2023, greatly outnumbering Republican (25%) and Democratic (25%) identifiers, suggesting that such an effort could have juice. The Hidden Tribes report, by the think tank More in Common, used the term “exhausted majority,” to refer to most Americans who are tired of our divided and toxic politics and want compromise and problem-solving.”

What's More Texan Than Protecting Families and Promoting Opportunity?

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, March 18, 2023

“Texas has an opportunity to become the first Red state in the nation to protect the time between new parents and infants.   

State representative Morales Shaw recently put forward legislation that would allow parents to take up to twelve weeks of paid parental leave following the birth or adoption of a child.  

Yes, she's a Democrat and the Texas legislature is controlled by Republicans.  Yes, it would be paid for by a payroll tax on employers, a non-starter for the read my lips, no new taxes crew.  And yes, the Texas Family Act shares the name of federal legislation pioneered by Democrat Senator Gillibrant, The Family Act, a budget leviathan and fully partisan.  As such, Lone Star Republicans might be tempted to give the proposal a knee-jerk, no siree Bob. 

But I’d encourage a thoughtful pause, a big breath, to think about how this could be the foundation of a bipartisan effort in Texas to better support families and babies.”

Tech is hurting kids. Washington may be ready to act

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, March 6, 2023

“The widespread mental health effects from the intense consumption of a previously unknown product designed to be addictive over the course of the last decade should give us pause, for ourselves, but even more so for our kids whose brains are undeveloped.”

Pro-Family Fiscal Policy

Abby McCloskey, Institute for Family Studies, February 14, 2022

“It’s an honor to be back in Russell. I began my career in this building, on this floor actually, working for Senator Richard Shelby.  

Back then, I was an LC (legislative correspondent) for banking issues, which doesn’t really translate to our talk today, except that in responding to thousands of constituent letters, I gained an appreciation for how the policies passed here impact real families. And that, of course, is what we are here to talk about—how many families are working hard, playing by the rules, and yet lack basic protections for them and their loved ones to flourish….”

Americans love less than they used to

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, February 13, 2023

“You can be forgiven for thinking love is in the air. I just bought multiple packs of valentines for my children to profess things to their classmates like, “Valentine, you are din-o-mite” and “You make my heart-saur.” I’m attending a Gal-entines party — something that has morphed from eating a pan of Betty Crocker brownies with roommates in college to a grown-up party and darn good gift exchange. And with any luck, on February 14 I’ll be cooking up dinner with my own Valentine. (We’ve given up going out on the actual day as anyone sharing my Scottish sensibilities for prix fixe menus can understand.)

But the heart of the issue is that love is not really in the air, or at least not in the way it used to be. Marriage rates are at an all-time low. The share of never-married adults has hit record highs, with 35% of Americans ages 25 to 50 having not married as of 2018, up from 9% in 1970, according to the Institute for Family Studies. . . .”

EVENT: Pro-Family Priorities for the 118th Congress

Abby McCloskey, Ethics and Public Policy Center, Institute for Family Studies, February 16, 2022

Join the Institute for Family Studies and the Ethics and Public Policy Center for a briefing on new, exclusive IFS/YouGov poll that explores parents’ views on family policy topics, including kids’ online safety, paid leave, and promoting marriage. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) will offer remarks on a parent-first approach to kids’ online safety, and top conservative pro-family scholars and writers will explore the contours of an authentically pro-family agenda.

Panel I: Pro-Family Fiscal Policy

Abby McCloskey (McCloskey Policy LLC), W. Brad Wilcox (University of Virginia), and Patrick T. Brown (Ethics and Public Policy Center)

Special Remarks

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)

VIDEO: Childcare Policy Outlook

Abby McCloskey, Chamber Foundation, January 2023

There's one thing the majority of Americans can agree on, finding affordable, quality childcare is still a challenge. But now that the 118th Congress is set, where will childcare land as a priority? Working parents need solutions, and to understand what they can expect from their representatives in Washington.

On the latest episode of "The Drumbeat: Conversations on Early Childhood Education," Aaron Merchen, U.S. Chamber Foundation director of policy and programs, sat down with economist Abby McCloskey to discuss the state of early childhood education policy, what employers need to know about childcare solutions, and what we can expect moving forward with childcare policy in a divided government. 

Watch here: https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/the-drumbeat

The New Rules of Work

Abby McCloskey, Politico, January 2023

“Women — and in particular mothers of young children — were some of the hardest hit by the pandemic. Mothers’ labor force participation fell from 74.4 percent to 70.5 percent, whereas fathers’ fell from 94.2 percent to 92.0 percent during the spring of 2020, according to the Council of Economic Advisers.

However, prime age women’s employment rate has largely recovered since then and has actually outpaced that of men. This is something that often gets lost in the conversation. Women with less than a college degree have had lower labor force participation rates than higher-educated women. But as the chart below by EPPC scholar Patrick Brown shows, the labor force participation rates of mothers with less than a BA has also largely recovered.

That said, we are experiencing a decline in labor force participation more broadly. This is attributable to a wide range of reasons. An NBER paper from this summer on “where have all the workers gone” by Eliza Forsythe, Lisa B. Kahn, Fabian Lange and David G. Wiczer mostly attributes this to an aging population and early retirement. Others, such as AEI scholar Nicolas Eberstadt, have pointed out the role of government benefits, criminal records, disability and the opioid epidemic. Fewer people choosing to work has significant macroeconomic implications for growth and innovation. There are certainly policy changes that could help on the margins, such as reducing payroll taxes or creating a wage subsidy or increasing childcare support, but getting to the driver of this trend has been elusive for policymakers.”

Introducing 12 new contributing columnists

The Dallas Morning News, January 8, 2023

These regular contributors will write about a host of issues, from local concerns in Dallas to national politics, but also about culture, art, economics and more. Some of their names are already familiar to readers, and some are new. All of them are experts in their fields, with diverse backgrounds and interests that promise to make great reading.We’re calling them contributing columnists. I’d like to introduce them.

Abby McCloskey is the founder of McCloskey Policy consulting firm, a former U.S. Senate staffer, and policy director for two presidential campaigns. Her essays have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, National Affairs, Politico, The Dispatch, The Hill, Forbes and National Review. She writes about politics, economics and faith.

America's Silver Years

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, January 8, 2023

“Maybe it’s the post-holiday slump. The cookies, wine and merriment settling in the wrong places. Or simply the joys of middle age. According to the American Psychological Association, “middle adulthood” doesn’t begin in your late 40s or 50s, but in your mid-30s! Goodness gracious. And also, that explains some things.

But I’ve found myself thinking about a cleanse, a revival, and having a growing interest in longevity and the human life cycle. While age isn’t something that can ultimately be defied, I’ve been intrigued by the work of Harvard’s longevity scientist David Sinclair, who seeks to elongate a person’s “healthspan,” which is to say increasing the years when you can be active and feel good even if the ending number (the lifespan) may ultimately be the same. To defy aging, Sinclair prescribes a mix of cutting-edge and spooky medicines but also very basic things like exposure to cold temperatures (sorry, Dallas) and fasting. More on that shortly.

I’ve also been thinking about the life cycles of nations. There’s been more chatter in recent years about America on the decline, or at least, she’s not the young thing she used to be.”

The homeless in my neighborhood who announced Advent this year

Abby McCloskey, The Dallas Morning News, December 25, 2022

“This is not the Advent article I planned to write. I planned to write about the late New Testament scholar Larry Hurtado’s book, Destroyer of the Gods, which looks at the practices of the early church and the distinctiveness that moved Christianity from a backwater religion to one that defined empires. From restrictive social ethics to a remarkable diversity of women and men, enslaved and free worshipping alongside each other. There’s so much to say. But I’ll have to save that article for another time. Or do yourself a favor and stuff Hurtado’s book in your stocking; it’s a good one.

This is not even the Advent article I want to write, for reasons I’ll explain. But sometimes pieces reveal themselves and you go with it, as the man behind the garbage dumpster so unexpectedly appeared to me. It was a rainy, warm December morning. I was leaving a coffee shop in East Dallas when I saw him. There is a big dumpster behind the coffee shop where my car was parked. It was overflowing with trash bags. As I drove past, there was rustling in the bags, which I soon realized was a person, a shopping cart next to him, pulling open and digging through the trash. I nosed out of the parking lot and felt that tug. You know the tug. I almost always ignore it.”

Pulling Back from a Fiscal Cliff

Abby McCloskey, Dallas Morning News, December 11, 2022

“Ours may be the first generation whose children are worse off than its own members. If we do nothing, a fiscal and economic calamity awaits,” former U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan recently wrote in The Wall Street Journal.

This, on the heels of frenzied exhaustion from the pandemic, inflation and increased Russian and Chinese aggression, is a lot to take in. Certainly, in the midst of Christmas decorating and family gathering and end-of-year wrapping, it feels a bit, well, back burner. Not much we can do about it here in Texas where our state’s rainy day fund is overflowing. God bless Texas. It’s the Beltway wonks’ problem, not ours.

But the former speaker is not wrong. Throughout history, the rises and falls of great powers, from Rome to the Ming Dynasty to the Soviet Union, tend to be from the long, insidious dissolution of something so basic that any child collecting allowance in fly-over country does it each week: managing a budget. (Economists Glenn Hubbard and Tim Kane painstakingly document this trend, empire by empire, in their fantastic and now decade-old book, Balance: The Economics of Great Powers from Ancient Rome to Modern America). Mismanagement of government finances renders militaries weaker, growth slower, public services smaller and eventually brings about the collapse of promises and public trust — the justification of a government’s existence.”

Book Chapter: Family At The Center

American Renewal, AEI Volume, Editors Speaker Paul Ryan and Angela Rachidi, November 2022

“In a country mired in debt, with prodigious and unbridled spending from both political parties, the least that citizens should expect in exchange from such spendthrift is a basic level of support for the most vulnerable populations. Yet there’s a gaping hole in our safety net. . . .”

The purpose of American Renewal: A Conservative Plan to Strengthen the Social Contract and Save the Country's Finances is to promote thoughtful and informed discussions, offer serious policy solutions, and demonstrate real reasons for hope. In the enormous economic challenge of our age lies an opportunity of renewal. If we stabilize our debt, revitalize our economy, and restore the promise of upward mobility, we will be the authors of a great new chapter in the remarkable American story.