Blue America is best for families. For years, America’s elites have insisted that blue states — with their higher incomes, better-educated residents, and expansive public services — are the best places to raise a family. Progressive policies such as paid family leave, childcare subsidies, and gender-neutral bathroom mandates, we were told, would draw parents in droves. Such policies prove “that one major party cares about children and families, and the other does not,” according to liberal journalist Catherine Rampell.
But the data tell a different tale. Across the country, families are packing up and leaving blue states for red states. They are also more likely to have children in red states to begin with.