There's nothing Republicans love to do more than wax poetic about parenthood. Dip a toe into red state America and you'll be bombarded with cloying bumper stickers and Facebook memes about how motherhood is the "toughest job in the world." These sentiments aren't sincere, however. They are mostly meant to reassure women who have been sidelined from paid employment that they don't need that silly financial independence anyway. And in the last two years, things have grown worse as Republicans — in an attempt to justify book banning and "don't say gay" laws — have tried to rebrand themselves as a "Parents Party" that supposedly stands up for exhausted folks just trying to care for families.
Caring for and educating kids is hard work. But this sentimental claptrap from Republicans has always been empty noise. Now that Republicans have achieved their goal of banning abortion and making motherhood mandatory, the mask is slipping away. They are now letting loose with their true belief: Child-rearing is dumb and easy, not even really work at all.
