Reading all the post-election punditry, it would be easy to conclude that voters didn’t buy into President Biden’s post-neoliberal economic ideas—or, by extension, his vision of an economy where care is a public good and the government plays a meaningful role in ensuring access to it.

Yet that would be the wrong conclusion. It would be hard to see the election as a referendum on the care agenda, since the Administration wasn’t actually able to deliver on those policies. Voters don’t automatically give credit for promises—they give credit for what you actually accomplish. Many Americans are struggling to make ends meet, worrying that they have to choose between keeping their jobs and taking care of sick family members, and paying huge amounts of money for care out of pocket—sometimes more than the cost of their mortgage or college tuition. Post-election, care is as urgent a priority as ever. It is central to the economic security, well-being, and potentially even the democratic health of the nation. And delivering on this vision is key to ensuring the success of a post-neoliberal economy—one that is sustainable, equitable, and resilient.

What Is the Care Agenda?

As has been discussed before in the pages of this magazine, the care agenda is comprised of policies that help families manage their caregiving needs while ensuring care workers have high-quality jobs. These policies include access to affordable, high-quality child care; voluntary, universal free preschool; ensuring people have the ability to care for an aging family member or those with disabilities; and the creation of a national paid family and medical leave policy to help workers take time away after the birth of a child, to recover from a serious illness, or to care for a loved one with a significant health condition, without impacting their economic well-being. The care agenda can also encompass policies that provide income support to help families manage the high cost of raising children, such as the child tax credit, which makes a huge difference in family financial stability. Of course, child care and other early education policies also support the well-being of children by fostering brain development and foundational skills such as early literacy.

Read the full article about the care agenda by Shilpa Phadke and Shayna Strom at Democracy Journal.