The Economics of Paying People to Have Kids with Catherine Pakaluk

Why aren’t Americans having babies, and can anything really change that?

Economist and author Catherine Pakaluk joins CCV Policy Director David Mahan and Communications Director Mike Andrews to talk about her book Hannah’s Children, the roots of the birth dearth, and why baby bonuses and pro-natalist policies often fall short.

Listen in for Catherine's take on how the state can become more pro-family through fixing housing, rethinking education, and restructuring welfare.

Before the conversation, CCV President Aaron Baer joins David to break down a huge win at the US Supreme Court—the first major legal loss for the LGBT movement—and share highlights from the Fatherhood Commission press conference at the Ohio Statehouse, featuring leaders like former Florida Speaker Chris Sprowls, former NFL Viking Jack Brewer, and former Ohio State Buckeye Team Captain Kamryn Babb. Learn more about the Hope and a Future report at CCV.org/Hope.

More about Catherine Pakaluk

Catherine Ruth Pakaluk is an American economist and social philosopher at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

Catherine is author of the acclaimed ethnography Hannah’s Children: The Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, Slate, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, and more.

She holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. The mother of eight children, she is married to American philosopher Michael Pakaluk. They split their time between suburban Maryland and New Hampshire’s White Mountains. 

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The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

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