‘Your voice is one of the many:’ A child shares his policy dream with AOC
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked a child about his ideal law. Most children would want something a bit more fantastical—something along the lines of free chocolates for everyone. But this child brought up a policy that’s arguably more difficult to achieve than free, unlimited candy.
“America has to let people go to the doctor free, because in other places, they have it free,” the child said. He recounted his mother’s childbirth experience as an example for why this should be the case.
“But when my mom was, like, trying to had a baby, she had to pay like $10,000,” he said. AOC was surprised by the figure.
“Who needs to pay $10,000 to have a baby?” The congresswoman asked. She asked the child how much he thinks babies should cost, and he said, “Five bucks.”
Healthcare costs are making children dream of better policy
The child’s mother spent roughly the average of the expected childbirth fee in the United States. Natural delivery is priced at around $15,712, while complicated C-section procedures average at $28,998. With these prices, it’s no wonder women are opting out of children. Some people obsess over the fertility rate—but in dire circumstances, it would be difficult to convince women to choose children.
This is one issue among many that influence women’s decisions to have children, of course. But for those who harp on women to have children, the economic realities can’t be ignored.
Julian Shapiro-Barnum asked the child how much he thinks an ambulance costs. Shapiro-Barnum is known for interviewing children about random subjects in his channel, Therapy Recess.
The child replied, “It would cost free.” Shapiro-Barnum thought it should be free, too, but it’s far from the reality.
There is a variety of factors that affect ambulance costs. Basic life support (BLS) ambulance rides average at $1,481, while advanced life support (ALS) ambulance rides cost roughly $1,613. Insurance coverage also affects the cost of these rides, and those out-of-network charges may apply depending on the state a person lives in. Regardless, it’s absurd for Americans to have to pay thousands and be charged extra for a ride to the hospital.
But even more concerning is that a child’s dream law is free healthcare. It’s expected for children to have magical requests, some of them unrealistic. It seems as if even children are starting to feel the weight of the rising cost of living in the US.
Putting the costs aside, the child from AOC’s interview also believes that Americans should use more solar power. The congresswoman joked that she should bring back the child to Washington to craft legislation with her.
Kids just want peace
“We did do a protest for the No Kings protest,” the child revealed. The nationwide protest saw thousands of people in attendance. A diverse group went, and all were in opposition to Trump’s policies, including the War on Iran and the brutality of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“I think a lot of people don’t feel like their voice does anything. What would you say to people who are feeling that way?” Shapiro-Barnum asked.
“Your voice is one of the many. If you didn’t share your voice, you wouldn’t start a chant,” the child remarked. It’s a call that goes against the apathetic nihilism that people feel under the current political climate. But those who are already jaded by politics and power often forget that there are avenues for people to participate in democracy. Activism, lobbying, and partaking in government service are some of these—democracy isn’t just practiced during elections.
It had to take a child for people to be reminded that there is still hope and that every single voice can make a dent.
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