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California Gov. Gavin Newsom faced criticism from The Washington Post editorial board Tuesday, which accused him of “infantilizing” parents with a new taxpayer-funded diaper program for newborns, the latest example, it said, of a growing “nanny state” under his leadership.
“Newsom, preparing a 2028 presidential bid, seems determined to build a cradle-to-grave social welfare state,” the board wrote, critiquing the move as part of a broader effort to deliver “free” services throughout much of childhood.
The program, a partnership with the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Baby2Baby, will dole out 400 free diapers to new parents upon discharge from the hospital and is aimed at lowering the cost burden amid inflation.
NEWSOM’S ‘GOLDEN STATE START’ PROMISES 400 FREE DIAPERS PER BABY AS CALIFORNIA GRAPPLES WITH BUDGET WOES
Elizabeth Landsberg, Kim Johnson, Gavin Newsom, Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein fill diaper boxes at the Baby2Baby x Golden State Start event at Children’s Creativity Museum on May 8 in San Francisco, Calif. (Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images for Baby2Baby)
The Washington Post editorial board cited the premise of “free” school meals, “free” preschool and the expansion of “free” after-school programs as evidence of the trend.
“Yet none of this is actually free for California taxpayers,” the board chided, arguing that the state’s latest budget is $349 billion — which is over $140 billion more than the $208.9 billion Newsom first signed in 2019.
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The state has partnered with nonprofit Baby2Baby to manufacture the diapers under the label “Golden State Start.” (Governor Gavin Newsom)
In a statement touting the program, Newsom noted how much it costs to raise a family.
“California is taking on the cost of raising a family head-on — delivering free school meals, making preschool free for every four-year-old, expanding after-school programs, and now making sure parents leave the hospital with the basics their newborn needs,” Newsom said.
“Every baby born in California deserves a healthy start in life – and that means making sure parents have the basics they need from day one,” the governor said.
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The Washington Post editorial board called out the California governor and said the new parent program was “a stinky state contract for diapers.” (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Digital reached out to Newsom’s press office for comment regarding the article from The Washington Post’s editorial board, but did not immediately hear back.
The Washington Post’s criticism cut deeper into other crises afflicting the Golden State, calling out chronic homelessness and “abysmal schools” while insisting that neither has improved “meaningfully” despite “throwing huge sums [of money] at them.”
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“If there really is a diaper crisis in California, there’s no guarantee that a government program would solve it. Well-meaning philanthropists would, no doubt, be more effective,” the board added, pointing to other regulatory measures, like a ban on plastic bags and mandates for zero-emissions cars by 2035, that have allegedly increased costs for most Californians.
After listing grievances with rising living costs — and the culprits allegedly driving them — the board noted that “The best way for Sacramento to help new parents is to get out of their way.”
