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Vivek Ramaswamy on Families & Children |
Chris Christie: No, because Republicans believe in less government, not more. I trust parents.
Ron DeSantis: I signed legislation in Florida banning the mutilation of minors because [transgender surgery on minors] is wrong.
Vivek Ramaswamy: I think the north star here is transgenderism is a mental health disorder. We don't let you smoke a cigarette by the age of 18. We don't let you have an addictive drink of alcohol by the age of 21. I just challenged Ron DeSantis to go one step further and support what I think is clearly within the authority to do using federal funds just like Reagan did in '84 for the Highway Act that said the minimum drinking age needs to be 21. We can do the same thing when it comes to banning genital mutilation or chemical castration. I know Ron's been unclear about on the federal level. I'm crystal clear. That's where I stand. That's a mental health disorder. That's where we need to be at.
Gov. Chris CHRISTIE: The problem is that these prosecutors are refusing to do their job.
RAMASWAMY: We also have a mental health epidemic in this country. Over the same period that we have closed mental health institutions, we have seen a spike in violent crime. But, it's not just drugging up people in those psychiatric institutions with Zoloft and Seroquel. It's a deeper issue. I think faith-based approaches can play a role here, too. We're in the middle of a national identity crisis. And I say this as a member of my generation. The problem in our country right now, the reason we have that mental health epidemic is that people are so hungry for purpose and meaning, at a time when family, faith, patriotism, hard work have all disappeared. What we really need is a tonal reset from the top saying that this is what it means to be an American.
RAMASWAMY: That's correct.
Q: How would you deal with the education crisis?
RAMASWAMY: We have a crisis of achievement. Let's shut down the head of the snake, the Department of Education. Take that $80 billion, put it in the hands of the parents across this country. Allow any parent to choose where they send their kids to school. And the fact of the matter is, look, there is a part of education policy that also rests with the family. I didn't grow up in money. But you know the word privilege gets used a lot. Well, you know what? I did have the ultimate privilege of two parents in the house with a focus on educational achievement. And I want every kid to enjoy that. We have to remember education starts with the family. And the nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind.