FTI: Can government-funded childcare actually pay for itself?

This event explores a question that cuts across politics:

Can government-funded childcare actually pay for itself?

Recent data from places like Quebec suggests that large-scale childcare programs may not just reduce poverty—they may generate enough economic activity to offset their costs. Similar conversations are now emerging in parts of the United States.
But interpretations of these results vary widely depending on political perspective.

In this discussion, we’ll bring together different viewpoints (including Trump-aligned and non-Trump perspectives) to explore:

• Does subsidized childcare create real economic return, or hidden costs?
• What assumptions are built into the “it pays for itself” argument?
• How should we think about government’s role in family support?
• What trade-offs are we not talking about?

This is not a debate for soundbites. The goal is a thoughtful, fact-based conversation where people engage with the data—and each other—honestly.
Come prepared to listen, challenge ideas, and think critically.

A little about our host:
Garrett is a programmer turned award-winning software inventor turned entrepreneur ([PlateRate.com](http://platerate.com/) is his company). His hobby is writing and discussing practical philosophy, and he does life coaching on request to help people live happy, moral lives. He is also the executive director of The Free Thinker Institute ([FreeThinkerInstitute.org](http://freethinkerinstitute.org/)), which aims to create a community that helps members increase happiness and decrease harm for themselves and those they can influence.

Format:
Lecture and discussion

Note:
Social time for our community 15 minutes before the presentation.
To get familiar with our past events, feel free to check out our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmixGB9GdrptyEWovEj80zg
After registering via zoom, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We publish our event recordings on our Youtube channel to offer our help to anyone who would like to but can’t attend the meeting, so we need to give this clause. If you don’t want to be recorded, just remain on mute and keep your video off.

Here’s our legal notice:
For valuable consideration received, by joining this event I hereby grant Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns, the irrevocable and unrestricted right to use and publish any and all Zoom recordings for trade, advertising and any other commercial purpose, and to alter the same without any restriction. I hereby release Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns from all claims and liability related to said video recordings.