Do Parents Matter?
Or is it all theater for spoiled power?
Glenn Youngkin held his Second Parents Matter event last Tuesday at Piney Branch Elementary School in Bristow, Virginia. Because as Glenn says, “It’s not just a slogan; parents do matter.” Although, after attending the event, this parent isn’t sure what that means.
Youngkin arrived 45 minutes late. Leaving the parents in the room waiting. He sat in front of a crowd of nearly 200 handpicked supporters. A panel of three local parents joined him. The main topic was the social media usage of children. He hit his talking points, mentioning the Democrats blocking the internet bill that would have required parental approval for social media access.
Youngkin and the panel discussed the emotional issues our children are facing. Touching on covid isolation, a shortage of counselors and phycologists, and screen time. He hit another talking point when mentioning legislation to help Virginia’s labor market by allowing people with 85 occupational licenses issued in other states to practice in Virginia. When they focused on the main topic, Yougnkin turned toward the audience. He cracked jokes about being the worst parent. And posed a question where no one raised their hands.
The conversation was empty. It felt awkward. Some of the panelists admitted to not knowing much about the main topic. At times Youngkin appeared to be searching for answers. During one of his long siliques, he mentioned the lowering of standards in schools, saying the kids will live up to the expectations we set. He is right. But what about the standards of public officials?
As a parent, when attending a Parents Matter event hosted by the Governor, my expectation is for the panelist to have a wealth of knowledge on the topic at hand. And I expect serious dialogue back and forth between them and the Governor. I also expect to walk away with a purpose or some sense of hope. Unfortunately, this parents' standards weren’t met.
At the end of the event, Youngkin encouraged those with questions to speak with his staff, send him an email, or speak with the other candidates in the room running for office. He stayed and spoke with some of the people from the reserved seats. I went to speak with John Stirrup, who is running for office in my district.
So far, John hasn’t met this parent's standard for delegate. But he met Younkin’s. Before the primary race ended, Younkin endorsed John over his opponent Josh Quill. The endorsement gave John a huge advantage. It’s good press, and it’s good for fundraising. The moment Younkin endorsed John, this parent's vote didn’t matter.
Youngkin seems like a good person. Maybe he is, or maybe I just really want him to be. It’s hard to tell from so far away. I wonder if he understands he is a party boss—an influential individual who wields significant power and control within a political party or organization. Younkin wields power through the Spirit of Virginia PAC and endorsements. During the Gilded Age, Roscoe Conkling and Boss Tweed were two of the party bosses. Tweed exemplified corruption and abuse of power in the Democratic Party, while Conkling represented the influence of political machines within the Republican Party. They both operated under the spoils system, a practice of appointing government positions based on political loyalty and patronage rather than merit or qualifications.
This isn’t to say that Youngkin is corrupt. There is another explanation. Daily Beast writer Matt Lewis was on the National Review podcast The Bookmonger with John J. Miller discussing his new book Filthy Rich Politicians: The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals, and Ruling-Class Elites Cashing in on America. Matt says, “The average member of Congress is something like twelve times richer than the average American family.” Leaders become out of touch, or as Matt says, “clearly there’s going to be a disconnect in priorities or world view.”
Younkin isn’t in Congress, but he is rich. Maybe Youngkin isn’t the party boss. Maybe he is so rich that he can’t relate to many regular Virginians. Maybe he relies on others to bridge that gap for him. Maybe they are just playing the game, so he wins. Maybe he is ok with it as long as he can make positive change. But the game is spoiled. And this parent doesn’t feel like he matters.