Patrick Brown
As seen in:
CNN,
CNN International,
MSN,
HuffPost,
Yahoo News,
Aol,
Newsweek,
Substack,
Miami Herald,
Deseret News
and
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Patrick Brown
Trump’s new stay-at-home-parent plan misses the mark
Published September 8, 2026 Washington Examiner First things first — the federal government absolutely should be doing more to support parents. That includes families who choose to have a parent stay home with young children. About 1 in every 4 families with children under 18 has at least one parent who isn’t in the labor force. Among married couples with children, one-third had a parent not working.
Trump’s new stay-at-home-parent plan misses the mark
In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. First things first — the federal government absolutely should be doing more to support parents. That includes families who choose to have a parent stay home with young children.
Opinion: The case for up-front assistance for new parents Original
Few times in life are more precious than those first days and weeks after a child is born. Meal trains are scheduled, texts pour in with congratulations, and the parents have to adjust to the new reality of interrupted nights and heart-melting snuggles. Too soon, reality intrudes — bills need to be paid and the inbox starts to overflow. Some moms have the luxury of taking paid time away from work when baby is born, but most don’t — and even fewer dads are able to.
This ‘Pro-Choice’ Policy Could Be The Solution For Struggling American Families
— DW Opinion — The Trump administration's parental choice child care policy gives parents more options and control. Listen to ArticleListen to this Article Your browser does not support the audio element. Progressives frequently pine for the type of universal child care system found in Nordic countries. But earlier this month, the White House released new child care guidance illustrating that one doesn’t need to dream of Stockholm to meaningfully expand choices for working families.
Pro-family conservatism needs an economic vision
But a positive vision for culturally and economically supporting families needs more than just combating radical progressivism. It needs to celebrate and invest in the family, particularly in those earliest and most fragile years of new parenthood.
Opinion: The political headwinds facing abortion opponents — and how to overcome them Original
Politicians are good at counting votes; less good at leading crusades. Advocates who want to see politicians lead, rather than reflect, cultural change, are often disappointed. The drive to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples is a useful example; it wasn’t national politicians who helped change the polling.
The White House’s false start on housing
Published January 21, 2026 The Washington Examiner It was only last month that President Donald Trump referred to the word “affordability” as a Democratic “con job.” His tune has changed since then, as he has offered a slew of ideas to help with the cost-of-living crunch, including during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Some of his ideas have promise, such as an effort to lower mortgage rates through federal action.
The White House’s false start on housing
In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.
Will Trump get to heaven? The president thought about it aloud
Your browser does not support the audio element. The following is from the Right to the Point newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday morning. Pop culture usually talks about a stairway to heaven, not a totem pole. But President Donald Trump this week indicated that he had been spending some time thinking about the afterlife and how to get there.
Perspective: Will the 2026 World Cup be family-friendly? Original
Just under a year from now, the U.S. will be hosting the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 32 years. Aside from the on-field heroics, the lasting legacy of 1994 was a sense that after decades of disinterest in the “beautiful game,” soccer had finally come to America. Youth participation in soccer exploded. Kids went to sleep with posters of Alexi Lalas rocking denim-inspired uniforms, and fought over who could imitate Tony Meola in goal on the schoolyard at recess.
A Fork in the Road
If it’s Friday, it’s Family Matters. On deck: The Main Event: Just say no to DOGEism ‘Home Improvement’: New report explores housing trends and family formation It’s Me, Hi: Fox News, NOTUS, City Journal, and more Parting Shots When you come to a fork in the road, Yogi Berra said, take it — and Elon Musk’s DOGE work is living that proverb to the fullest.
DOGE Comes for the Archbishops
Last call! Join us at the United States Capital for an event on pro-family tax policy featuring Rep. Blake Moore, Tim Carney, Bethany Mandel, and Ramesh Ponnuru next Tuesday, Feb. 11. Register here! The Main Event: Musk’s instincts and the future of faith-based partnerships Putting Families First: Child Tax Credit event, Feb.
How the GOP can deliver on Trump's most important campaign promises Original
The late New York Gov. Mario Cuomo had a famous dictum that politicians campaign in poetry and govern in prose. After a successful run to the White House that at times resembled a freestyle beat poetry session, President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress now face the task of channeling those energies into tax and spending policy.
Book Club: Flowers of Fire
I’m excited to announce that, in February, I’ll be leading a book club for Hawon Jung’s Flowers of Fire: The Inside Story of South Korea's Feminist Movement and What It Means for Women' s Rights Worldwide. South Korea’s 4B movement has attracted more attention since the election. The ‘B’ is for negatory “bi” that begins each pledge.
Commonwealth Dispatches
Welcome back to Family Matters, where we are all, like Cleveland Browns QB Jameis Winston, just praying the Lord will deliver us from pick-sixes.
The "Had Enough" Election
Welcome to Family Matters. On tap: The Main Event: The backlash against progressive governance arrives Florida!!!: It’s one hell of a drug Remember, Remember the 19th of November: A full day of family policy #content It’s Me, Hi: Newsweek and American Compass Quick Slants The best part of being pessimistic is being proven wrong.
Republicans Could Learn From J.D. Vance’s Appeal to Compassion | Opinion
Last week's vice presidential debate will likely serve as the last chance for voters to compare the two presidential campaigns head-to-head. And the Republican ticket couldn't have asked for a more polished and professional final word than it got from Sen. J.D. Vance. In many ways, he made the pitch for Trumpism to undecided voters more succinctly than anyone, including Trump himself, ever has.
A Matter of Trust
It’s October, which means it’s time for postseason baseball, college football, and ever-(Pumpkin?) spicier family policy newsletters. Welcome to Family Matters.
What J.D. Vance Should Say
People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window, wait for spring, and write my weekly newsletter. It’s Family Matters. On tap: The Main Event: How Sen. Vance Should Prepare for Tuesday’s Debate Sideshow: The Family Security Act is Real It’s Me, Hi Et Cetera The 2024 vice presidential debate is Tuesday, and it may well be the nation’s last opportunity to hear the two tickets respond to each other before votes are cast.
Pro-Lifers’ Political Irrelevance May Be Good for the Movement Original
After making good on his first term to appoint the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, former President Donald Trump has clearly moderated his approach. Last week, Trump announced that his next presidential administration would fund IVF treatments and flirted with supporting Florida’s “Right to Abortion” amendment, which set off an (effective) panic among pro-life stalwarts.
This Ain't a Scene, It's a CTC Arms Race
Football is back, baby, and what’s better than a newsletter that combines football and babies? But you gotta eat your policy vegetables first. On tap: The Main Event: How Big Can CTC Fans Dream?
No, Taylor Swift and Beyonce Are Not Planning an Endorsement Concert for Kamala Harris
Alex Demas is a fact checker at The Dispatch and is based in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the company in 2023, he worked in England as a financial journalist and earned his MA in Political Economy at King's College London. When not heroically combating misinformation online, Alex can be found mixing cocktails, watching his beloved soccer team Aston Villa lose a match, or attempting to pet stray cats.
Patriotism Rehab
We’re going to the mattresses! Published August 24, 2024 It’s a beautiful Friday morning in Washington, D.C., and Jonah has decided to pick a fight with Alexander Graham Bell. He ruminates upon the long decline of the convention (and who’s to blame), the insidious lying and mudslinging from both parties (Breaking: It’s wrong to bully children), and the parameters of minding your own business.
How did ‘Roe’ Fall? Original
Two books explore how the landmark decision was overturned—and what might have been. Published August 24, 2024 In keeping with the Democratic nominee’s preferred political strategy, the party’s recently concluded convention was relatively heavy on the vibes and light on policy—with one glaring exception. “Reproductive freedom” was given a stark spotlight, and Vice President Kamala Harris used her acceptance speech to call Republicans “out of their minds” for seeking to pass pro-life legislation.
'No Tax on Tips' and Free-Lunch Populism
In this week’s newsletter: The Main Event: What ‘No Tax on Tips’ and student loan forgiveness have in common Homework Assignment: New American Compass report on child care policy Et Cetera It’s difficult to find any serious policy analyst or economist who will say anything good about not taxing tips.
‘What Are Children For?’ Can’t Remain a Question Forever Original
Culture Natalism debates are about far more than finances and climate change. Published August 10, 2024 • Updated August 9, 2024 A resurfaced comment made by Sen. J.D. Vance about the “childless cat ladies” who supposedly run the Democratic Party could be understood as just the latest entry in an increasingly tense culture war over parenthood and natalism.
Can Conservatives Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive?
In this week’s newsletter: The Main Event: Imagining a conservatism that avoids the negativity trap Capitol Hill Updates: Republican proposals on child care and IVF Et Cetera: Reports, takes, roundups, and two podcast appearances If there’s one thing that ties most of the modern conservative movement together, it’s the sense that the world is continually heading to hell in a handbasket.
Conservative Populists’ Task is to Monitor the Punch Bowl
To think that just over a month ago I was complaining that the 2024 election rematch was going to be a uneventful slog… The ascent of Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket hasn’t been fueled by policy proposals, though what she has proposed in her time on the national stage provides some suggestions of how she and her staff think. In 2018, then-Senator Harris she proposed a new, monthly, refundable $6,000 tax credit for families making less than $100,000.
Where Are the Phones in ‘Inside Out 2’? Original
Like a lot of parents, I cried the first time I saw Inside Out, Pixar’s clever and amusing story about the emotions—Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness—within the brain of an 11-year-old girl named Riley. But rewatching the film recently, with a few more years of parenthood under my belt, I was struck by the disconnect between its prescient insights into parental worries and its old-school depiction of childhood.
How America Became ‘Family Unfriendly’
There’s plenty of science fiction available to stream on Netflix, but perhaps few scenes seem as fanciful to today’s young viewers as the four tweens of Stranger Things riding their bikes around—unsupervised. Carney’s book covers a wide array of settings and topics, from the kindergartens of Tel Aviv to debates over feminism and “having it all.” Much like his previous book, Alienated America, his work blends salt-of-the-earth journalistic reporting with a keen sense of sociological trends.
A Child Tax Credit Compromise for the Real World
Leave your ideal system aside; here in the real world, tax codes are used for all sorts of purposes. States that want to make a Hollywood splash pass tax credits to lure film production companies. Progressives like to pass tax provisions that will reward environmentally conscious companies. Various R&D tax credits are justified, according to their supporters, because they encourage firms to invest in socially beneficial activities they may not otherwise have.
Trump’s ‘Terrible’ Damage to the Pro-Life Cause Original
Trump is on track to steamroll through evangelical Iowa, even as he attacks meaningful pro-life laws supported by a majority of Iowa Republicans. Published January 12, 2024 For nearly two decades, evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats has played an influential role in Iowa GOP elections.
Opinion: Ron DeSantis takes on Trump in a sign he finally gets the message Original
Editor’s Note: Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. Follow him on Twitter. The views expressed in this piece are his own. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN) – During the 2016 presidential primaries, Sen. Ted Cruz tried a Texas two-step to win the Republican nomination.
Opinion: Trump’s call to repeal Obamacare is a trap for GOP Original
Editor’s Note: Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. Follow him on Twitter. The views expressed in this piece are his own. View more opinion on CNN. CNN — One of the biggest self-inflicted political wounds of former President Donald Trump’s first years in office was how the Republican Party handled health care.
What Explains America’s Marriage Downturn?
Wedding bells have been ringing ever less frequently in America. This may seem like a personal problem to some, but marriage has always had political implications in addition to romantic and cultural ones. Lower fertility rates pose serious fiscal and social risks. Single parenthood exacerbates inequality and stifles opportunity. And detachment from personal bonds has correlated with an ongoing increase in loneliness—now a recognized public health crisis.
Why the Pro-Life Movement Wasn’t Ready for a Post-Roe World
Former President Donald Trump made a deal with pro-life groups during his 2016 campaign: He’d appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade, and the pro-life groups would offer him political support. His recent comments on Meet the Press suggest he sees himself as having held up his end of the bargain and is ready to move on. In describing Florida’s six-week abortion ban as “a terrible thing and a terrible mistake,” Trump showed his lack of commitment to the pro-life cause.
Pro-Lifers Shouldn't Be Afraid To Condemn Trump for Abortion Remarks
The irony was not lost on many—Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion that motivated many religious and social conservatives to get into politics, was overturned in large part because of a man who was decidedly an outsider to those movements. And that marriage of convenience is now putting pro-lifers' ultimate aims at risk.
What ‘Painkiller’ Omits About the Opioid Crisis
Published September 2, 2023 The Dispatch A politician’s job is easiest when there’s a recognizable villain, and there’s nothing like hauling execs in front of a bipartisan panel and racking up the clips for cable news. Painkiller, a new six-episode limited series on Netflix, is the streaming equivalent of a congressional dressing-down: long on pathos, and short on nuance.
What ‘Painkiller’ Omits About the Opioid Crisis
A politician’s job is easiest when there’s a recognizable villain, and there’s nothing like hauling execs in front of a bipartisan panel and racking up the clips for cable news. Painkiller, a new six-episode limited series on Netflix, is the streaming equivalent of a congressional dressing-down: long on pathos, and short on nuance. The series hammers home the misdeeds of Purdue Pharmaceuticals, as well as the heartache and societal breakdown caused by its onetime “wonder drug,” OxyContin.
Why Republicans should embrace a pro-worker mentality Original
For the past two years, two surprising words have characterized the post-pandemic recovery across the United States: "Now hiring." Seemingly every coffee stand, auto body shop, restaurant, school, police station and shipping company is looking for warm bodies. Even the toy company Mattel is looking for a " Chief Uno Player." And this growth has benefitted those who often get left behind.
Opinion: Ohio offers a major political lesson for Republicans on abortion
(CNN) — The result in Ohio’s vote on a change to its referendum law underscored a political reality that Republicans are still coming to grips with. Pro-life politicians can, and do, rack up resounding victories, even after signing major restrictions on abortion into law. But when the topic of abortion itself is on the ballot — directly, or, in the case of Ohio, indirectly — the side in favor of expanding the right to abortion continues to hold the upper hand.
Opinion: Conservatives are right to object to intellectual conformity on campus Original
Editor’s Note: Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. Follow him on Twitter. The views expressed in this piece are his own. View more opinion on CNN. CNN — In recent decades, red states were largely content to let their state universities operate at arm’s length.
The 'Utah family miracle' and why it matters Original
Utah ranks at the top of many rankings of state performance across America. But perhaps the Beehive State is best known for its top rankings on the economic front. The "Utah economic miracle" - marked by exceptional economic growth, a favorable business climate and high rates of economic mobility - has garnered attention across the nation and helps explain why Utah's economy ranks No. 1 among all 50 states, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Opinion: The biggest obstacle facing Nikki Haley’s campaign
Editor’s note: Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. Follow him on Twitter. The views expressed in this piece are his own. View more opinion on CNN. CNN — Nikki Haley won election as Governor as South Carolina in both 2010 and 2014.
What conservatives can learn from Major League Baseball's pitch clock
Baseball fans have always prided the game as being outside of time, and the introduction of a leaguewide pitch clock in Major League Baseball this offseason rubbed traditionalists the wrong way. And I'll admit it - when I heard fans at Seattle's T-Mobile Park counting down the seconds to get under the skin of an opposing pitcher, I gritted my teeth at the artificiality of it.
If McCarthy’s tightrope act works, Dems would face agonizing choice
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy By Patrick T. Brown/ CNN (Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee.) Congress is facing a ticking time bomb, as the political drama in Washington, DC, continues to underscore the need to find a solution to the debt limit.
Opinion: Don't count DeSantis out yet; the GOP's 2024 race is far from over Original
Editor's Note: Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress' Joint Economic Committee. Follow him on . The views expressed in this piece are his own. View more opinion on CNN. For a while, the fight for the Republican Party's nomination in 2024 was looking like a two-man race. If you believe the polls, it currently seems like it's down to one.
Opinion: The political tightrope that Trump's Republican rivals must walk
Editor’s Note: Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. Follow him on Twitter. The views expressed in this piece are his own. View more opinion on CNN. CNN — Progressives may be eager to see former President Donald Trump potentially fingerprinted and told he has the right to remain silent.
Opinion: The secret to winning in 2024 Original
Editor’s Note: Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Washington, DC. He is also a former senior policy adviser to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee. Follow him on Twitter. The views expressed in this piece are his own. View more opinion on CNN. CNN — History, as we know, never fully repeats itself, but it can sometimes rhyme a little.
Opinion: The one critical step Congress could take to protect kids online
This week the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that raised thorny questions over algorithms and free speech on the Internet. In Gonzalez v. Google, lawyers for the parents of a teenager killed in an Islamic State attack are arguing that YouTube should be held liable for promoting content from the group. The political debates over how much speech protections online cover Big Tech firms have inflamed the right for years.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Patrick
Contact Patrick, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack