Arrowman

lisarea: From the words of mine you quoted and responded to, it seems maybe I should clarify one thing. When I say "Something needs to be done - this is something - let's do it" I mean "whether or not the 'something' is actually appropriate or effective'. In other words, I was saying that the government intervention in the way proposed is fallacious (ineffective) and inappropriate (promoting particular moral choices).

While I believe that most people might agree that "something needs to be done" (about reducing the impact of divorce and single parenthood in society) it does not follow that any particular "something" should be implemented just because it appears to address the issue.

In other words, we agree.

admice

I really resent my taxes going for this. Does anyone know ways to stop or influence this? I keep reading about executive orders. Does anyone know how he can do that?

Ab_Normal

What would do more to help single parents? Somehow getting them to marry someone, or a living wage, affordable daycare, affordable healthcare, affordable housing and transportation... Oh, wait, corporate America seems to be against all of the above. Oy.

openeyes

I seem to remember when this idea was being bantered about on some talk shows awhile back, some single moms were interviewed to find out why they didn't marry their children's father. It seemed a common response was that the mom didn't want to be responsible for another person, that she thought she'd be taking on more responsibility by marriage. I suppose one could argue that women should have sex that may lead to children only with responsible men, but this irresponsibility wasn't realized at the time.

A young woman I worked with had two kids by the same guy and tried to live with him at least. Had to leave him because of his habitual pot smoking and job hopping. (For the record, she doesn't "believe" in abortion, though she never quite got the rest of it about avoiding unprotected sex or waiting until until you were in a tested relationship. She had three kids in all by the time she was 24. And she really is intelligent in other ways!)

Seeker630

This is nothing but another form of payoff to the religious reich for their republican support in the last two elections. Just how can the gov't "promote" marriage to anyone? Like who? People who are already married? Seems kind of a waste since they're already there. Single/divorced people with children? That situation has already not worked or they'd be married.

How are these clowns going to choose and identify a target populace for this program whatever it is? And just what groups got the money? If it's churches, they are already supposed to be delivering that message aren't they? The rate of divorce has been relatively steady from what I've seen for a long time now. The only contrary numbers I've come across show the rate is above average in the BIBLE BELT. Oh and you can bet there's no part of that money that's earmarked for any kind of oversight mechanism or auditing to make sure it's not used for other purposes.

Looks like just a payoff to me. Otherwise it's pure idiocy.