Marriage is good when
Parents are adult enough
for reality checks.
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by Joe B. Wednesday, 27, 2002. A brimming summer day in the city. Yesterday I hear stuff about S-President Bush Jr’s proposed "Marry Unwed women to father of child or children plan." [I’m thinking of the Moony multiple marrige guy in the late 1970 or ‘80’s ].Has Bush had some ‘kinda mind-meld or is this a sick Moral Majority joke? Some of the newsprint is from ABCNEWS webside so I can understand this Washingfluke ‘um ‘ton type of reasoning. Many conservatives have made this their top priority, arguing that two-parent families are better for children and key to escaping poverty. Let’s continue. But many are uncomfortable putting government that deeply into people's personal lives and no one knows what sort of programs would succeed in increasing marriage rates. Governors, who want as much freedom as possible in spending welfare money, detest this sort of mandate, and aides note that Bush and Thompson are both former governors. So the Bush plan will offer a pot of money — at least $100 million each year, according to one official — for experiments aimed at getting poor people to marry. The administration will also suggest that states be required to explain what they are doing to promote marriage, forcing them to at least consider the issue. The administration also wants to scrap $100 million in annual bonuses to states with the largest reductions in births to unwed parents. Some argue that these bonuses have failed to reward the states that are really doing the best job. (To be continued) Looking at Overall Funding The president plans to ask that state grants be maintained at $16.5 billion per year. Others argue there is much work to be done, and Thompson, who has always said the nation can't do welfare reform "on the cheap," agrees. Thompson is now looking at how to move welfare reform to the next step: Helping people who have left welfare move into higher-paying jobs. Studies have found that while most former welfare recipients found jobs in the strong economy of the last few years, most didn't make enough to leave poverty. [He’s finally putting the cart and horse in the barn even though its way late in the day, maybe Mr. finally gets better education/skills component - to bad S-President Bush is stuck on marry-the-women-now-jobs-later deal.] I looked up the Sun Moon stuff on the mass marriage thing. Anyone remember Sun-Myung Moon (Translated: Shining truth) I seem to remember a Reverend message, one of rebuilding families and restoring and uniting communities. "We are one family and we want to stand together to end all the problems of our society. We believe division does not serve our purpose." "The Christian family we believe is coming together, them standing together to break down wall that divide us, racism, denominationalism, husband and wife." [Our current ‘Pres would eat this up.] Mass Marriages: WHAT IS IT? The term "Mass Marriage" is actually a misnomer. I titled this section In reality, no one is being married in these mass wedding spectacles. Instead, the "Blessing" as Moonies refer to this event, is a religious Though they are dressed as brides the ones that intend to be husband and wife will have to obtain marriage licenses from whatever jurisdiction they reside in. In former years, only those couples that Sun Myung Moon had matched (Moon chose usually complete strangers that would then become husband and wife based on Moon's selection) or those that had passed very stringent qualifications (including from 3 to 7 years of celibacy before marriage) would be allowed to be 'blessed' by Moon. In recent years, these events are often billed as a 'recommitment of marriage' to unsuspecting participants. That’s enough of that. At least Moon’s marriages were only symbolic practice unlike what Bush unlike Moon’s symbolic marriage really wants women married to men who fathered their children. The nuclear family has imploded and simply marrying single men or women with children in no solution. Is free or less expensive child care, along with expanded higher education, updated job/career skills, both traditional and non traditional vocational work. I know, I’m confused too but that’s how this stuff plays out or looks to me. Bye. |