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January 14, 2004

The Newlywed Game

Okay, now I am mad. Today in the NY Times:

Bush Plans $1.5 Billion Drive for Promotion of Marriage

Here's the lead paragraph:


Administration officials say they are planning an extensive election-year initiative to promote marriage, especially among low-income couples, and they are weighing whether President Bush should promote the plan next week in his State of the Union address.

aalskdalsdkjalksjdlaskd WHATTHEHELL?!!? aoasdjasldijalksj

Only a moron thinks that what low-income people need is a $1.5 billion – yes, BILLION – initiative that encourages them to shack up legally with someone. What they need is for some of that money to be thrown their way in the form of increased wages and better access to affordable health care. I just ... I just can't believe that basic, fundamental programs are being cut in favor of increased funding for something as completely stupid and asinine and UNNECESSARY as this.

Oh, and a space station. *rolls eyes*

Here's more:


In the last few years, some liberals have also expressed interest in marriage-education programs. They say a growing body of statistical evidence suggests that children fare best, financially and emotionally, in married two-parent families.

You know what? That's probably true. It sounds reasonable, at any rate. However, I think that children fare best when they're not living in poverty without access to the most basic of social services. Health insurance for kids? Most states are slashing the budgets of the SCHIPs (State Children's Health Insurance Programs) to the point where children living in families BELOW the poverty level – yet, astonishingly, still not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid (as if that would help much) – are not eligible for heath coverage.

What kind of sense does a marriage initiative make in light of those facts? We ALREADY, as a country, don't give a damn about our children. Oh, but "we" (as in, the head of the federal government, and his cronies), do care about refusing to allow gays to marry. And make no mistake – that is the driving force behind this dumb initiative.

You know what? I can't get behind the knee-jerk reactionaries who spout off things like "George Bush sucks" and make stupid jokes about shrubs and the pronunciation of "nuclear." Those things are way too easy, especially when they are SO MANY legitimate, context-specific reasons to think that Bush the Younger is a first-class mental midget (and a bigot, to boot) who is running the United States headlong into a trashy, intolerant oblivion.

Posted by Highwaygirl on January 14, 2004 03:10 PM to the category Political Rants
Comments

Not only does Bush want to promote marriage among the poor, but the new initiative in Texas is, if a welfare mother marries, and her new husband works, we won't count his income for SIX month, and continue to let her get the welfare check, you know, to get them started.

Mind you, half the time, the guy's been there all along....and if they don't marry, and she goes to put him on the case, his income does count.

It's screwy- yeah, encourage them to marry- because a household of two earners at minimum wage is SO much better.

Posted by: Tracie at January 15, 2004 02:25 PM

Where can I sign up?

Posted by: lifeonhold at January 16, 2004 02:01 PM

I see what you guys are saying, I mean why on earth would anybody want to promote family values. That GW sure is evil...

Posted by: lefant at January 16, 2004 04:32 PM

*Looks at GW's family*

*Looks at GW's values*

Alright, I'll go along with evil.

Posted by: overg at January 16, 2004 06:35 PM

Family values is one thing, marriage incentives to people who probably have no business being married is another. Marriage does not equal family values.

Posted by: Tsy at January 18, 2004 12:50 PM
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