Brownback's Interesting Marriage Proposal

[NATO AIR]

I really like this idea= strong marriages=stronger society

intelligent conservatism

http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20051007-085519-8532r.htm

Beguiling marriage proposal
By Alvin Williams
October 8, 2005

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of a couple's courtship is the wedding proposal. Television shows have chronicled unique proposals and Web sites offer suggestions for the perfect marriage proposal location, theme and process. Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas Republican and chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the District of Columbia has introduced a different type of marriage proposal to low-income D.C. residents and if enacted it could lead to wedded bliss for these couples.
Under Mr. Brownback's proposal low-income engaged couples in the District would get an opportunity to establish savings accounts eligible for matching funds for buying a home, sending a child to college or starting a business. The program, which would cost about $3 million, would also provide support to organizations providing services to low-income engaged couples considering marriage.
While critics have decried this proposal as another extension of conservative idealism, it nevertheless is attracting wide ranging bipartisan support, which includes Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia Democrat.
Support for the legislation is based primarily on the fact various studies have shown married couples and the children born to married couples fare much better in many areas than unmarried couples and their children. A collection of studies compiled by the Family Research Council illustrates that married couples and their children enjoy tremendous advantages in terms of health and well-being, economic stability and other factors.
Many couples have the desire to marry and enjoy these and other benefits but cannot because of financial constraints and other considerations. Mr. Brownback's proposal would eliminate some of these constraints and thereby make marriage a more viable option for low-income D.C. couples.
If most married couples with children were to list three major priorities for their lives together, they would most likely be to buy a home, save money to send their children to college, and build toward a stable retirement. The proposal would provide federal support to couples working toward these priorities.
The true beneficiaries would be the children of poor families. Shockingly, more than half of the children born in Washington, D.C., last year were born into single-parent households. Studies have shown children born into single-parent households on average do not perform as well academically as children of married couples. In addition, boys born into single-parent households are likelier to commit crimes.
Mr. Brownback's proposal promotes marriage as a first step to building a household conducive to the personal, social and professional development of children while providing support to parents who want to save to ensure their children can pursue a college education.

 

[BaronVonBigmeat]

While critics have decried this proposal as another extension of conservative idealism, it nevertheless is attracting wide ranging bipartisan support, which includes Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia Democrat.

Of course it's recieving bipartisan support. Giving tax dollars to the poor appeals to left wing socialists, using tax dollars to promote traditional values appeals to right wing socialists.

If they really want to help traditional values, they should end every single federal welfare program on the books, and let the states (and preferably local) governments handle this. Or better yet, let private charity handle it like they used to. (Side note: read the book "The Tragedy of American Compassion", a history of american charity before the New Deal. It's online somewhere, and it will blow your mind how badly distorted our image of the 1800's is from the history/state propaganda school books.) Or the absolute best way to promote intact families and family values--return to a gold standard and cut federal spending so drastically that households can actually get by with one breadwinner like they used to.

 

[Nuc]

Government should get totally out of the marriage business on every level. Government meddling in marriage is causing so much dissent in this country the solutions are worse than the problems. The carrot and stick mentality is too trivial for something as crucial as who you intend to spend your life with.

Is there anybody here who would have married someone in their past if only they could have taken advantage of this initiative?

 

[Avatar4321]

Id have to see more details before I could make any decision.