November 26, 2004
BAR THE DOORS, MOTHER, IT’S OUT FRONT AGAIN
Hodge stresses state's role in family life (Tom Happold, The Guardian, November 26th, 2004)
Margaret Hodge today defended the government's efforts to improve parenting against the charge that ministers are creating a "nanny state".In a speech to the Institute of Public Policy Research thinktank, the children's minister said: "The state can be a powerful force for good in families and communities and we should celebrate, not denigrate, its role."
She added: "When we [the government] act to support and help families by lifting them out of poverty and giving them real opportunities, they call us nannies and accuse us of interfering." [...]
"I want to celebrate and promote the role of the state in family life - the state as an enabler and partner to give children the best opportunities to fulfil their talent," she added.
"I recognise this involves difficult judgments, whether it's about enabling action or curtailing action. But shying away from these judgments is not good enough.
"For me it's not a question of whether we should intrude in family life, but how and when."
A fifty percent divorce rate, an explosion in single-parenthood, a literacy crisis, delinquency, female and child poverty, emotional illness in youth, historically unprecedented rates of abortion, decrepit public schools and dangerous public housing can all be related in whole or in part to the whittling away of family authority and self-reliance by the state. Yet despite the atrocious failures, progressives continue to celebrate each new state initiative as if it were a compassionate exercise of charity to those temporarily in hard times. It boggles the mind to think that, in 2004, anyone still thinks the state can lift anyone out of poverty or help children fulfil their talent.
Posted by Peter Burnet at November 26, 2004 2:50 PMTony Blair's reign is only a hiatus in Britain's inevitable decline into decadence. A few weeks ago, the Parliament actually debated illegalizing parents spanking their children, as has been done in Scandanavia. If the Hodges of the world had their way, kids would be removed from their parents at birth and raised in orphanages where 'THE STATE IS MOTHER, THE STATE IS FATHER' would be piped into their heads each night.
Posted by: Bart at November 27, 2004 3:28 AMIn the US, rather few people stay poverty-stricken their entire lives, and so state aid is often a helpful, short-term boost.
The 50% divorce rate is due, in part, to the political and economic empowerment of women, and if it is to come down, men had better get their act together.
Similarly, if we'd really like to see rising birth rates in North America, then we need to make it worth women's while.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at November 27, 2004 7:41 AMMichael,
Specifically, we need to reduce the tax burden so that a parent can stay home and engage in the role of primary care-giver. The notion of taxing two income families to pay for a welfare mother to pop out kids whenever she needs another check to pay for her booze, crack and cigarettes is just repulsive.
Posted by: Bart at November 27, 2004 9:46 AMBart:
I agree with the first sentence, and welfare reform took care of the second, which was more myth than fact anyhow.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at November 27, 2004 1:47 PMMichael,
The number of welfare mothers with boatloads of illegitimate children is enormous, just visit an inner-city public school sometime. The only way to end it is Norplant. 'Welfare reform' if the proposed were implemented would merely be cruelty, while it is in fact rarely imposed.
Posted by: Bart at November 27, 2004 2:04 PM