Another columnist was outed today for taking money to promote P. Bush's "healthy marriage initiative."
This is from the Washington Post:
In 2002, syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher repeatedly defended
President Bush's push for a $300 million initiative encouraging marriage
as a way of strengthening families.
"The Bush marriage initiative would emphasize the importance of
marriage to poor couples" and "educate teens on the value of delaying
childbearing until marriage," she wrote in National Review Online, for
example, adding that this could "carry big payoffs down the road for taxpayers
and children."
But Gallagher failed to mention that she had a $21,500 contract with
the Department of Health and Human Services to help promote the
president's proposal. Her work under the contract, which ran from January
through October 2002, included drafting a magazine article for the HHS
official overseeing the initiative, writing brochures for the program and
conducting a briefing for department officials.
P. Bush said he put a stop to paying columnists to push his agenda.
The following is P. Bush's agenda:
“To encourage marriage and promote the well-being of children, I have proposed a healthy marriage initiative to help couples develop the skills and knowledge to form and sustain healthy marriages. Research has shown that, on average, children raised in households headed by married parents fare better than children who grow up in other family structures. Through education and counseling programs, faith-based, community, and government organizations promote healthy marriages and a better quality of life for children. By supporting responsible child-rearing and strong families, my Administration is seeking to ensure that every child can grow up in a safe and loving home.”
Personally, I think marriage in its current form is outdated and doesn't work for many people. I don't think marriage translates into a "loving home," although sometimes it can.
Maybe I'm a radical but I don't think "marriage" promotes the well-being of children. I think mature adults do, all kinds of mature adults be they married, unmarried, teachers, role models...
I don't think children's well-being has anything to do with two people legally entwined.
