Bush Marriage Plan Headed for Approval

[Nambe]

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bush's proposal to nudge women on welfare toward the altar is headed for approval in Congress despite opposition from both the political left and right, as Democrats choose other battles to fight in the welfare debate.

From the start, the plan sparked outrage from libertarians who complain government has no place in people's intimate lives and from feminists who worry women will be coerced into bad matches. Both say scarce dollars should be spent elsewhere.

Despite the concerns, Republicans are largely in favor of the plan and Democrats are largely resigned to it. ---

The House has already passed its welfare legislation, which includes the marriage initiative. The Senate Finance Committee plans to consider the matter next week. An initial proposal from Chairman Charles Grassley included the marriage money, and he said Thursday that Democrats have not pushed him to remove it.

In a letter to Grassley last week, 41 Democrats laid out their priorities in the welfare debate, including more money for child care, reasonable work requirements and benefits for legal immigrants. They didn't mention the marriage initiative. ---

[terryg11]

1. so the dems are going to pass it, yes?

sounds like they are going to give the republicans this one, as long as they get more money for child care and benefits for legl immigrnts.


this is playing out like an episode from the West Wing from two seasons ago.

[gWbush is Mabus]

2. they do NOT want

to be the party that is against marriage

[CBHagman]

3. And the administration can't be bothered on Head Start

They could be spending money on programs that are proven, but instead they are ensuring that tax cuts go primarily to the wealthy. Meanwhile, they take a condescending attitude to the poor, acting as though they need rich Bushes to tell them how to conduct their personal lives. This is downright creepy.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

17. rich Bushes - like Neil "Thai Stick" Bush and his three Thai pros...?

...wait, make that "3 or 4" Thai pros (he really can't remember...)

[dfong63]

4. a tool for survival, he said

"The fact of the matter is, marriage is a very important tool for economic survival," said Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. "When you have two people in a family it makes it easier." Grassley said promoting marriage is "just a no-brainer."

interesting take from Santorum, who would undoubtedly be opposed to legislation allowing homosexual couples to marry. if marriage is an important tool for survival, and only heterosexual couples are allowed to marry, then isn't that tantamount to saying that only heterosexual people deserve to live?

i thought marriage was supposed to be a holy sacrament, or an expression of love, not a "tool for economic survival".

[denverbill]

5. Very good point!!!!

I hope some leading Democrats make that point as well.

[SeattleDem]

7. excellent point

it is NOT a tool for survival. The basis is love, respect, shared values....

But the GOP knows what's best for us, in our bedrooms and beyond. The party of smaller gov't wants to control my uterus, my ability to die with dignity (if I lived in Oregon) and now my marriage choices.

Homosexuals need not apply, unless they want to marry a member of the opposite sex strictly to benefit from this latest GOP ruse.

[LynneSin]

10. "Just a no-brainer" - An ironic comment from Rick Sanatarium

Being that he has no brain to speak of!

[leesa]

22. Just some word-twisting

These kind of people are opposed to women working outside of the home.

[maxanne]

6. nice that only some fights

are worth fighting. This kind of attitude makes me crazy.

[slappypan]

8. Bush should explain that to his brother Neil

Republicans want to pay people to get and stay married while they pay vast sums to get out of their own marriages.

[shanti]

9. what???

"they didn't mention the marriage initiative." another bill goes through for one issue, but they bury the real issue deep inside. do these lawmakers even READ these bills?? i am getting SICK and tired of reading about this happening! i'm starting to believe that they really don't read them....argggggh!

[buddhamama]

11. this makes me sick

:puke:

[tjdee]

12. Marry that drug dealer! Marry that cheater/abuser!

This is the absolute DUMBEST piece of legislation I've ever seen, and it's SO obvious that none of these people have ever been on welfare or personally know anyone who has.

You don't even have to be a feminist to know that 'nudging' a woman to get married is not smart--women will inevitably end up with men who have abused them, cheated on them, have alcoholic/drug problems, etc.

Not to mention, how often is it the WOMAN who DOESN'T want to get married??

WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN??? Don't the Republicans like to think about them so much? What the hell are you teaching children when you pressure their parents to marry? Oh, as long as the government's saving money, it's okay.

[Cheswick2.0]

14. Well of course we want women not to marry those men

not the ones who deal/use drugs and/or abuse women. Now if we could get women to stop having sex and creating children with those dregs of humanity.

[joycep]

15. One of the things I am wondering about---

What if the man does not want to get married? How is the woman supposed to make him? This has got to be the weirdest thing I have ever heard of. This really makes a mockery of marriage as far as I am concerned. You're supposed to do it because the government wants you to? These folks are insane as far as I am concerned. And don't have a moral to their name!!!

[RapidCreek]

20. Of course they don't care about children

that is of course unless they are in the form of joined gametes or until they are old enough to work at McDonald's. It is always better to have people married.....as many as possible. That way you can pay each one of them half as much! I always got a charge outa how the Rethugs pulled ole Gloria Steinem's cord. First the thugs fought ERA tooth and nail.....then some clever mother fucker figured out it was a Godsend in disguise. Women want carriers? Well shit yea, we'll givem carriers and we'll pay the husband half of what they made in the 60's. What a deal!!! Flood the worker pool and you can hump them at will!!! Two slaves for the price of one and the kids are blessed with a skewed understanding of what a true family is, despite the best efforts of a harried day care worker!!! And Hey...soon enough mom and dad will think that the 12 year old is mature enough to take care of him/herself after school. Inevitably board kids without parental direction, running around loose, will do what nature asks....they'll play a little hide the salami and get knocked up or knock someone up....and it begins again. Yep the Repugs have created a very lucrative self fulfilling generational cycle.

RC

[tom_paine]

13. "The administration is vague about what the money would go for"

I am assuming a fair portion will be kicked to Bushevik Capos and contributors.

"Vague" my ass!

[IggleDoer]

16. More people married who don't love or respect each other ...

... will result in more battered spouses. Why don't the Dems recognize this and not be the party that encourages domestic abuse?

[Pert_UK]

18. What?...Him and Tony are tying the knot and making it official?

:evilgrin:

P.

[RaRa]

19. Can someone please explain that to me?

Is it just their shared religious extremism? Or is there another reason why an intellectual (I know, he messed up on Iraq) like Blair would cozy up to the chimp?

[RapidCreek]

21. Poodle Tony

Is hedging his bets with the EU....He wants us 'Mercins to be his hammer should things get a little saucy with the folks across the channel. If he jumps into the chimps lap he figures he has the might of America behind him as a bargaining chip.

It's my guess Poodle Tonys modus operendi is something he has refined through out his life.....a practice which has served him well. He obviously is and was a little panty waste who stood to get his ass kicked alot when he was a kid. I'm sure years of experience has taught him that the best way to protect himself from those who can kick his ass is to lick the biggest bully in the rooms balls....and that is what the little poodle puppy man is doing.

I would think that the stodgy, proud, Brits should be embarrased to have such a sycophantic wimpish little turd representing them to the world. God knows, I sure am embarrased about who we have representing us.

RC

[I AM SPARTACUS]

23. latest poll in Britain says that 54% "don't trust Tony as far as they..."

..."could throw him"...literally -

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=20295&mesg_id=20295&page=

[DoveTurnedHawk]

24. Kick

DTH