POLITICS: Bush - We want 'healthy marriages'

In preparation for next week's State-of-The-Union address, Bush administration officials are considering the addition of a new topic of the Bush campaign, "healthy marriages". Their idea of a "healthy marriage" would especially apply to low-income couples and would involve at least $1.5 billion to help couples develop interpersonal skills that maintain "healthy marriages." NYTimes.com Several conservative Christian advocacy groups are pressing Mr. Bush to go further and use the State of the Union address to champion a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage. Leaders of these groups said they were confused by what they saw as the administration's hedging and hesitation concerning an amendment. So there we have it -- for President Bush, a "healthy marriage" is one involving partners of opposite sex, not same-sex. While homosexual marriages have continued to be a hot topic, that's really not the focus of this story that should concern us. Instead, you don't need to look too hard between the lines to notice that the "government" wants to spend our tax dollars to promote their concept of what marriage should be, to the rest of us. And don't forget that special attention to "low-income" (read poorly educated and impressionable) couples. And, hidden further, is a religious message within that tax-dollar sponsored message about marriage. I'll take bickering couples over government sponsored "healthy marriage" messages any day. [Edited on 14-1-2004 by SkepticOverlord]

Well, as one of the Republicans on the board I have to say...you and I agree.

This sounds like a Democrat came up with this one.

Nonsense.

It's a bad idea for a republicans, democrats, and especially centrists like me!

Got to love it! This is just what America needs a new entitlement. Damn Bush is bound and determined to piss off even his loyalist of followers. First the Medicare reform bill then the immigration reform and now this.

"This is a way for the president to address the concerns of conservatives and to solidify his conservative base," a presidential adviser said.

Spending $1.5 BILLION addresses his conservative base?

I had to read that article twice to believe it. Asking myself, okay is he spending $1.5 billion to help poor families and children we already have? No. Okay is he spending $1.5 billion to teach poor people about birth control? Oh, God no... he's paying to teach poor people to get married and start families and be the symbolic drain on societies his conservative base hates!!!

I realize it's really just an election year sham for Bush to "stick it to the gays" but he can do that for free.

I love this quote:
"The president loves to do that sort of thing in the inner city with black churches, and he's very good at it," a White House aide said.

Who is this deepthroat aide? And why do I find that quote so funny? Like Bush's fondness for telling "Me and Condi are a couple jokes" Hmmmm...

Could "Compasionate Conservative" be code for a condition one may contract watching a Spike Lee movie?

Don't you think that if they push this, it will be easier for them to pass the amendment to the Constitution that marragies have to be of the opposite sex?

Originally posted by BlackJackal
Got to love it! This is just what America needs a new entitlement. Damn Bush is bound and determined to piss off even his loyalist of followers. First the Medicare reform bill then the immigration reform and now this.

You just summed it up perfectly. Unless you're really against spending and count "Mars or bust" as strike four. If this were Baseball Rookie Bush would be traded to The LA Liberals.

Is anyone tracking Bush spending? My information of $21,000 per household (up from Clinton's high of $16,000) was a few hundred BILLION dollars ago.

more spending??? and

I guess I'll just hope this is another unfunded mandate

Oh brother. I'd rather see some messages saying...
"Feed your kids, it's all the rage now-a-days"

or

"Get a job, it'll keep you from becoming a total loser"

What a marrage should be coming from the government?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

That'll go over well in America. The most popular crap now is famous marrages/divorces/scandals

and Monica

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
the "government" wants to spend our tax dollars to promote their concept of what marriage should be, to the rest of us. And don't forget that special attention to "low-income" (read poorly educated and impressionable) couples. And, hidden further, is a religious message within that tax-dollar sponsored message about marriage.

I clicked on your link and it took me to an article about healthy marriages so I KNOW we read the same thing
What I got out of it and what you people got are a world apart. The Bush administration wants to help low-income parents by offering marriage and parenting counseling and this is a BAD THING????? Is it better to promote single parenting and domestic violence instead?
I DON'T THINK SO Call me old fashioned but I believe in the traditional things like same sex marriage before the babies and white weddings in churches. Not knocked up teens who only know how to fight with violence and SUCK THE LIFE out of the welfare system....

Whatever happened to one of this country's founding principles of not discriminating against anyone. America is supposed to be a place where anyone can express the ideas, beliefs, and customs and if someone has found someone else of the same sex that they want to be with the for the rest of their life, then what the hell is wrong with that.

Originally posted by Venus
Call me old fashioned....

OK. You're old fashioned.

Originally posted by RANT

Originally posted by Venus
Call me old fashioned....

OK. You're old fashioned.

Fair enough

Originally posted by VenusCall me old fashioned but I believe in the traditional things like same sex marriage before the babies and white weddings in churches.

Trouble is... those things aren't "traditional" to all Americans, even those who have a high standard of morals and ethics. Our tax dollars would be used to hammer one idea of "healthy marriages" into the heads of Americans. Why not focus on the causes of marital strife: like job loss, poor eduction, etc.

Annother example of how Bush is not entirely in the pockets of the controllers.

if Bush wants healthy marriages then he should protect American jobs and wages. Since most divorces are over money issues.

...his nickname is Lint.

Healthy = codename for hetrosexual

Republican pork is not a problem, but ghetto & trailerpark babies without dads is on his radar now?

Get your NoFX CD & sing with me " He's an Idiot son of an A**hole, an Idiot son of an A**hole.......he's our Presssssssident!"

It's a calculated baloon being floated to see if the anti-same sex marriage initiative can be funded since the constitutional amendment option is too much the hot button.


[Edited on 14-1-2004 by Bout Time]

"The Bush administration wants to help low-income parents by offering marriage and parenting counseling and this is a BAD THING?????"

It really depends on who is doing the counseling

This is a bad thing no matter which way you look at it. This is a 1.5 billion dollar Entitlement of Taxpayer money.

If these people need marriage counseling then they should pay for it on their own. Why should I pay for someone else to get marriage counseling when I pay for my own.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by VenusCall me old fashioned but I believe in the traditional things like same sex marriage before the babies and white weddings in churches.

Trouble is... those things aren't "traditional" to all Americans, even those who have a high standard of morals and ethics. Our tax dollars would be used to hammer one idea of "healthy marriages" into the heads of Americans. Why not focus on the causes of marital strife: like job loss, poor eduction, etc.

I don't think the intention is to hammer any idea into anyones head. The idea is to educate and support family values. Out of the estimated 558 BILLION dollars that will be spent on health programs in 2004......1.5 for this doesn't seem like much to get your panties in a bunch over And as far as gay marriages are concerned.....until they get something we don't....let them have it.