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Stop government aid to poor families and we will see a natural revitalization of the family and indeed, religion.

I understand the whole "government is the solution to every problem" stance. Having been on this board for five years, I really understand that.

But, the problem of absentee fathers -- especially in the black community -- is a problem that breed so many other serious problems, beyond kids failing in school, beyond kids dropping out of school, beyond kids committing crime, beyond kids joining gangs, beyond kids in gangs becoming terrorists, and I mean the list doesn't stop there. It's a problem that really requires some kind of solution because it has such an enormous impact not only on the kids, but on our economy, our taxes, our security, everything.

I don't know the "best" solution, but if a program exists that brings fathers back into the picture, and it educates parents in some way, and makes their marriage and families stronger, and it rests on principles that relate to the founding of this country, I find I can not oppose it. I have seen the consequences of this problem time and time again, with respect to the lives of kids who have absentee fathers, and the consequences are just devastating.

So, again -- if pro football players using the Bible can team up with a program that appeals to some men out there who have fathered children, and a child benefits as a result, well, then, that is great. I have to be for that. Unless you have something better, some other alternative, right now, to propose.

And I understand the whole "government is NOT the solution to every problem" stance.

I don't know the "best" solution, but if a program exists that brings fathers back into the picture, and it educates parents in some way, and makes their marriage and families stronger, and it rests on principles that relate to the founding of this country, I find I can not oppose it.

You should oppose all government interference in religion and all unconstitutional government involvement in societal problems. Of course, if you are a liberal, then you have the correct position.

The principles of the founding of the country do not include government involvement in families except to leave them alone. Government screwed this up and caused the problems you describe. The soulution is not government involvement in religion, the solution is to stop causing the problems by going in the right direction on abolishing the programs.

C. S. Lewis once noted that if you took the wrong fork in the road, it is not progress to keep marching forward after you realized your mistake. Real progress, argued Lewis, is to head back to the fork.

I don't know the "best" solution, but if a program exists that brings fathers back into the picture, and it educates parents in some way, and makes their marriage and families stronger, and it rests on principles that relate to the founding of this country, I find I can not oppose it.
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Well, we all agree about the tradgey of not having fathers around. But I still think it is not helpful to look at the problem and say "What can we do to bring fathers back?", but rather, "Why are they staying away?" and "What is causing this problem already?"

Why is the black and white rate of single motherhood so different? To offer a solution, you need to know what is causing the problem. Government is causing the problem.

Perhaps the link I posted didn't explain it well enough, but if you get a chance to skim some of the charts on the main paper I think it is pretty clear what is causing, or at least, is the major contributer to this problem. Government programs to the poor (and indeed all people), welfare, health, housing, money, subsidies, need to be eliminated and/or phased out.

To offer solutions without getting rid of these things will most likely be counter productive and is doomed to failure from the onset.

'course, it all sounds like great fun, which is why politicians love these sorts of programs.