To the Editor:
It is clear that the author of "No Daddy, No Problem" does not know what public assistance is. First of all, "public assistance" is a blanket term for many different programs with many different rules. Since there are no references to any actual public assistance programs in the article, maybe we can discuss the program that people most frequently think of when discussing welfare. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a program that gives out cash benefits to people who qualify by income level. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the four purposes of TANF are "assisting needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes, reducing the dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage, preventing out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families" - this seems to run counter to the claim that "there is nothing in this country with the intention of promoting the family structure, whereas single parenting is given the opportunity to run amok." Look for the "Healthy Marriage Initiative" - it was very controversial and I can't believe someone writing about this subject could have missed the debate about it. There is a lifetime five-year limit for receiving TANF benefits (thus, there are no "mothers who are on assistance all of their lives," at least as far as this widespread program goes). Individuals are required to work at least thirty hours a week, or to be actively training or seeking a job. People do lose eligibility for not meeting these requirements. There is an exception to the work requirement for single parents with a child under one year of age, but in 2002 only nine percent of the people receiving TANF benefits qualified for it. Maybe this will help you, but I don't know, because I have no idea from your article what government initiative you are actually opposed to.
It is easy to blame a certain demographic for all of society's ills, and single mothers are often chosen as scapegoats, but impoverished single mothers are not in Congress making decisions about welfare rules or how to distribute financial aid. There are many valid criticisms of public assistance programs in the United States - it's an enormous and complex problem. What was printed, however, is just a list of vague ideas like "those unwed mothers often choose to saddle their parents with part or all of the responsibility of raising their baby," with absolutely nothing solid behind them (there are actual numbers and research done in this area). Even an editorial has to have some kind of fact that the author is reacting to - there's no sense in wasting that much space to repeat unsupported clich?(c)s. Maybe next time you could come up with a specific criticism of either financial aid or public assistance efforts, and research some actual, specific solutions - it would be great to read a thoughtful opinion piece on these topics from a conservative point of view.
