DonkeyKongerko Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 From The New York Times, 1/14/04: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/14/politics.../14MARR.html?hp Bush Plans $1.5 Billion Drive for Promotion of Marriage By ROBERT PEAR and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK WASHINGTON -- Administration officials say they are planning an extensive election-year initiative to promote marriage, especially among low-income couples, and they are weighing whether President Bush should promote the plan next week in his State of the Union address. For months, administration officials have worked with conservative groups on the proposal, which would provide at least $1.5 billion for training to help couples develop interpersonal skills that sustain "healthy marriages." How does this cost 1.5 billion dollars? Sometimes I think the government just thinks we won't notice things like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 NOW "Compassionate Convervatist" GW Bush is going to have the government tell people how to fix their marriages. Yea, this guy is for smaller government. Let me use the graphic I used earlier... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Ok, as a Bush backer I can officially say if this isn't a typo, then something is inredibly f'd up. What the hell do you have to promote about marriage, the tax write offs or something??? I'd think that everyone in this country knew what marriage was and I think most people know when they should get married, but sometimes things don't work out. What the hell do they need to spend 1.5 billion to market it...I thought love was something that marketed itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Ok, as a Bush backer I can officially say if this isn't a typo, then something is inredibly f'd up. What the hell do you have to promote about marriage, the tax write offs or something??? I'd think that everyone in this country knew what marriage was and I think most people know when they should get married, but sometimes things don't work out. What the hell do they need to spend 1.5 billion to market it...I thought love was something that marketed itself. Hate to tell ya Jason.. but it's more like a tax penalty than a write off. The deduction is a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxfn Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Hate to tell ya Jason.. but it's more like a tax penalty than a write off. The deduction is a joke. Thats right, I remember my econ teacher telling the class that some people don't get married because its more condusive, but then I also remember hearing the opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxy Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 I think most people know when they should get married, but sometimes things don't work out. What the hell do they need to spend 1.5 billion to market it...I thought love was something that marketed itself. Yep, people know when to get married: 2nd semester of senior year in college when all their friends do. No marriage crisis. \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Thats right, I remember my econ teacher telling the class that some people don't get married because its more condusive, but then I also remember hearing the opposite. It's condusive alright. It's more beneficial to stay unmarried. A LOT more depending on how you manipulate the itimized deductions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Actually they have almost corrected that this year... the "marriage penalty" has closed considerably with last year's tax cuts for most middle class folks. Any more tax advice? Kapkomet, CPA (Certified Pain in the Ass...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Actually they have almost corrected that this year... the "marriage penalty" has closed considerably with last year's tax cuts for most middle class folks. Any more tax advice? Kapkomet, CPA (Certified Pain in the Ass...) "Almost...'' How about for us "upper class folks"..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 *Turning my hat around to the Democratic Line* You bastarts don't pay enough. Dammit gimme your money. This is a stickup by your socialistic-we-want-to-show-you-how-to-stay-married-government"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 *Turning my hat around to the Democratic Line* You bastarts don't pay enough. Dammit gimme your money. This is a stickup by your socialistic-we-want-to-show-you-how-to-stay-married-government"! Flip back to the Republican side... We pay MORE than enough!!!! I hate this time of year with a passion. For the first 5 months they take out the SS deduction.. I can't wait to hit that max!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Yea, tell me about it. I'm going to be REALLY friggin' happy to write my government a big check on April 15. :fyou IRS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Yea, tell me about it. I'm going to be REALLY friggin' happy to write my government a big check on April 15. :fyou IRS Luckily we overload on the deductions so we don't have to pay. The new house is a huge bonus for us, too. Gonna be a big one this year. Yeah baby!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowerCaseRepublican Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Does anybody find it funny that the Christian Right™ rants to no end about radical fundamentalist religion and the evils of it...yet they pressure Bush into giving $1.5 billion to promote heterosexuality because of their radical fundamentalist beliefs? I guess the irony hasn't hit them yet. $1.5 billion to promote heterosexual marriages. Gee, how about we get $1.5 billion for something beneficial like education or working to repay the veterans' benefits that the Bush administration cut...or even putting some of that money towards caring for the troops who have Gulf War Syndrome since the US government doesn't want to pay for their medical needs. Between this and a base on the Moon how can any traditional Republican think that Bush is a 'conservative'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Luckily we overload on the deductions so we don't have to pay. The new house is a huge bonus for us, too. Gonna be a big one this year. Yeah baby!!! Maybe that's what I'm doing wrong. I need a house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Does anybody find it funny that the Christian Right™ rants to no end about radical fundamentalist religion and the evils of it...yet they pressure Bush into giving $1.5 billion to promote heterosexuality because of their radical fundamentalist beliefs? I guess the irony hasn't hit them yet. $1.5 billion to promote heterosexual marriages. Gee, how about we get $1.5 billion for something beneficial like education or working to repay the veterans' benefits that the Bush administration cut...or even putting some of that money towards caring for the troops who have Gulf War Syndrome since the US government doesn't want to pay for their medical needs. Between this and a base on the Moon how can any traditional Republican think that Bush is a 'conservative'? Agreed. This guy is spending money like it's his or something. Oh wait... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Actually they have almost corrected that this year... the "marriage penalty" has closed considerably with last year's tax cuts for most middle class folks. Any more tax advice? Kapkomet, CPA (Certified Pain in the Ass...) I thought it was "Can't Pass Again"? Anyway, I guess this would be the one time of the year, being relatively poor isn't all that bad Still I wouldn't mind writing that big tax check if it meant I was making a whole s***load of money either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 From The New York Times, 1/14/04: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/14/politics.../14MARR.html?hp How does this cost 1.5 billion dollars? Sometimes I think the government just thinks we won't notice things like this. Bush must have his friends over at Halliburton running this thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 I thought it was "Can't Pass Again"? Anyway, I guess this would be the one time of the year, being relatively poor isn't all that bad Still I wouldn't mind writing that big tax check if it meant I was making a whole s***load of money either No, I can't pass that damn thing ever again. And no, on the second one. Not making any money and THEN having to pay the IRS is a baaaaaaaad combination. Hehe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggio202 Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 im not bush's biggest supporter..he strayed from his conservative roots (im especially pissed off about letting illegals in)..but this program makes alot of sense..this program grew out of governemnt reports that showed that african american in their 40's who have been married for 15 years or more are making 96% of what their white counterparts of the same group makes...when you figure the survey also showed that a majority of those couples meeting the criteria came from the south (bible belt) where salaries are pretty much lower accross the board as compared to the rest of the country that 4% shrinks even more... how many african american kids today are growing up w/o a father in the picture??...the ideal situation would be to have the church handle these things but the church has failed its communities miserable in this area... while i wish the president would find ways to shrink the size of our government this is one program i believe is worth paying for...cant say that it for sure will be a success but its worth an attempt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 im not bush's biggest supporter..he strayed from his conservative roots (im especially pissed off about letting illegals in)..but this program makes alot of sense..this program grew out of governemnt reports that showed that african american in their 40's who have been married for 15 years or more are making 96% of what their white counterparts of the same group makes...when you figure the survey also showed that a majority of those couples meeting the criteria came from the south (bible belt) where salaries are pretty much lower accross the board as compared to the rest of the country that 4% shrinks even more... how many african american kids today are growing up w/o a father in the picture??...the ideal situation would be to have the church handle these things but the church has failed its communities miserable in this area... while i wish the president would find ways to shrink the size of our government this is one program i believe is worth paying for...cant say that it for sure will be a success but its worth an attempt... Thank you. I was wondering why so many people couldn't see that more solid families and less single mothers would not be advantageous to the nation as a whole and African Americans in particular. And before anyone accuses me of being racist. Think again. You can argue the fact that a larger percentage of Afr. Amer. kids are growing up without the benefit of having their father in the home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Thank you. I was wondering why so many people couldn't see that more solid families and less single mothers would not be advantageous to the nation as a whole and African Americans in particular. And before anyone accuses me of being racist. Think again. You can argue the fact that a larger percentage of Afr. Amer. kids are growing up without the benefit of having their father in the home. And people who stay in a marriage 'because of the children' often do more harm than good to the children. I really do not want the government to tell me what to do with my private life and I can't imagine the need to 'advertise' marriage. Where, exactly, is all this money (a billion here, a billion there) going to come from if taxes are being cut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 im not bush's biggest supporter..he strayed from his conservative roots (im especially pissed off about letting illegals in).. There are a whole bunch of Native Americans on reservations that felt that way about their leaders . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 And people who stay in a marriage 'because of the children' often do more harm than good to the children. I really do not want the government to tell me what to do with my private life and I can't imagine the need to 'advertise' marriage. Where, exactly, is all this money (a billion here, a billion there) going to come from if taxes are being cut? Fan you are soooo sooooo right. I know a family who's children are in their early 30's and late 20's and the husband finally decided to leave.. after numerous attempts at working things out.. and the kids are absolutely freaking out. Mind you.. they are married with lives of their own.. but they are so "devistated" by the news. The fact of the matter is that these kids all these years were active in questioning their father why he let their mother treat him "that way" and said many times to the mother "someday he's going to leave you...". Now they are hanging him by his nads because he's "walking out on his family". Excuse me.. but you're raised and supposed to be an adult. Act like one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Divorce costs us money (court fees, enforcing child support payments, social service (welfare), etc. Theoretically we would be saving those costs and the programs wouldn't cost as much even possibly save money. I'm not saying they will, only giving the possibility. It's the same with a lot of social issues. If we are spending XX on treatment, prisons, etc. and could save $X+1 by spending $X-1 isn't that a good deal? Intervention instead of prison? The problem comes in analyzing the cost/benefit ratio. It is difficult to say that Joe Doe would have gone to prison if it was not for this job training program which cost us $1billion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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