Comments on: Babies: How many should you have?

By: Kathrin

Kathrin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:05:13 +0000

This is quite unsettling. It’s a slippery slope debating how many children a woman should have. The next step is outright regulation.

I think we are vilifying a symptom of a greater problem. Family planning took a severe blow during the Bush years. We need to return to educating women on responsible reproductive options and planning (in broad terms).

As a society, we are far too nosy about other peoples’ business. There is a difference between being nosy and having discussions around communal or societal responsibilities.

By: Dorie

Dorie — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:14:01 +0000

@Jeff – I’m actually fairly firmly located in the anti-welfare camp. And if this is really a conversation about welfare, that’s fine, but I don’t believe it is. If the woman was married, had fertility help and still needed welfare after having 8 babies, would this this topic still be discussed? I’m not so sure it would be. Ty Pennington would show up at their door and Extreme Home Makeover would whisk away their housing problems with a touching story about their struggle.

Do we feel more entitled to discuss this situation because it does not fall into the description of the typical American family?

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:17:42 +0000

While I generally agree with most of your comments, the reason it’s our “business” is that when a single mother has such a large number of children, it’s the taxpayer’s money that actually supports them.

Our tax dollars support the welfare system that will likely be the primary financial funding for these large families. Also consider the fact that children raised in this kind of environment are far more likely to be a burden on society, costing us even more money (e.g., prison).

For now, there are plenty of reason’s it’s my business when people make these kinds of decisions. When there’s a way people can make decisions I don’t agree with and it doesn’t have an impact on my freedoms, I will cease to consider it my business.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-welfare altogether. There are plenty of people in this country who, through little or no fault of their own, are in situations where they simply cannot support their own families. These people need, and should receive our help. (Though whether it’s the role of the government or private organizations to care for them is a whole other topic. (Yes, I’m a Libertarian)).