Posted on 04/03/2007 7:13:37 AM PDT by Millee
Feminists in Germany say a celebrity author who advocates that women stay at home to raise families is evoking memories of World War II Nazis.
Former television news host Eva Herman, 47, wrote a book filled with letters from women who now wish they had chosen to raise their own families instead of working. Herman also says mothers should be paid $22,000 to $27,500 as "family managers," a Times of London correspondent reported from Berlin.
However, Alice Schwarzer, a feminist campaigner and magazine editor evoked memories of the Nazi era, when women who had more than three children were awarded a medal called the Mother's Cross.
In response, Herman filled in more of the history of wartime motherhood.
"During (that) era mothers were separated from their children. It is absurd to make that link," she said.
But why not a major “tax credit” on the condition that you’re married?
Really, it isn’t quite fair. Housewives (and I will use that unPC term) often do alot of work and it’s very tedious and repetitive, day in day out, day and night, never ending.
Why shouldn’t they be given credit for it? Especially in this tax-ridden world, where 1 person working seems not enough.
But then, I’d be most happy if we just got rid of income tax. Would solve alot of problems.
I'll give you credit for it. But your real credit is being stored for you up in Heaven, because you're doing God's will. I don't believe that being a parent was ever supposed to come with a financial benefit. But one of the greatest benefits of having children is that you get to instill in them the goodness that is in you, and then watch them spread it around to others. You'll also have somebody to help you when you're old and no longer able to care for yourself as before. Talk about a "retirement strategy", having children is best investment ever in that category. Children are blessings, and those blessings outweigh any amount of money.
Your description, and the fact that you use the pronoun "they," suggests that you're not a housewife, mother, domestic goddess (fill in other synonyms, as time permits). I am, and I assure you that my present career is not in the slightest bit tedious and repetitive, compared to my previous occupation, "State and Municipal Premium Tax and Regulatory Compliance Specialist."
It's true that the hours aren't as regular ... but it's also true that I can put my subcontractors to bed at my discretion. And I never have to speak to anyone at the California Department of Revenue. Ever.
Sorry 'bout that.
My point was that a full-time housewife/mother is "paid," effectively, half her husband's salary, or more, depending on who writes the checks for the mortgage, utilities, car payments, insurance, tuition, groceries, clothing, vet bill, blahblahblah.
There should be no need for another source of income. I'd love to see everyone's taxes reduced, too, irrespective of marital or parental status, but that's a different thread :-).
No offense meant.
But I do experience some of the regular housewife chores. Not a mom, yet, but that doesn’t mean I don’t already spend time washing dishes, clothes, cleaning, and all that. To me, it’s tedious, never-ending. And I don’t do that much of it! (But I make up for it with a very special allergic dog.)
Wow, you can’t win - call it “easy” work, and they jump on you. Call it “hard” work, and they jump on you! :-\
But the FAMILY as a WHOLE isn’t getting all it’s due. YOU may get “half” (whatever) of HIS pay, but the whole household “pay” hasn’t gone up despite another adult and despite adding other children.
If he keeps getting paid $50k a year, that’s $50k/person for him single. Then, that’s $25k/person when he’s married. Then child 1, $17k/person (ignoring what cost the child is vs. adult). Child 2, now it’s just $12k/person.
Would be nice if you could BOLSTER that income rather than ration it out more and more.
And you thought she was just playing cards with the girls at night.
It would be nice, but it would also allow the government to stick it’s fat fingers into my tidy little home, which just isn’t worth any amount of money.
LOL - sorry about that.
Re your other post, I disagree. Census data indicates that married men with wives at home have higher salaries, by a significant percentage, than men with the same education/experience who are unmarried or have wives with jobs. The precise mechanism isn't known, but clearly the market is independently recognizing the economic contribution of the non-employed spouse.
The key words there are "market" and "independently." The big problem with any proposal to directly compensate stay-at-home spouses is (as my original post mentioned) where the money comes from. Sure, I'd like more money ... although I don't believe it would make us happier ... but we already have way too much of people's being forced at gunpoint to subsidize values they don't perceive.
Early on I stated it would be nice (maybe) to get a TAX BREAK.
What do you think of that? I think you all keep writing as if we’re still talking about “direct compensation” on top of hubby’s salary. I’m saying let the husband/father keep more of his money.
I don’t think tax breaks should be directed to particular classes of taxpayers. I support lower taxes for everyone.
It’s a high-concept philosophical point, but I believe that a main part of the problem in our societies is that people are conditioned to think that everything should be passed through the government. This leads, of course, to competing interest groups’ seeking to manipulate the system to their perceived benefit, and leads to a society of clients, rather than citizens.
Of course you’re basically correct.
Of course, my belief is there should be no income tax, as the Founders intended. It really is unconstitutional. And alot of problems (big or small) we have today can be traced to its existence.
We do agree.
"During (that) era mothers were separated from their children. It is absurd to make that link," she said.
Exactly. Freaking idiots.
"Oh, I get it. Daddy goes to work and buys money and then Mommy takes care of it in her purse."
Out of the mouths of babes...
Cheers!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.