Single women could usher in big government

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | December 8, 2007 | Jim Wooten

[a_chronic_whiner]

Two trends bedevil America. One is taxes. The second, more important, is marriage.

Those who pay no taxes have no check on their appetite for services. If somebody else is paying, nothing’s unaffordable.

At the federal level, 41 percent of the U.S. population is totally outside the income tax system, according to the Washington-based Tax Foundation. Since 2000, the number of filers with no tax liability, zero, has increased from 29 million to 42 million in 2005. Of 132.6 million returns filed in 2005, only 90.6 million paid taxes. The rest got back all they’d paid in — and more.

The second and more important concern, largely because of its impact on children, is the rise of single-parent households. Over the past 25 years, the percentage has grown from a quarter to a third. In Georgia, 35 percent of children live in single-parent homes and 39.2 percent of births in 2004 were to unmarried women, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Almost 70 percent of black children, almost half of Hispanic and a quarter of white children are born to unmarried women.

The liberal polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research singled out unmarried women and their potential impact on future elections. What it found should chill the spines of those who wish to reverse, or even slow, the growth of government — not so much because of its cost, but because Big Government steals the initiative and enterprise and independence of its wards.

“Because of the often stark economic reality of a single-income family, they [unmarried women] support an active government that will give all Americans a chance to get ahead, not just the affluent,” the organization reported.

As the nation discovered decades ago with welfare policies that pushed men out of the lives of poor women, except for procreation, women who previously found security in marriage turned instead to government. As Greenberg Quinlan Rosner find, unmarried women are a rich vein to be mined by Democrats. From its findings:

• “Marital status is playing an increasingly defining role in elections. For the 2006 congressional elections, the ‘marriage gap’ was 32 points, far bigger than the gender gap, which was just 9 points. Among women, the marriage gap was an even bigger 36 points … unmarried women tend to vote like other unmarried women, regardless of other powerful demographic variables such as age, income and education.”

• “Unmarried women are easily the largest segment of the Democratic base — bigger than Hispanics and African Americans combined.” And the second most loyal, second only to blacks. They favor Democrats over Republicans by a 70-24 margin, and Hillary Clinton over Rudy Giuliani by 66-30.

• “From 1960 to 2006, the percentage of the voting age population that was unmarried grew from 27 to 45 percent … If this trend continues, the unmarried will be a majority of the population within 15 years.”

• Their top economic concern is health care. “This group strongly supports fundamental reform to provide universal coverage that can never be taken away.”

• “In total, there are over 53 million unmarried women of voting age, a number that dwarfs the percentage of seniors, people of color and even union members.” Of those who voted in 2006, two-thirds chose Democrats. Some 20 million, however, did not vote. That’s 41 percent of the unmarrieds. Among the married, it was 29 percent. But “2008 could be very different if progressives see the opportunity before them.” Unmarried women “emerge as the largest contributor to the Democratic vote in 2008.”

Greenberg Quinlan Rosner views them as the “Democrats’ evangelicals.” opining that “if progressives turn them out, unmarried women can be as important to Democrats in 2008 as evangelicals were to Republicans in 2004.”

Combine the two: fewer people who pay taxes and a growing bloc of women who rely on government for their financial security and their household’s well-being.

The challenge for the nation is to rebuild the traditional two-parent family — primarily for the sake of children, but also as a balance to more and bigger government.

[a_chronic_whiner]

The comment section is also good read for you night owls.

[GeronL]

do we need a new ‘soccer mom’ thing every election? who next time lefthanded, chinese gay waiters?

[Tennessee Nana]

• “From 1960 to 2006, the percentage of the voting age population that was unmarried grew from 27 to 45 percent … If this trend continues, the unmarried will be a majority of the population within 15 years.”
__________________________________________

And not conservative

[Darkwolf377]

I got a good laugh out of this comment:

"Good work, Jim. Being that your investigative reporting instincts appear razor sharp, perhaps you could next take aim at what the ‘married white man’ has done to the country as of late. Maybe start with a guy by the name of ‘Dick Cheney?’"

Yup, that's right--married white men are the problem with the world.

The people who believe this, of course, are those who would never think of attacking or criticizing black women or Hispanic men, etc. because that would be an example of bigotry...

[DoughtyOne]

Basicly women have replaced men with the nanny state.

Big strong self-reliant women can’t get along without a hand out from Hillary and her chums.

Men have basicly been supporting themselves and their families for hundreds of years. Women fight for equality and immediately forsake taking responsiblity for themselves and their children. No, they not only can’t support themselves like the men did, but they demand the nanny state do it.

If men demanded the nanny state take care of them like the women do, this nation would fall in on itself.

God what bunch of loser women we’ve turned out.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Jeeeeesh.....

[iowamark]

This image of single women as welfare moms is partly accurate. They are a growing group. But I would guess that the largest number of single women is elderly women, and growing even faster as the boomers age.

[wolfpat]

End Women’s Suffrage!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUP9Jm9SqvY

[flaglady47]

“do we need a new ‘soccer mom’ thing every election? who next time lefthanded, chinese gay waiters?”

This is demographic fact, not soccer moms. Divorced women with children replace the gov’t for their erstwhile spouse. It is still women who primarily want to make a marriage work and try to stick it out, and men who stray to greener pastures. That’s changing some, as more women are getting out of marriages than in the olden days when they couldn’t as easily leave a bad marriage. However, it still is predominantly the men who split. So, women look to gov’t for their support. Married women do not.

Therefore single or divorced women with children will vote Dem, and married women will predominantly vote Pub. The percentage of single women is increasing, so the odds favor the Dems. Almost all the single women I know with kids, with rare exceptions, favor the Dem Party. Where else would someone except them to go? They will go somewhere that they can get more perks and financial benefits. It’s human nature.

We need to strengthen marriage, which won’t be easy to do, as the system is now stacked against it. It’s part of the Dems’ plans to weaken the family structure. I’m not sure there is a good answer to this phenomenon. The country may be too far gone. It would help if more men would stick around in a marriage at least until the children are grown. (some Women too). Would be much better for our society as a whole.

[GeronL]

well, this country has had it. we might have a few years grace time to find a new place to dwell but we shant tarry here long or we shall all perish most surely

[flaglady47]

except = expect, above. Whoops, slip of the typing finger.

[Moral Hazard]

““From 1960 to 2006, the percentage of the voting age population that was unmarried grew from 27 to 45 percent … If this trend continues, the unmarried will be a majority of the population within 15 years.””

What’s worse, if this trend continues, by 2148 101% of the voting age population will be unmarried.

[Caipirabob]

"I want socialist healthcare! How come you never give me socialist healthcare? I work day and night to come home and look beautiful for you and all you can talk about is the 1st and 2nd Amendment! Talk, talk, talk...shoot,shoot,shoot...What about my right to choose? Who cares if I never get an abortion! It's my body and if I choose to murder and infant, I want the goverment to pay for it! Why can't the goverment get socialist security fixed! I want socialist security! If I choose to dump you because you won't do everything I want you to do, and all I want is for you to be perfect in the image of God, then I want the government to pay for me when I leave your sorry tail and don't have proper education,experience or a job! It should also pay for my vacations, trips to the mall and my elective liposuction so I can shed those unwanted 50 lbs from the backside of my arms! Why aren't you listening to me?!?!"

[bshomoic]

It is still women who primarily want to make a marriage work and try to stick it out, and men who stray to greener pastures.

Divorce statistics do not back up this claim. I believe women initiate divorce proceedings in around 70 to 80% of the cases.

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

It is still women who primarily want to make a marriage work and try to stick it out

Actually, women initiate divorces more often than men - something like 70%, I recall reading. Otherwise, I agree with your post.

However, we should note that the problem with marriage is not just divorce, it's more and more women having babies without ever getting married. There is little or no social stigma anymore attached to having illegimate children in most sectors of society. The women want children more than they want a husband, and they don't need a husband to support the family.

[familyop]

"It is still women who primarily want to make a marriage work and try to stick it out, and men who stray to greener pastures...However, it still is predominantly the men who split."

Some canards die hard.

Wives have been filing for divorce at about twice the rate (more, in some places) of husbands ((Margaret F. Brinig and Douglas W. Allen, “These Boots are Made for Walking: Why Wives File for Divorce” The American Law and Economics Association, 2000). Also according to the Brinig and Allen report, no-fault divorce and “who gets the children” are the predominant motivations—not “cruelty” (“6%,” with all forms of cruelty, including adultery).

[adopt4Christ]

And a lot of women are single because men are scared, selfish sissies and don’t want the responsibility of a wife and a family. THIS dynamic has become much more prevalent in our society, with the declining of the maturity of the American male, who thinks only of himself and how he can acquire more status, without the burden of being responsible for another human being.

How’s THAT for a counterbalance to the most sexist, woman-hating article I have seen in a long time??

[Allegra]

So, we shall all be punished for the growing amount of people who do not respect and understand the seriousness of marriage and parenting and make rash, irresponsible lifestyle choices.

Great.

[flaglady47]

“Divorce statistics do not back up this claim. I believe women initiate divorce proceedings in around 70 to 80% of the cases.”

Yeah, primarily because hubby is usually catting around on her. Just what you want, your housemate to bring a social disease home to you. Or worse, Aids. The other major cause of divorce is for financial reasons. This again drives the now single with children women into the arms of gov’t largesse. Now, don’t give me a bunch of stats that you drummed up from heaven knows where (proof please or your stats). I know too many single women and the stories of their marriages to not know what’s going on here. And it’s pretty much the same story over and over and over again. Husband cheats. Next tale of woe. Husband cheats. Next tale of woe. Husband cheats. Or financial failures and not sticking with it through good times and bad. Or, another reason, man leaves sick or crippled up wife, like Newt Gingrich did (wife had cancer) or John McCain did (wife was crippled in auto accident). She stuck with him while he was a POW and came home crippled himself. She was crippled and he dumped her for a young bond heiress to a fortune. How crass is that. Not saying it doesn’t happen, but the dumped man who did no wrong is a rare species in the scheme of things.

[familyop]

"We need to strengthen marriage, which won’t be easy to do, as the system is now stacked against it."

I agree with that, though. Pressuring and enticing so many mothers and wives to work outside of their homes does keep the labor pool larger and cheaper, so employers have been involved in making bad laws, filing briefs, etc., to start and continue the trend for a long time. We also need to rebuild a larger manufacturing base for more reasons than restoring healthy family structure (defense, for one).