J.D. Vance is Right: Everyone Is Better Off When People Make Marriage And Family A Priority

The Federalist ^ | 08/23/2024 | Tim Goeglin

[SeekAndFind]

Half of Americans say they don’t want to go anywhere near those disgusting vacay-blockers who will someday fund their government entitlements.

Will America become a majority-childless society? A new Pew Research Center survey suggest that sadly may be the case. Such a direction would have alarming consequences for not just individuals but also for our nation.

When Pew asked Americans younger than 50 if they ever plan to have children, 47 percent—one-half of those polled—said “no.” That’s up 10 percent from just five years before. In fact, of those younger than 50, 57 percent said they never wanted to have children, even if they ended up doing so.

The reasons why? Pew writes: “Not having kids has made it easier for them to afford the things they want, have time for hobbies and interests, and save for the future.” But what kind of future are they saving for? It will quite likely be a lonely one.

The anti-child mindset, coupled with record-low fertility rates, is making the statement “demography is destiny” increasingly true. We should all fear that trend as our society ages.

Despite clear dangers to everyone’s economic and social security when the majority of adults don’t marry and have children, when vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance mentioned the government should encourage marriage and families, he quickly faced harsh, mocking objections. Yet many believe doing so should be a nonpartisan effort that transcends politics and ideologies. I wholeheartedly agree.

I have several friends in their 50s and 60s caring for aging parents in their 80s and 90s. Caregiving is not easy, but my friends do it willingly to honor their parents and the sacrifices they made for them early in life and to make sure that their parents spend their last days being treated with dignity and respect.

Forty to fifty years from now, those presently shunning having children will enter their twilight years. They will not have devoted children to assist with their care, visiting them, and making sure they are treated well. If we think we have an epidemic of loneliness now, especially among older generations, it will be on steroids in another half-century.

In addition, it is now estimated that the Social Security Trust Fund, which relies on younger individuals to pay for those retiring, will run dry by 2034, resulting in benefit cuts of at least 20 percent.

The Social Security Administration saw this coming in 2010, noting trouble ahead in its financial report because “birth rates dropped from three to two children per woman.” Previously, there had been a 4 or 5 to 1 ratio between workers paying into the system and retirees taking money out. That ratio has already dropped to almost two-to-one. With even fewer children in the future, the ratio will decrease further.

It is not a coincidence that those older than 50 polled in the survey were extremely worried about having enough money (35 percent), having someone to provide care for them (26 percent), and being lonely (19 percent). These trends will also exacerbate our current issues with labor shortages and inflation as retirees exit the workforce and not enough young workers exist to replace them.

Today’s “lifestyle choices” will become tomorrow’s “economic crisis” as our society ignores the bigger picture while focusing more on self-gratification than the common good. We are whistling past a graveyard that will eventually bury us all socially and economically. 

Affording the things we want, having an active social life, and being successful in our career may sound great when young, but eventually time catches up with us all. When it does, deep and meaningful relationships become increasingly more important than material goods, parties, and career advancement.

As King Solomon wrote at the end of his life in Ecclesiastes 2, “I said in my heart, ‘Come now, I will test with pleasure: enjoy yourself … I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it and behold all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”

Perhaps it is time for our society to heed the words of Solomon and no longer encourage each other to chase pleasure and vanity, but instead to pursue what lasts. That includes the enduring generational bonds between parents and children. That will ultimately provide some of the deep fulfillment we all seek, which can never be created by focusing on self.

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Timothy S Goeglein is vice president of Focus on the Family in Washington, and author of the book Toward a More Perfect Union: The Cultural and Moral Case for Teaching the Great American Story (Fidelis, 2023).

[1Old Pro]

Ye, family should be foundational. The breakdown of the family by Democrat policies has been harmful in so many ways.

[Rural_Michigan]

Just like the Hispanic people do. They’re generally happier than crazy cat ladies

[mikelets456]

Of course it is-—However, these evil Marxists want to destroy the family unit so they can gain power easily.

[ronniesgal]

meh. just because you have kids does not make you a great parent nor does it guarantee free nursing care when you get old.

[b4me]

“...an epidemic of loneliness...”

again with the feelings? (which are personal choices)

anyone who accepted Jesus and is living it out is never alone and should know that loneliness is a human temporary feeling resolved by getting back into relationship with God or find a church based group and get involved.

presto, no need to feel lonely, except by personal choice.

[Dilbert San Diego]

True. I know someone who is conservative, and a bit estranged from his liberal idiot kids. His daughter in law is an imbecile liberal. He worries about her being part of the group deciding what to do with him in his old age.

[blueunicorn6]

We are created to reproduce.

I have great sympathy for people who, for whatever reason, cannot find a mate of the opposite sex.

It is very sad.

Hollywood and Madison Avenue and the beauty industry have convinced too many people that they must have people for mates who meet their definition of beauty.

There was a lot of love found in homes where Bob married the neighbor girl from the family three farms down.

We built this country on that kind of love.

[Persevero]

Those of us who are fruitful and multiply will have dominion

Yes I know not all of us have kids who are lock step patriots.

But, generally.

I have five kids. Four vote faithfully and one doesn’t vote so it’s net positive politically.

At the current birth rate the Amish will be in charge soon:

https://medium.com/migration-issues/how-long-until-were-all-amish-268e3d0de87

Which is better than the Lizard People!

[Opinionated Blowhard]

The family is important and the foundation of society. BUT, making this your pitch in an election year is politically tone-deaf. This is not a priority of most people and gives the Dems an opening to turn the election into a cultural war that, sadly, the Republicans don’t have the political clout or skill to win.

[econjack]

The welfare reforms that were part of the Civil Right legislation in the late 1960's encourages the father not to be present in the home by reducing welfare payments if is in the home.

Wrong move.

If you increase payments when the father is present in the home, the mother has every (economic) reason to see that he lives in the home and helps raise his children. An angry mom seeking the father will probably be more effective at locating the father than any gov't agency.

[your other brother]

First off disenfranchise deadbeat dads. Then limit the franchise to persons over 21 with children or in military service. The Democrats will not need 4000 delegates partly because they won’t be able to find 4000 who actually qualify to vote. The eligible voters get one vote for every dollar they pay in taxes, encourage billionaires to pay taxes rather than buy elections. You don’t pay the piper you don’t get to call the tune. You pay lots of taxes then you get lots of say. If you are Hunter Biden and don’t support your kids or pay taxes you get no say at the polls. Basically the only people who should get a say on how the country is run and how taxes are spent are the ones who actually contribute to the commonwealth.

[rellic]

In a society where women can have your kids and then on a whim take everything you have to run off to some supposed new love,
Why would a guy want to marry and have kids? You have no rights and are expected to pay all the bills. my mother was married 4 times. I was the product of marriage #2. It took me till age 8 to get the hell away from her. It was finally settled legally by age 12 so I didn’t have to go back except for two weeks of hell each summer.
Age 12 was the only time the court listened to ME!
I don’t think much of the divorce laws in America, they suck!
Full disclosure; been married to the same woman for 47 years this month. One stepdaughter, no other kids, but we have helped raise quite a few of other peoples kids.

[txeagle]

The ease of no-fault divorce has monetized the family court system against men who would otherwise welcome marriage and a stable family environment. And elected officials of all stripes have done nothing over the last several decades that doesn’t do anything more than make marriage increasing punitive for men.

In the absence of marriage, single women will increasingly vote in favor of government largess as a replacement for what men provide to support a family.

[T.B. Yoits]

From the article: Despite clear dangers to everyone’s economic and social security when the majority of adults don’t marry and have children...

...it is now estimated that the Social Security Trust Fund, which relies on younger individuals to pay for those retiring, will run dry by 2034, resulting in benefit cuts of at least 20 percent...

Translation - have more children for them to be tax slaves and pay into what was identified as a scam from day one.

[lastchance]

The reasons why? Pew writes: “Not having kids has made it easier for them to afford the things they want, have time for hobbies and interests, and save for the future.”

Has there been much evidence of saving for the future? My instincts say not so much.

[Grampa Dave]

“anyone who accepted Jesus and is living it out is never alone and should know that loneliness is a human temporary feeling resolved by getting back into relationship with God or find a church based group and get involved.

presto, no need to feel lonely, except by personal choice.”

A couple of decades ago, I had been retired from a 30 year career and later 2 decades of conducting focus groups for good pay.

My wife was still working full time as a head RN for a family practice group.

Before I turned 62, our CPA suggested that I fully retire to avoid taxes and start taking advantage of my 401k’s, retirement and SS payments and the tax laws.

At first my wife was against this action until our CPA, a good church friend told her if I didn’t do that she should just throw money away while driving to and from work.

So I followed the CPA’s advice and did a lot of home things and church things.

A couple of years later the same CPA told 3 church men/friends that they needed to do the same thing that I did.

They retired, and we started a church bridge club for men retirees.

A couple of decades later, 3 of us are still alive and play bridge on a regular basis at the home of a less active guy.

In the meantime my wife, has retired and revived a women’s Bible study group which meets every week at the wife’s home of our less active bridge player.

Meanwhile, non church members, not satisfied with their current churches may be joining ours via contacts with the bridge players and/or Bible study women.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

No, not "meh".

You actually have to put in the work to raise good children into healthy adults, that is true.

Family is the foundation for all society. No family, no society.

People who have chosen not to make a family, usually because they are self centered and lazy, are living off the work of others. Once it reaches a critical point the entire structure falls down.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for posting this clear reality instead of B$!

Translation - have more children for them to be tax slaves and pay into what was identified as a scam from day one.

[Responsibility2nd]

Just a few facts here.....

The poverty rate for married couples with children is 5.4%. This is the lowest poverty rate among all family types.

To put this in perspective:

Married couple families: 5.4% poverty rate

Female-householder families (no spouse present): 24.7% poverty rate

Male-householder families (no spouse present): 11.6% poverty rate

Makes you wonder why our government makes female householder families a priority.