It's not China's draconian one-child policy, but a lawmaker in Washington state is proposing legislation to urge parents to have no more than two children.
State Rep. Maralyn Chase is the sponsor of what she calls the Two-or-Fewer Bill, which aims to promote population sustainability.
Washington state Rep. Maralyn Chase
The bill does not mandate the number of children, but calls for a pamphlet to be distributed by Washington's health department spelling out the presumed benefits of having no more than two children.
Mother and preschool owner Lori Saymon told radio station KXLY in Spokane, Wash., she thinks the idea is ridiculous.
"I think it's wrong, I think it's wrong," she said. "If I had it to do over I would have had 10. I think it's wrong for the government to get involved with that."
Chase, a Democrat from the Seattle suburb of Edmonds, said the bill is up for discussion, and if it gains support would be put to a vote in the next legislative session.
China's one-child policy incorporates a variety of punishments for parents who have more than one child in an attempt by the communist government to curb population growth.
In an editorial, the Seattle Times called Chase's proposal "unabashed government nannyism."
The paper notes the birth rate in many Western countries "has declined to sustainable levels, largely because individual couples decided to have fewer children for economic and quality-of-life reasons, not because of a state-sponsored pamphlet."
A contributor to an online bulletin board soliciting comments about the proposed bill wryly suggested it might be a good idea if it's limited to Democratic households, since "they already produce far too many dependents upon society."
posted on February 8, 2004 09:51:40 AM new
What this bill is demonstrating is why the Supreme Court held that an abortion is a private matter and not in the governments interests (notwithstanding the trimester analysis).
Most of the "pro-lifers" either ignore or are ignorant of the meaning of the Roe decision.
It meant that not only is an abortion none of the government's business, but not having an abortion is none of the government's business.
The bottom line of the Roe case is that if the government has the power to tell you you can not have an abortion, it also has within its realm the power to tell you you will have a abortion.
Be careful pro-lifers, you may get what you want, and then by fiat of the legislature what you don't want -- just like in China.
The Roe decision is a "hands off' ruling not a pro-life or pro abortion decision.
If you don't think it can happen in America, remember there were court enforced sterilizations in this country in the last century.
posted on February 8, 2004 11:08:03 AM new
Usually, the only people that have more than 2 children are the poor. Even with all the available information out there about birth control, the poor still continue to give birth to multiple children. How can that be stopped?
posted on February 8, 2004 02:33:57 PM new
I don't see much harm in a pamphlet that explains that (duh!) there are economic advantages to having fewer kids...what I'd rather see though is a basic common sense test required of those who intend to breed.
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posted on February 8, 2004 03:54:01 PM new
Prof, in my experience, most people who have children, do so because either they say they have lots of love to give or because they're dying to see who their baby would look like. If you ever ask someone if they can afford children, they get mad at you.
posted on February 8, 2004 05:50:12 PM newProf, in my experience, most people who have children, do so because either they say they have lots of love to give or because they're dying to see who their baby would look like. If you ever ask someone if they can afford children, they get mad at you.
heh, that's the truth! Although I do believe parenthood is one of the highest callings a person can aspire to. I personally can't imagine doing anything more satisfying than raising a child. My children are my wealth.
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