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I think so, if the parent has had criminal charges or arrests against him.
No. This is something that would be impossible to monitor and control, unless the government had way too much control over our everyday lives.
Oh, if wishing made it so…..
Wouldn't it be simpler, by your logic, simply to neuter people who had (I presume) the sorts of criminal charges that you think should disqualify people from having children?
(I'm also not sure what kinds of arrests or criminal charges would in fact constitute that kind of disqualification without already incarcerating someone for decades).
What exactly would be the requirements for getting one (who gets to decide what those are)?
And wait… why?
What kind of Communist Crap question is this?
In Communist controlled China a couple are only allowed ONE child . . . and if it is discovered that the wife is pregnant with a female child, they have a choice of to either abort that child and try for a male child with the next pregnancy or accept the one female child and the mother gets sterilized after that child is born. (I think Barbie_Sue would love that)
Just curious – What would the criteria be for a "parental license", and just WHO would determine that criteria?
Papadawg, please don't ever speak for me… ever.. No, I would not like any of the options you listed above, and I'm thinking you might want to check your facts on China. The families that live on and work the farms have always had more than one child, and the bureaucrats have always turned a blind eye. There are also many cases where people have more than one child and just pay a fine to the governement..
What I meant was simply this… In my perfect little world, everyone who has a child would have to have some sort of education on how to raise that child. You know, the basics… how to feed them, how to change a diaper, how to dress them… There are far too many children being raised by parents who do not have a clue… They don't have the money, they don't have the education, they don't have the tools to raise a child… It's the most important thing you will ever do. I'm just thinking a little education might be in order…
First part I agree with completely. China's one child policy was never very effective outside of the major cities and has been quietly waved aside even there for cash (or for Shanghai and Hong Kong for practical reasons it doesn't even exist at all, they're essentially going to have to bribe people to have babies at all there; fertility rates are some of the lowest in the world). The horror stories of the 70s and early 80s don't quite translate anymore to modern China and with a few instances, the implementation of the "one child" policy (with the rural exclusions written in) probably saved a few children's lives: daughters in rural villages where infanticide of girls is/was fairly common even before Chinese state draconian population control measures were being talked about.
Second part I agree with, but I don't see how you enforce it. Yes it would be ideal if more people had children when they were better prepared to care for them financially or even physically, but no, I don't think yet another government agency to do so is necessary (given distorted tax policies, curious adoption and abortion laws from state to state, etc).
Other than better comprehensive sexual education and contraception/birth control access for overall better family planning, I'm not sure there's any public intervention there that I'd support to achieve those ends. Doesn't seem necessary or ideal for the state to busy itself teaching people how to dress or feed each other or wipe bottoms.
The first thing you should know, Barbie_Sue, is the world is not, has never been, and never will be perfect. Please don't get angry, it is just a statement of fact.
I have friends in China (as well as many other parts of this world) so the information I have on that country comes from its people that I know personally. Most are city dwellers, but a few have relatives out in the country. The "one child per" ruling was first instituted by Chairman Mao back in the 1950's and was enforced ruthlessly, which included public executions of some of the offending couples. Communist rule has always been brutal and ruthless, now with worldwide recognition and interest the currant batch of communist rulers have lessened the grip – but not very far. In all of China's history there have been one very strong ruler after another, yet within the last ten years a strong individual has not been obviously present . . . And that fact has my friends hoping that their country will turn more toward a Democratic style of governance in the coming future, but they – like most Chinese people – are not betting the family farm on that hope.
China's one child policy doesn't date back to Mao, as Mao apparently needed to replace a few million subjects after having depleted his own population from brutal policies…. so him having started it wouldn't make much sense. It's not in his book either (nor Marx's).
It actually started in the late 70s, not the late 50s, after Mao was gone and under Deng Xiaoping instead. Make sure your evil rulers are straight before you start waving them around.
I would not argue that a single strong individual is necessary for state control and that while I share an interest in seeing China move toward a freer more democratic state, it's not likely to happen just because no "very strong ruler" is present. The state and its laws have been around in their various forms a lot longer than very strong rulers have in China. Economic reforms do seem to be pointing in that direction, but the Chinese public doesn't seem as bothered by technocracy either. The direction of change is therefore still uncertain.
How about we just settle for forced sterilization of the mentally retarded? I think that should be good enough.
If I'm not mistaken, the impetus behind the institution of the one child policy was because there were fears that there would get to be too many people. Under Mao, people were having babies like nobody's business, and the government was afraid they wouldn't be able to feed (or possibly control) all of them.
Also, and I'd like to add to the governmental change issue- I find it rather unlikely they'll go straight to a Republic of any form. China has always been under the grip of dictators in some form or fashion. It's their culture. So there would have to be significant viewpoint change for such a thing to occur.
I'm well aware of how imperfect the world is Papadawg. My point was simply that I wished we put more emphasis on how important it is to raise a child in this nation. I wasn't speaking of China, I was speaking of the United States of America. That's all I was saying…
No I don’t think it should. One might think it would be nice for people to be better equipped to begin the rigorous adventure that is raising a child but a cookie cutout beginning might produce a predictable yet limited outcome. Some of the most amazing people come from some of the most unexpected places. Different backgrounds both good and bad have motivated many of our greatest successes and worst failures. It takes all kinds and there is strength in diversity. In the end they are all precious little gifts. If they are born with silver spoons, of humble beginnings, raise hell on wheels, or perfect angels. One can only hope they aspire to be functioning members of society.
NO parenting is a natural thing. It comes with every human, you dont learn how to be a parent….it just comes to you over time….naturally
Amazingly well written, I really adore it when i see folks actually try composing a good quality intresting post and not just fill up the net with non readabe
trash.