$800 Million Spent by Feds to Promote Healthy Marriages Had Little Effect

[The Straight Story]

$800 Million Spent by Feds to Promote Healthy Marriages Had Little Effect


Beginning with the George W. Bush administration, the federal government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars believing it could promote healthy marriages. But a new study shows the investment has had little impact.

The National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University says marriage rates didn’t change for the better overall from 2000 to 2010, when Washington poured $600 million into the Healthy Marriage Initiative.

By the end of the current fiscal year, the Obama administration will have spent another $200 million on pro-marriage efforts, bringing the total to $800 million.

..

The benefits were supposed to be longer-lasting marriages, according to Wade F. Horn, the Bush administration’s Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, who argued before Congress that the investment would “increase the odds that couples will form and sustain healthy marriages,” and that these healthier relationships would mean less poverty and crime.

http://www.allgov.com/news/where-is-the-money-going/800-million-spent-by-feds-to-promote-healthy-marriages-had-little-effect-140213?news=852423&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[get the red out]

1. How about food?

I think helping people take care of their basic needs is a better expenditure of money; but no, we have to constantly cut funding for that.

[jsr]

2. The correct hierarchy of needs: (1) MIC, (2) Wall Street, (3) Big Oil, (4) Big Pharma

[Major Nikon]

3. How much of that money went to religious groups?

I'm guessing all of it.

[Swede Atlanta]

4. If you look at the activities under the Healthy Marriage Initiative

Public advertising campaigns on the value of healthy marriages and the skills needed to increase marital stability and the health of the marriage.
Education in high schools on the value of healthy marriages, healthy relationship skills, and budgeting.
Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills programs, that may include parenting skills, financial management, conflict resolution, and job and career advancement, for non-married pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers.
Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged couples and for couples or individuals interested in marriage.
Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for married couples.
Divorce reduction programs that teach healthy relationship skills.
Marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role models and mentors in at-risk communities.
Programs to reduce the disincentives to marriage in means-tested aid programs, if offered in conjunction with any activity described above.
Conduct research on the benefits of healthy marriages and healthy marriage education.
Provide technical assistance to grantees who are implementing any of the above activities to help them succeed.

These are admirable undertakings but they will absolutely NOT work if the family is unemployed or underemployed, cannot afford to put a roof over their heads, decent food on the table, have access to affordable health insurance/care, isn't living in a gang-infested hole, children have/had proper pre-natal and pediatric care, children have a good school to go to, the family isn't living from paycheck to paycheck and sees some hope.

You have to deal with the basics first, the basic human needs for safe shelter, adequate and nutritious food, sense of security, etc. Only then can you talk about more subtle things such as relationship qualities, etc.

[TwilightGardener]

5. So mind-blowingly ridiculous that the government thinks it can influence

people's personal relationships and behavior to this extent--and throws this much money at it. Wonder how many bridge inspections or sewer line upgrades that money would have bought--the REAL business of government.

[Quantess]

6. Hey thanks for wasting all that tax money, R spendthrifts.

[geek tragedy]

7. a drop in the bucket compared to the havoc wrought by the great recession nt

[Glassunion]

8. Do you mean to tell me that the government... OUR Federal government, did not spend money wisely?

I'm SHOCKED!!!!

and stuff...