Should childbirth and/or parenting be a right?

[Ready to do it 101]

I think that reproduction should be considered a privilege. People are generally not going to force another to not reproduce, but potential parents should strongly consider whether they are emotionally, financially, and physically qualified to raise a child. I also think that people on welfare or using any social program should be compelled to be on birth control. Why? We have an overpopulation problem and I am seeing way too many folks that are unfit to raise a child having children. Ultimately, this means more people on social benefits and an increase in uneducated Americans.

Many would argue that both rich and poor have the right to bear children, I am seriously beginning to believe that there should be an income level requirement to have a child. Just as I have openly stated that the income level for sponsorship of a K-Visa application is way too low, I think there should be an income level requirement to have a child. I have read about so many failed relationships on VJ or so many issues where a child is clearly not in a safe and healthy environment. Time after time, "finances," or better put... lack of finances are the main ingredient to the destruction of a relationship and/or a child living below poverty levels. It's not the parents I am really concerned with, though we do need to stop sustaining adults with all these social welfare programs. I am more concerned about the children and well, simply put, future children. Every child should have the "right" to grow up to be a healthy and productive adult. The path we are on as a society is really getting out of control. We really are on a path of having a bunch of uneducated, unproductive future adults due to the poor decisions adults are making/given today. Should this right be taken away for the benefit of the potential children not having to live a life in poverty?

One day a line needs to be drawn in the sand on when is too much. I.e. The US simply cannot continue to provide health care, food stamps, etc to the poor. There will come a day when the system crashes. Would we not be better off by tightening the noose NOW by putting an income requirement and/or asset requirement on the right to have a child, for the benefit not only of the potential child, and the finicial situation of the potential parents, but also the benefit of our country?

Edited August 21, 2011 by Ready to do it

[Jenn! 918]

So what's the penalty when someone doesn't meet the requirements and has a child anyway? A fine? That will make the child, about whose welfare you are so concerned, in an even worse situation. These sorts of things might make sense financially, but I think they border on immoral.

[rika60607 215]

You seem to equate poverty with hereditary lack of education/talent.

It is not so.

Van Gogh was poor all his life, but he had talent, and how much are his paintings worth now?

In our days, an artist or a single mother with a PhD in something can very easily be poor, yet have excellent genes and produce very successful and educated offspring.

On the other hand, plenty of middle class and above, are really worthless as far as genetic material and child upbringing goes...

So there. Who will be the judge of worthiness? And what if a fantastic child could be born to two morons due to rare genetic combination?

[Golden Gate 530]

I think that reproduction should be considered a privilege.

This sounds vaguely like something from the past. Hmmmmmmmm, let me think....oh,yeah, Eugenics.

Edited August 21, 2011 by Golden Gate

[LaL 418]

I think that reproduction should be considered a privilege. People are generally not going to force another to not reproduce, but potential parents should strongly consider whether they are emotionally, financially, and physically qualified to raise a child. I also think that people on welfare or using any social program should be compelled to be on birth control. Why? We have an overpopulation problem and I am seeing way too many folks that are unfit to raise a child having children. Ultimately, this means more people on social benefits and an increase in uneducated Americans.

Many would argue that both rich and poor have the right to bear children, I am seriously beginning to believe that there should be an income level requirement to have a child. Just as I have openly stated that the income level for sponsorship of a K-Visa application is way too low, I think there should be an income level requirement to have a child. I have read about so many failed relationships on VJ or so many issues where a child is clearly not in a safe and healthy environment. Time after time, "finances," or better put... lack of finances are the main ingredient to the destruction of a relationship and/or a child living below poverty levels. It's not the parents I am really concerned with, though we do need to stop sustaining adults with all these social welfare programs. I am more concerned about the children and well, simply put, future children. Every child should have the "right" to grow up to be a healthy and productive adult. The path we are on as a society is really getting out of control. We really are on a path of having a bunch of uneducated, unproductive future adults due to the poor decisions adults are making/given today. Should this right be taken away for the benefit of the potential children not having to live a life in poverty?

One day a line needs to be drawn in the sand on when is too much. I.e. The US simply cannot continue to provide health care, food stamps, etc to the poor. There will come a day when the system crashes. Would we not be better off by tightening the noose NOW by putting an income requirement and/or asset requirement on the right to have a child, for the benefit not only of the potential child, and the finicial situation of the potential parents, but also the benefit of our country?

Your post reminds me of the old saying "it takes all kinds", and not for any of the reasons you put forth in these paragraphs above.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I'm all for mandatory birth control and drug tests if you want to get a government check every month.

The system shouldn't 'reward' you for popping out another leech on society.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Children raised in poor families can grow up to be producive. My mother ,a widow , was dirt poor. She was too proud to take welfare. I now make more in a week than she did in a year. I do see children that are born for the sole reason of increasing the welfare check. Most of those aren't so lucky. They don't seem to point their children to the local library or encourage them to do well in school especially in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics )

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I think that reproduction should be considered a privilege. People are generally not going to force another to not reproduce, but potential parents should strongly consider whether they are emotionally, financially, and physically qualified to raise a child. I also think that people on welfare or using any social program should be compelled to be on birth control. Why? We have an overpopulation problem and I am seeing way too many folks that are unfit to raise a child having children. Ultimately, this means more people on social benefits and an increase in uneducated Americans.

Many would argue that both rich and poor have the right to bear children, I am seriously beginning to believe that there should be an income level requirement to have a child. Just as I have openly stated that the income level for sponsorship of a K-Visa application is way too low, I think there should be an income level requirement to have a child. I have read about so many failed relationships on VJ or so many issues where a child is clearly not in a safe and healthy environment. Time after time, "finances," or better put... lack of finances are the main ingredient to the destruction of a relationship and/or a child living below poverty levels. It's not the parents I am really concerned with, though we do need to stop sustaining adults with all these social welfare programs. I am more concerned about the children and well, simply put, future children. Every child should have the "right" to grow up to be a healthy and productive adult. The path we are on as a society is really getting out of control. We really are on a path of having a bunch of uneducated, unproductive future adults due to the poor decisions adults are making/given today. Should this right be taken away for the benefit of the potential children not having to live a life in poverty?

One day a line needs to be drawn in the sand on when is too much. I.e. The US simply cannot continue to provide health care, food stamps, etc to the poor. There will come a day when the system crashes. Would we not be better off by tightening the noose NOW by putting an income requirement and/or asset requirement on the right to have a child, for the benefit not only of the potential child, and the finicial situation of the potential parents, but also the benefit of our country?

You sound like a Global warming kind of guy, they say we have too many people but won't kill any. SO I guess they want to stop making more. Right?

There is a simple soultion, as always

1. NO ONE collects welfare unless they are enrolled in school or have a job, at least part time

2. Once on welfare, NO increases for any additional children conceived afterwards. Free birth control of any type is available to welfare recipients

3. NO ONE drops out of school before age 18 or a high school diploma is earned

4. NO ONE collects welfare unless they have a high school diploma or are enrolled in school

5. NO ONE under age 21 gets a drivers license oif they do not have a high school diploma or are not enrolled in school.

I wonder which politicians will be against giving people the tools they need to be independent.

Edited August 21, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Children raised in poor families can grow up to be producive. My mother ,a widow , was dirt poor. She was too proud to take welfare. I now make more in a week than she did in a year. I do see children that are born for the sole reason of increasing the welfare check. Most of those aren't so lucky. They don't seem to point their children to the local library or encourage them to do well in school especially in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics )

Having children on your own dime, so to speak, is a right. Of course. Having ANYTHING that you pay for with your own earnings, whether the earnings are small or large, is a right. You have no right to have anything that you do not pay for.

[Fandango 1,439]

JK Rowling was living in a car with her kids and look at her now.

[Ban Hammer 13,408]

[Fandango 1,439]

There is a clear dichotomy here. It is a financial 'reward' to give those on welfare with more funds for additional babies? I can see how it can be looked at as such. But I also see the need for it as well.

I'm also pretty uncomfortable with government intervention as to who may have kids and who doesn't.

I also find it funny that you need a license to catch a fish, yet anyone can have a kid.

It's too complicated for a viable solution imo....yet, I do support drug tests for welfare recipients. I don't, however, condone the gov't having a say so on my reproductive parts.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

We need to set up breeder farms.

[웃 910]

1. NO ONE collects welfare unless they are enrolled in school or have a job, at least part time

You want to give people that have full and part-time jobs welfare. Karl Marx could not have wrote this rule better himself.

[mawilson 2,133]

Without resorting to eugenics and child licenses (which I think are a good idea but

impossible to implement and/or enforce), removing the tax breaks related to children

and replacing them with a tax penalty would be a good start.