14 December 2007

The nanny state

One thing that annoys me endlessly about parenting magazines is their constant calls for "better" maternity care/leave, flexible work options, child care, etc. Of course the government should be providing/mandating these things (and don't forget the enraged observation that the US is the only civilized country that doesn't). The empowering sidebars always fail to mention that the government will make these services available by taking even more out of the paycheck that you're now liberated enough to bring home, having handed control of your life over to them. Typical soft feminist-ish idiocy, placed opposite a pastel ad of the world's happiest baby slurping a substance called "formula" from the newest-most-breastiest-bottle-ever.

Well, I wish all the moms who subscribe to these disingenuous undercover political rags would read this and learn what things are really like in the socialist utopias they're pining for. By all means, go out and get a low paying government job taking care of other peoples' kids while someone else takes care of yours. You'll get a check for maybe half the money you earned, and the male/female pay discrepancy will be worse than the one those Ostragoths the Americans have*. But it will feel fair! You'll be just as tired as your husband when you both get home from work, and you'll both have had the same amount of time with your kids--exactly as much as the government says you should.

*also a myth, but let's keep it to one policy rant at a time

7 comments:

Elephantschild said...

Britain is a downright scary place these days. I think they may be more socialist than even Germany.

Pete Moss said...

Absolutely! All over Europe people are hypnotized zombies who chant "More Big Government" - as their millions of homeless people die in the streets! And all those "Government Healthcare Horror Stories" in their newspapers!

And they want the world to cooperate on "global warming" by setting actual reduction standards instead of President Bush's wise way of "let every nation set its own goals without holding anybody to actual figures!"

They are so dumb over there in Europe. It is a disgrace.

In Christian Prosperity

--The Rev. I.M. Wright
Soon to be guest blogger at Holistic Circles (that Pete Moss is pretty dumb too, but well meaning.)

Rebekah said...

EC, that Dalrymple guy can really get a girl down, no? ;)

And Father IM . . . um . . . good luck with the blog ministry?

Reb. Mary said...

I really have quite a bit to say on this topic, but will spare you and my blood pressure the pent-up ranting about the nanny state, the fact that kindergarten in these parts is all day because of parent pressure (free babysitting), the discussions around here about mandatory state preschool which would of course be funded by my tax dollars even though all evidence points to the fact that accelerating early childhood curriculum has had if anything a negative impact on literacy and test scores, the fact that people get TAX CREDITS for putting their kids in daycare, which in turn adds a greater burden to our laboring health care system and then makes everyone cry for socialist health care, not realizing that they'll get exactly what they pay for (nothing good) but by then it'll be TOO LATE...because I really need to just take a deep breath and go have a soothing cup of herbal tea.

Rebekah said...

Sorry to work you up, friend. ;) It blows my mind that people aren't able to make the connection between government programs and taxes, but . . . . I don't think half-day kindergarten even exists any more. At best, it's optional in some schools--sadly, not ours. I've also just started hearing about the mandatory preschool thing; what in the world is that?!

Dawn said...

Hey now. All we really need to do to fix this problem is share hugs.*

Who's in?

*If in the off chance your enemy (which is to say, not enemy but misunderstood gentle soul in need of more love) doesn't want to hug just find the nearest adult and take her hand. Don't, please, bloody anyone's nose or use unkind words. Doing so would be very unfriendly.

Rebekah said...

Unless I'm the nearest adult. Please don't touch me either, even if we are friends.