Paying for Parenting? What a sillly idea.

Last week I heard a report where in New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg was recommending a plan where folks from 6 poor neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Harlem, would get "paid" for taking their kids to the Doctor, for making sure they got all their shots; or for going to the Dentist or getting their annual medical checkup. He'd pay parents a cash bonus for getting their kids a library card and for reviewing their children's test scores and meeting with their teacher. Students would get paid for perfect attendance in school and also if they improved year to year on their standardized tests. Seventh grade students could get up to $100 for just taking all required math and English tests and if they got all the questions right - an additional $500!

Bloomberg, who wants parents to start acting responsibly toward their children, is enrolling 2550 parents in what he calls "Opportunity NYC Conditional Cash Transfer." It's a $53 million dollar pilot program funded by The Rockefeller Foundation, Bloomberg himself, and the George Soros Open Society Institute. In the future if successful the program will be formalized, extended city-wide and funded by hundreds of millions of tax dollars. (Dear Mr. Soros, How much more of an "open society " do you want us to have? Just askin')

Defenders of the NYC pilot program say it's a great way to fight poverty, "Because it's working in Mexico."

Let me make sure I understand the "premises" in play here.......Mexico's poverty issues are the same as the United States poverty issues? The poor in Mexico are in the same economic condition as are the poor here in NYC? ¡Apesadumbrado! ¡No pienso tan! (translation for all you who don't "habla," Sorry! I don't think so!)

Let's look at it from a different perspective.

• On the surface, people of all ages and backgrounds are fleeing to the United States from Mexico.
• Somewhere between 12 and 20 million Mexican citizens have come here.
• Somewhere between $21,000,000,000.00 and $24,000,000,000.00 U.S dollars are sent back to Mexico each year by Mexican's earning them in the United States.
• This means that the Mexican Government can annually offset it's budget by $20 plus billion American dollars.
• Poor children in Mexico often can't get food to eat, might live in a home without electricity or running water, might not have new clothes or shoes. Many have never been to school.
• Every child in NYC has the ability to go to school - free. There may be some destitute kids in Brooklyn and Harlem as there are everywhere. However many children in Brooklyn and Harlem have nice clothes, many wear designer sneakers, and carry a cell phone. Most apartments at least share a phone, have running water and electricity. I don't think it's fair to compare the "poor" of Mexico and the "poor" of the United States.
• Therefore I question implementing a program simply because it has been successful in Mexico. You may not be measuring the same issues.

Putting that argument aside, let's examine this again.....

You're going to pay parents - for being parents - and for taking an interest in their children's lives, health & education. Do I have this right? You're going to pay kids - for taking an interest in their own FREE education, their own self-improvement. Right?

Well, in my humble and perhaps backward way of thinking, when any society begins to pay parents for being parents, and has to pay children for taking part in a free educational system, I think that society has pretty much dropped off the cliff of self-sufficiency, back into the "Shephard / flock" arrangement! You may have heard of this system before, they had it in Europe during the middle ages......it's called the feudal system. The "Lords" (aka Bloomberg & Soros et al), provide everything for their subjects and even reward the lowly serfs when they have done well. Ah, but the Lords can also withhold things, when they think the serfs haven't been doing what they should. This system was especially interesting because it included a wonderful little caveat called "indentured servitude." Can you spell "slavery" boys and girls?

Why not look at this problem in a really novel way and be real social mavericks!

Here's an idea .... To all young adults.....If you're not ready to take care of and support a child or a family for the next 21 years ..... DON'T have a child. If you brought a child into this world, it's YOUR responsibility to provide for it - not your mom & dad! You made yourself a parent - Be a parent! "Parent UP!" as the saying goes. Don't expect society to clean up after your mistakes. Take responsibility for what you've done. We'll help - but it's your responsibility to make sure you child is healthy, well nourished, and getting the most out of their free education.

Something else for young adults....consider it "free advice" from society! Please remember it! Marriage, like Parenthood is a choice! You see the way it works is ... you both fall in love - you both decide to get married, and work at it for a while - when you can afford it, you both decide to have a child - you both bear the responsibility of being parents. All the "Warranties" work best when this order is followed!! But of course, the end users bear all responsibility.

Kids.....your job is to enjoy growing up and learning the most you can in the 16 years you must stay in school! A free education is the BEST GIFT our country can give you. Trust me! But you have to work at learning - it doesn't come without work. We'll give you teachers and tutors but it's up to you. Fight until you get it! Along the way there's going to be temptations - you have to know when to say no, and stick to your goals! You can do it - millions already have - all of today's leaders were right where you are at one point! By the way, understand that your folks love you more than anything - even when they yell. But they probably work so hard, they're just absolutely dead tired most of the time! Don't get discouraged and don't give up on them, or on yourself! You're worth it!!! I promise, they'll be proud of all your accomplishments-just like you will be. Do the best you can, and then try a little harder. Believe me, it will be worth it!

Lovingly,
Your "Uncle Sam"

Dum Spiro Spero!