If you’ve ever read or heard about a stupid parent and thought to yourself, “the government ought to keep people like that from having children,” then you might find it interesting to know that they did. In fact a number of state and Federal policies were enacted to prevent imbeciles from breeding (And in that same harsh sentiment of these exact terms I might add). Sadly, these efforts where anything but good as they were bore from bigotry and unfounded fears that took aim at the sick, the mentally ill, the poor, non-Anglo races, and immigrants.

The bulk of these efforts occurred during the late 19^th and early 20^th Centuries, an period in United States History referred to as the Progressive Era, so named for the flurry of progressive social and political reforms such as child labor laws and women’s suffrage.  Such reforms and the ideology behind them affected all aspects of life to include the American (read “white”) family which was seen as the bedrock institution of our society. As the fundamental building block on which the success of our country rested on, the family became ground zero for a range of experts to study in an effort to protect its longevity. Continue reading »

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Over the weekend my wife attended a seminar put on by the Texas Association of Gifted and Talented, a parent and teacher group focused on educational opportunities for gifted and talented students. The takeaways from this event were 1) our current public school system is hopelessly F’d up beyond repair and 2) boys are good at math, while girls are just lucky. No, really, I’m serious here people! (Yeah, I was shocked too.) Continue reading »

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Mitt Romney was raised in Michigan where he attended public school until the 7^th grade when he switched to a boy’s private preparatory school where, it has been noted, the majority of students came from wealthier families that did Romney. At the time, Romney was neither athletically talented nor academically proficient; however, he later graduated from Brigham Young, and earned both a JD (Juris Doctorate) and an MBA from Harvard.

He and his wife Ann married in 1969, and they five children together.  As a staunch Mormon, Romney served as a missionary to France, and is actively involved in his church. Romney proved to be an exceptional businessman, and became wealthy through his career as a business consultant. He also was instrumental making the 2002 Winter Olympics a financial success as Head of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee.

In 2002, Romney was elected governor of Massachusetts and oversaw the turnaround of state’s deficit. Romney’s political views have shifted in recent years, but is closely aligned with conservative tenants. Continue reading »

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Ron Paul was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and lived in a small town where his father ran a small dairy. At age 5, Paul was working alongside his brothers in family basement, checking milk bottles for spots. In high school, Paul was an all-state track athlete before attending college. After this he went on to graduate from Duke University’s school of medicine, and served as a medical officer in the Air Force for 5 years. Before entering politics in 1978, Paul was an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Mr. Paul married Carol Wells in 1957 and together they had five children. Paul relocated to Texas, where he opened a private practice, and was known for routinely lowering fees or working for free as he refused to accept Medicaid or Medicare. Paul has been a member of Congress off and on since the 1970’s, during which time his views have ranged from conservative to libertarian. Continue reading »

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Rick Santorum is the middle of the three children. He attended public schools is West Virginia and Pennsylvania before graduating from a Roman Catholic high school in Illinois. Santorum is married to Karen Garver, and they have seven children together. In 1996, the Santorum’s lost their pre-maturely born son two hours after birth, and their decision to introduce the deceased child to the other children incurred public controversy. Their eighth child, Isabella, was diagnosed with the severe  genetic disorder known as Edwards Syndrome with only a 10% chance of survival rate past a year old. (Now 3, Bella was admitted to the hospital over the weekend.)

Santorum is a proponent of compassionate conservatism, and idea that stresses traditionally conservative techniques and thinking in order to improve society’s overall welfare. This figures largely in his stated plan to improve the economy by supporting the family unit. His conservative position includes opposition to federally sanctioned same-sex marriages and benefits (states, though, should rule on gay adoption). His fiscal record during his time as the Pennsylvania Senator in Congress, however, is mixed as he supported earmarks and big government programs in education. At the same time, Santorum also took a leading role in enacting welfare reform, and voted for tax cuts. Continue reading »

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"Grandma's Favorite" by Georgios Jakobides

When it comes to the dynamics of extended family, I liken grandparents to blue-collar, union supervisors sitting atop the seniority ladder. They’ve been around forever, can do as they please, and are virtually untouchable. Don’t get me wrong. I mean this with the utmost respect. Grandparents have earned their position, what with all the diapers, Band-Aids, laundry, throw up, homework, teenage rebellion, etc. that we junior workers at Adult World Inc. are still fumbling around with on the conveyor belt of child-rearing.

I have to mention that there’s a distinction in referring to grandparents as supervisors as opposed to managers who in this case would actually be … well, this isn’t a perfect analogy. Still, my point here is that grandparents, like supervisors, stand nearby sipping their coffee while watching us work as parents. Sometimes they will give us a pat on the back. Other times they might offer some piece of unsolicited advice when the situations warrants. Continue reading »

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NPR recently aired a report on the United States’ need to shift its strategy in order to keep up with al-Qaeda’s constantly changing tactics. Suddenly I thought to myself, “Hey that’s just like me and my kids.” I mean this metaphorically, of course, even though there are moments when it feels as if they are plotting against me. That’s another story. No, what I’m referring to is the shift in strategy I have to employ when it comes to disciplining the children as they get older.

Just when you think you’ve got the little buggers figured out, they adapt and move on without saying a word. This extends to correcting their lapses in behavior as well. What used to work when the kids were toddlers won’t when they are teens. (Although, being a 17-year-old in time out would probably be a tad humiliating.) Continue reading »

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