UNICEF's Incomplete Mirror on Families Reflects Poorly on U.S.

Those of you who have spent some time in the countries referred to will know there is a lot of truth to the report that lists the US as only 20th in family-friendliness. I work in Holland, Germany, France and some of the Scandanavian countries. They ACT more family-freindly, rather than just having speeches like we often hear in the US. For instance, working mothers typically are guaranteed a year's leave to be at home with thier kids, with job protection IF they want to return to work. In Italy workers typically get 6 weeks holiday - even to start - and spend lots of time with their bambini (children). If you ask and Italian, "Would you like 20% higher wages to live like an American, with 2 or 3 weeks vacation each year?" most Italians would just laugh and say, "Of course not." We need to stop judging everything by money in the US, or assuming that the needs of businesses are the same as people's needs. When business sends your job to China or India you will realize that isn't true.

I'm certainly not anti-business, but businesses need to be regulated.
To people who say, "Oh business couldn't possibly do that...." Well, those countries DO offer more family and vaction leave, and their workers are happy to have it. And BMW, Siemans, Shell, and other European companies are making plenty of money.

As for the lie we've been told about "socialized medicine" for years - Do you consider Kaiser Hospital to be socialized medicine? It covers more people than some small states, and does a pretty good job. Big need not mean bad. Right now infant mortality in the US is 21st in the world. 21st! Your baby has more chance to die here than in many other countries. Doesn't that mean they are doing some things better than us? Let's not be too arrogant to learn.

Remember than when FDR proposed Social Security, 50% of American seniors were in poverty. Now that number is closer to 10%. What a great advance! You could say that we "socialized" security, and we did it well (I really appreciate my social security.) How about you?

It's time for a smarter system of health care that doesn't vanish if an American loses a job. If Germany can figure it out, why can't we?

Mr. Perkins, have you ever looked closely at the health care systems in Europe? If you did I think you would change your mind. Many babies DIE in the US AFTER they are born. We can do better than be 21st in the world.

Be smart - propose something positive - don't just critisize. Suggest what we can do here. If you care about real children, after they have been born.

We could simply buy a membership in Kaiser Health for everyone and be better off than we are now...

I read the entire report and frankly, I don't get Tony's point. Only in a few specific areas did the researchers use public spending as the criteria. I think the researchers did a fine job of sticking to objective points.

As Dr. Duncan points out, almost everyone who has seen firsthand the differences between, say, Scandanavia and the US in the way that children are cared for, has come to the conclusion that almost all major develevoped countries are superior in this area.

And interestingly, someone correct me if I misread, it is Sweden that has a very high rate of children being raised by single-parent families, and yet children are by far better off there.

I think it boils down to a fundamental difference in the way we see the role of ourselves in the larger "society".

The US is, for better or worse an nation of individuals; we do not see ourselves as being our brother's keeper.

It is possible to over-value the family. Its an important concept, I agree - but not infallable. Some families dont function properly, some will be disrupted or broken up. Affairs, divorce, and even deaths are just facts of life - so when a family is unable to care for its children, government should be able to offer a good standard of backup. Dont rely on 'family' as the magic solution to every problem.

A particular problem is consistancy. There are good families, and bad families, and some truely terrible families. Some families have good parents, but just dont have enough income to afford essentials such as health and education for the children. Some parents are not so good, and neglect their children. So while the family does have a vital role to play, it certinly cannot be depended upon in every single case - and if the family is viewed as the ideal, infallable environment, then its impossible to plan for those times it does fail.

In more practical terms? Get public education standards up, and get rid of that horrible mercinary medical system - raising children requires access to medical services that are affordable to everyone, effective, and most importantly dependable - nothing that will disappear should a parent become unemployed.

I have been part of this world population for 76 yrs. and I find no better /or sound institution than there is in a Family group, One that lives the life that it was first established by God. IF we live as we are told to by The Word Of GOD, WE will maintain HIS desire and in turn HE will bless that institution as HE promised he would do. We can-not exspect God to bless our "unbelief and wrong -self-will in life .
IF WE turn our backs on GOD,, what can WE exspect?

"find no better /or sound institution than there is in a Family group"

I couldn't agree more.

But I think the point of UNICEFs report is simply that the USA is far behind much of the world in setting public policy that helps families.

Now, if you wish to argue that if we all follow God's prescription then they'd be no need for public policy, I won't argue with you.

But that will never happen, nor has it ever been. The most important lesson, IMHO, that Jesus taught is to take care of each other, including and especially those who fall down.

And to forgive those who fall. Not once or twice or seven times, but seven times seventy times.

We are our brother's keeper.