Excerpts reprinted from the San Francisco Chronicle by Jill Duerr Berrick
Sarah Palin has no doubt boosted John McCain's ratings in the polls. Long silent on the issue of family policy, Palin's mere presence on the Republican ticket speaks to American voters and implies a steadfast support for women, children and the American family. Hungry for a candidate who speaks to their issues, Americans have been captured by the symbolic blend of mother, family and politics.
As attractive as Palin's mother-of-five image may be, however, Americans should be wary. One woman's personal accomplishments should not be confused with the opportunities that might be afforded to millions of families if Barack Obama's proposed policies were implemented.
McCain lacks an articulated family-policy platform, a consistent view on women's issues, and a perspective on government's role vis-À-vis children beyond the walls of the schoolhouse.
Obama, on the other hand, has well-defined plans for tackling teenage pregnancy, expanding early-childhood education, improving child-support collection, and – importantly – supporting new families as they step into the uncertain terrain of parenthood.
The American family is a fragile institution. High rates of poverty, divorce, single parenthood and social isolation exaggerate the typical strains of parenting.
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Against this backdrop, the United States provides few services to support new families. Unlike many European countries, we do not offer universal paid parental leave, universal child care, universal health care, or universal income supports. No one holds any illusions that either party's proposed policies would follow in the footsteps of our neighbors across the Atlantic. But we could do more.
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Obama has a clear plan to expand home-visiting programs to low-income, new parents. The plan is hardly a wild, left-wing expansion of the welfare state. There is nothing universal about it, there is nothing intrusive about it (parents can accept or deny services at will), and there are few costs involved. Studies of the program show that if home visiting is implemented with care, cost savings may even accrue.
If elected, Obama's initial steps into the field of family policy would signal an important shift in federal policymaking. But it would provide more than a signal to low-income parents. For them and for their children, it might offer a real lifeline to a better future.
Washington, D.C., imagemakers recognize the power of political symbols. Palin has given the Republican Party the symbol it was seeking to communicate McCain's concern for America's children and families. But American voters should expect more than a political nod.
Palin's image won't help a single mother in the Mission District of San Francisco, a low-income couple in Antioch, or a 17-year-old mom in Oakland. American families know too well the challenges of raising children in today's complex society. Political symbols should be set aside; American parents need evidence-informed policies that offer concrete assistance to families.
(Jill Duerr Berrick is a professor of social welfare at UC Berkeley. Her new book, "Take Me Home: Protecting America's Vulnerable Children and Families," is available from Oxford University Press.)
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