Senator Wants To Help Children By Relieving Parents Of Their Duties
from the the-nanny-state dept
Children must pay a lot in taxes and have excellent lobbyists because there's no end to the parade of politicians looking out for them. And if you thought that it was just Republicans who got outraged over indecency on TV and videogames, think again. Hillary Clinton intends to seek federal funding to study the effects that video games and "media saturation" have on youth. Clinton claims that parents need help in this area, though it seems pretty easy to avoid paying the $500 it costs for a new game console. If the result of these studies were simply that parents should control their kids habits more that might be okay, but in reality they're likely to bolster calls for more regulation. Then, the parents can rest comfortably knowing that the government has taken care of everything, and that they needn't bother teaching their children about responsible videogame play, television watching or internet use. Strangely, that doesn't sound very "pro-family".
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Another vast right wing conspiracy?
Ever see how successful government housing works?
I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I am that my tax dollars are going to be spent on such an important project.
After all it takes a village to raise a child. The parents have nothing to do with it.
I just wish "the village" didn't have to spend millions of dollars on a project which will reinforce the opinions of those who believe video games are the cause of certain behaviors while the other side will claim the government project was flawed or biased.
Net effect: A big fat zero.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Another vast right wing conspiracy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Another vast right wing conspiracy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Another vast right wing conspiracy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Another vast right wing conspiracy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Another vast right wing conspiracy?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Another vast right wing conspiracy?
What's even funnier is that these same people (like the mental giant who originally posted this morceau de merde) will look down their noses at stay at home moms who "lack ambition" or "don't contribute to society" or "are weak willed women being subservient to male opression". If they have kids, most of lamebrains agreeing with this joker probably spend, MAYBE 30 hours PER WEEK with their children and that's assuming that they're not being super-yuppie and working more than 45 hours per week. So who's raising the kids of every uber-yuppie household in America? It's the day-care center and probably the illegal immigrant nanny, but you can bet in all likelihood that the jackass that posted this is not raising his own kids, and if he isn't then hopefully we can prevent him from further contaminating the gene pool
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Another vast right wing conspiracy?
I'll use smaller words and eliminate the sarcasm. My point was that this study will not solve anything. It's a waste of time and money better spent. (I vote for ways to antagonize the French.) Senator Clinton is going for the cheap political points. Her book was also on par with cheap political points. Senator Clinton isn't exactly known as the "stay at home" Mom who baked cookies. I think her disdain for stay at home Moms who baked cookies was made clear. More power to her. She has a right to her opinion and run her family in the way she sees fit.
How about an analogy (sorry I don't know the French word for analogy): Would you let your children play in traffic? Then you shouldn't let your children be on the Internet or play video games or watch TV without supervision. I do not need a government study to tell me that playing in traffic is dangerous (but I'm sure there is one out there).
Mangez Moi, my mother was a teacher but only once myself and my two brothers were in school because ...wait for it: that way she would be home when we were. We were a one income family and spoiled isn't exactly how you would describe us. ("Brats" maybe, but not spoiled.)
My wife and I had a serious discussion when we found out we were "enceinte" (I looked that one up for you.) Who would stay home with the baby? It went something like this:
"My bursting flower of loveliness, what would you like to do once your maternity leave is up? Would you like to go back to work?"
"Why would I want some stranger to raise our child. Are you insane?"
"Mon femme trophée, that's debatable. I know we always said that one of us would stay home to raise the children."
"And you thought you would stay home? You are insane."
End of discussion. I was happy to go back to work and she was and is happier than I've ever seen her raising our children (we have two now and would like one or two more). We see our friends and what they go through for day care. I'm not going to compare my children with others (it wouldn't be fair), but I believe that the only people suited to raise children are the parents and I don't need a government study to tell me that. My wife realizes that a video game or the television is not a substitute for her influence. We have one Television set and we do not own a video game consol. (Mainly because I would be playing it all hours of the night.) I realize that some families have no choice and I'm grateful for a thriving business that allows my wife to stay home with our kids. Will she go back to work once our kids have reached school age? I don't know, I'm sure she'll let me know. It is my intention to earn enough that she can stay at home if she chooses. It's hard work taking care of our kids, house and yes, she takes care of me as well. She may want to take a break and only work 40 hours a week at a job.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
... and another thing
I meant to comment on this but got sidetracked. I did read most of Senator Clinton's book. Aside from the fact that most of it was unremarkable, there was a lot I agreed with - it's not just parents, but grandparents, pastors, ect.(nothing new there.) However, Senator Clinton is taking the same tack as with her Universal Health Care plan. The "village" in this case is the Federal Government. I can't remember much from the book, but I do remember this part thanks to Mangez Moi: She was in favor of a Universal Pre-school program for children as young as three, similar to the system used in France. Big Brother is now Big Momma (my apologies to Martin Lawrence). Mangez Moi, do you want the Federal Government raising your kids?
Socialism is working so well for France right now. Can you imagine trying to pay for such a program? Can you imagine the type of job the government would do?
Why is it that Senator Clinton's name is always associated with the world "universal" when it comes to a government program?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Clinton & Gore together again?
Money spent: Millions of taxpayer dollars
Net effect: A warning label on "Media Distribution Devices" and Video Game Consols:
"Warning: Watching or playing this device may result in damage to you and your childs brain. Please limit your exposure to less than six hours a day. For this and other important messages on how to raise your child, please call 1-800-it takes a village or visit our website: www.ittakesavillage.gov"
Problem solved!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I need parenting help.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I need parenting help.
Why do you think this? Is it, perhaps, because you feel this is true?
I've seen other studies like this result in "we have found no evidence that X causes Y."
I'm not saying it WILL come ot that conclusion. I'm just saying it's possible. Just being logical.
Now, before you respond, I must ask that you step away from the cynicism button...slowly...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: I need parenting help.
the study, who funded it, who has something
to gain or lose depending on the findings?
When you answer those questions I believe
concluding the study will find "videogames +
children = bad" is not cynical but most reasonable.
Being a lawyer and a politician she would never
ask for a study unless she was assured of the findings.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: I need parenting help.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Why waste our time/money on a study like this?
Funny how the first channel listed in the commercial of available channels is Fox News...not exactly a channel I'd want my children watching.
Why do so many parents (allegedly) want to pass the buck and have everyone else raise their kids? Instead of wasting taxpayer dollars on a pointless study, why don't we find better ways to spend it?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Why waste our time/money on a study like this?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Why waste our time/money on a study like t
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
In case you haven't noticed the vast majority of parents are doing a rahter horrible job of it. Why not let someone else try?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Ever see the stats on the War on Drugs, the War on Terrorism, the War on Crime, the War on Homelessness, the War on Poverty, among many other wars? The War on Horrible Parenting will be lost even worse than those and likely contribute to all the above wars. No thanks.
And "the vast majority" aren't doing a horrible job of raising their kids..that's a vast overstatement. There are some that are doing a horrible job but not nearly as many as you are trying to imply.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
They don't -want- us raising them
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Is there nothing else we can spend money on?
As a father I understand just how difficult it sometimes is to avoid the “indecency on TV and videogames,” but as a father it is MY responsibility to monitor the effects TV, internet, and videogames have on my child, not the government. Or do we now live in China???
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Economy grows and lifestyles change.
Dual income becomes the norm to be able to support a family.
Moms aren't home as much with children.
When current parents were children, schools could dicipline, therefore the assumption is made that schools can effectively teach right and wrong.
The fact is that schools don't dicipline (or can't), children are less supervised with more resources available than ever (100's of cable channels, internet, e-games, txt messaging, cell phones), and parents play a lesser role in the development of their children.
Bottom line - parents should be parents first, or don't have children
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
If it were being pushed by a university research department or something then I'd say maybe you're right, however, since this one is being pushed by Senator Clinton, I have to agree that I see no way that this could come to any other conclusion, thus being a complete waste of taxpayer dollars.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Ahh yes
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
"We have found no evidence ..."?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
They let their children do things they shouldn't rather than be the only parent who doesn't (according to their children).
The concept of age appropriate activies seems to be beyond the comprehesion of many parents.
There are a lot of things wrong, but legislation isn't going to solve the problem.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Parenting Help
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Good point Jezsik, one thing though. The AMA research arm did a study between 2001-2002 at the request of Bush, when it came to the same conclusions the study was, well I guess that it got lost with the real reports on WMD.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Solution=another tax
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Government says:
Spanking your child = physical abuse
Raising your voice = mental abuse
Afterall, they're only little people.
Oprah's audience say:
Spanking your child = I told you once already, but you didn't listen.
Raising your voice = Next step is spanking.
Afterall, they're only little people and need guidance.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Bravo
Spanking was an option, but I knew that it was possible - with that look it was rarely necessary.
I don't see that often these days, but when I do, I like to give a word of encouragement to the parent for doing it right. On more than one occasion I have backed up a parent who was spanking a misbehaving child (reasonably, IMO) when someone else was threatening to report them.
Too many parents let their children get away with murder when they are small and "cute". When they are grown it is too late.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
That being said, there is realtively little research on the effect of video-game violence on children... I see nothing wrong with this, yeah, it MIGHT lead to something, then again, it might NOT lead to anything... We simply don't know yet. Wait for the research results, THEN get angry.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Getting upset about sex is stupider than getting upset about violence. May as well declare United States a Christian State.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Also, please realize that Clinton is doing this for political power, not because she actually thinks that she can do any good on this crusade.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]