In Washington D.C. on July 23, 2014, the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) united with Catholic University of America to host a forum tackling the impact of family breakdowns. There is a “nagging sense of doubt about the federal government’s ability to solve the problem,” noted Stephen F. Schneck, Ph.D, Director of the Catholic University’s Institute for Policy Research (IPR) and moderator of the event. Hopeful to provide real solutions, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) laid out his “sequence of success” for healthy families and a prosperous nation.
“I consider myself to be a child of privilege,” said Sen. Rubio to a packed Great Room of media, activists, academics and concerned citizens. “While we weren’t rich or well-connected, my background coming from a strong and stable family has given me enormous advantage in life. Because I was taught certain values that led me to live my life in sequence that has a proven track-record of success.”
In the wake of fierce national debates over religious liberty, the redefinition of marriage and the sanctity of life, it is vital now more than ever to reinvigorate morality and family values. Stressing societies’ dependency upon morality, Sen. Rubio declared, “The truth is that the social and moral well-being of our people has a direct and consequential impact on their economic well-being.”
As an example, the young senator explained that if all children in the U.S. were raised in a two-parent home, then it is estimated that the poverty rate would decrease by 70 percent. Sen. Rubio explained, “If we want to restore the American dream, then restore the moral values.”
To revive the American dream, Sen. Rubio outlined a “success sequence” that will hopefully change the decline of our country. His steps to success are as follows:
#1: Education
“In the 21st century a good education is not just an option, it’s a necessity. And no group in America faces more impediments to education than children being raised by single parents, many of whom are doing a heroic job of raising their children by themselves,” explained Sen. Rubio.
He continued, “Low-income children are the only ones forced to attend schools not of their parents’ choice. In order to give them a chance…we need our government to give their parents the opportunity to choose the education that is right for them.”
Practical steps to achieve better school options include Sen. Rubio’s proposed tax credit incentive. If implemented, this tax credit would encourage the wealthy to make greater contributions to scholarship organizations that would provide private school scholarships to needy children.
#2 Jobs
According to Sen. Rubio, “Finding a job is the second part of the success sequence. Helping people find work begins with an economy that creates good paying jobs.”
To promote a thriving economy, Sen. Rubio recently introduced pro-growth pro-innovation policies to harness the energy of emerging industries and “open our businesses to hundreds of new customers around the world.” However, Sen. Rubio acknowledged that these policy changes alone are not enough.
What is truly important is to change individuals’ values of strong-work ethics, personal responsibility and long-term dependency upon social welfare programs. Sen. Rubio explained, “Our current anti-poverty programs are incomplete. Because while they help to alleviate some of the pain of poverty they do not do nearly enough to cure it.” Noting that the federal government has tried and failed for 50 years to curve poverty, Sen. Rubio was adamant that growth and prosperity ultimately depend upon the state, local community and families’ effective initiatives.
#3 Marriage
After gaining an education and landing a new job, the third step to success in Sen. Rubio’s sequence is healthy marriage. “The link between marriage and economic security is undeniable,” said Sen. Rubio.
He continued, “At a minimum we should eliminate policies and programs that punish marriage. Our current tax codes penalize marriage by hitting a married couple with taxes that two otherwise identical singles would be spared from.” Sen. Rubio continued, “That’s why I support pro-family tax reform that would end the marriage penalty by doubling the tax threshold for joint filers.”
By far the most controversial statements made by Sen. Rubio surrounded his address of the federal redefinition of marriage. “We should acknowledge that our history is marked by discrimination against gays and lesbians,” said Sen. Rubio. “There was once a time when our federal government not only banned the hiring of gay employees, it required private contractors to identify and fire them. Some laws prohibited gays from being served in bars and restaurants and many cities carried out law enforcement efforts targeting gay Americans.”
Continuing on, “Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since then. Many committed gay and lesbian couples feel humiliated by the law’s failure to recognize their relationship as a marriage and some argue that banning same-sex marriage is discrimination.” He continued, “I respect their arguments and I would concede that they pose a legitimate question…but there is another side of this debate.”
Thankfully, Sen. Rubio affirmed the proven importance of the traditional family structure. “This is the definition of marriage that I personally support,” he said. “Not because I seek to discriminate against people who love someone of the same sex. But because I believe that the union of one man and one woman is a special relationship that has proven to be of great benefit to our society, our nation and our people and therefore deserves to be elevated by our laws.”
#4 Life
The final step in Sen. Rubio’s success sequence is a nation that values every life. “Abortion involves another more fundamental moral question. It is difficult because it involves two competing rights: a woman’s right to make choices regarding her own body versus the rights of the unborn child to live.”
Ideally, the senator envisions a prosperous nation that “will find steps to help with unwanted pregnancies, even as that society defends an unborn child’s right to life.”
Concluding, Sen. Rubio momentarily acknowledged the Almighty’s contribution to the United States’ success. “America is indeed an exceptional nation. But we would be foolish to believe that all we have we owe solely to ourselves. For we are also a blessed people.” said Sen. Rubio before receiving a standing applause.
Following Sen. Rubio’s keynote address, a panel discussion featuring Russell Moore, President of Southern Baptist ERLC, Penny Nance, President and CEO of Concerned Women for America, Brad Wilcox, Director of the National Marriage Project and Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Virginia, Richard V. Reeves, Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Sister Ann Patrick Conrad, Associate Professor of Social Work for Catholic University commenced. Analysis of the panel will be the focus of an upcoming Juicy Ecumenism report.
No comments yet
