It’s a sunny if chilly Monday but our question this week is sure to warm up some brain cells.
With the long term costs of divorce becoming an increasingly sore point in political debate whilst the economic downturn rages on, it may come as no surprise that Conservative MPs have been featured in the national press heavily criticising the phenomenon.
Sir Gerald Howarth has been very vocal on the matter and would like to see outright condemnation of divorce at all levels. He would also like to see active criticism of divorced couples filtering through family and economic policy, public body spokesmen and the media.
He has been quoted as saying:
- “We cannot afford to continue subsidising people who live these kind of dysfunctional lifestyles”
- “Am I being judgemental in an age when such approach is deemed inappropriate? Of course I’m being judgemental! For the sake of the country, we need to be judgemental. Besides, there are plenty of people who never cease to be judgemental about Members of Parliament.”
- “Some will say that in a free society people should be entitled to live any lifestyle they want. However, overwhelmingly it is the taxpayer who is picking up the tab, so the state cannot be an idle bystander.”
So our question to you this week is simple: do you think divorce should be condemned?
Researching Reform 
Divorce may be frowned upon but not condemned. Perhaps a few marbles should be returned to this gentleman.
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Thank you for your comment, Phil. It made me smile.
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If your partner/spouse leaves to set up home with someone else there is little benefit to the children or yourself in living like a monk/nun (not the one that got pregnant!) thereafter
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Do you think though that divorce is in itself a bad thing?
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“We cannot afford to continue subsidising people who live these kind of dysfunctional lifestyles
It is not divorce that is an issue here. Its the lack of jobs, affordable child care, lack of financial protection and contact for seperated parents, lack of affordable single person housing (leaving some woman to have children to secure a home) lack of jobs for those without qualifications and lack of oppotunity for work for those with learning disability and unable to gain any qualifications and a host of other reasons.
To have a stable ‘family life’ you have to live in a stable and conscience country with the correct legislations and foundations.
After all the country has managed to create a service industry to replace lost manufacturing mangement jobs for the ‘qualified middle classes but FAILED to replace jobs for the rest and thrown them all on the rubbish pile. Now those at the top just complain bitterly about the neets on the bottom.
But the biggest service industry, the middle classes are making money out of those ‘thrown on the rubblish heap people. Taking the children for adoptions and fosterings, Hence employing those who may well have worked in the manufacturing industry.
Bit like the MOD who would not publically accept the harm caused to a 0-3 month old feotus from radiation created from computers.
It happens but no-one would admit it because it was declared ‘not in the public interest’. It could have damaged multi million pound buisness.
Just like admitting corruption or allowing cases in the forced adoption and fostering industry could not only damage the public confidence in LA and God forbid, even worse reduce the need for this service industry.
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Hi S4J, I agree with you that divorce per se is not the enemy.
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■“Am I being judgemental in an age when such approach is deemed inappropriate? Of course I’m being judgemental! For the sake of the country, we need to be judgemental. Besides, there are plenty of people who never cease to be judgemental about Members of Parliament.”
Yes Sir, its time these people were judged, though we may be talking about ‘different people that need to be judged.
Some will say that in a free society people should be entitled to live any lifestyle they want. However, overwhelmingly it is the taxpayer who is picking up the tab, so the state cannot be an idle bystander.”
So who are creating this depressed state of affairs. The govenments who allow the taking of industry and its workforce overseas, the govenment for not setting a wage that even affords any standard of living, the govenment for not addressing the needs of affordable housing for single people, the govenment for importing huge foreign labour at a time their is a serious lack of work for the unqualified, the govenment which is allowing a service industry that is breaking up the poorest families, the legislations that do not protect the poorest causing those who are most vulnable to be insulted by the very govenment who has assisted in their suicide.
For forget the rubbish spewed by spin doctors to distract from the real problems. Partnerships can survive happily given the right foundations in society. It does not take a piece a paper but ALL of the above.
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Reblogged this on Parents Against Injustice..
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The President of France does not believe in divorce ;but he does not believe in marriage either.He dumped his mistress Segolene for another younger mistress Valerie and has just dumped that mistress for an even younger mistress (a film starlet).His rival for leadership of the socialists and previous strong favourite to win the Presidency raped a black chambermaid for a “quickie” when she came to make up the room at noon (checkout time);He admitted a liaison with a high class call girl the night before but still felt sufficiently frisky at checkout time to induldge his fancies before joining his daughter for lunch an hour later.
Makes the UK look a bit tame by comparison.VIVE LA DIFFERENCE !!
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That’s a colourful example, FA. As you know, the French view infidelity very differently to their British counterparts and divorce as something of an inconvenience. But all tolerated to a greater extent.
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http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:z-tNQfWP5HYJ:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_scandals_in_the_United_Kingdom+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
All tolerated to a greater degree in the UK. Most go on to survive in politics in one form or another or become high earners elsewhere.
Same for social workers.
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http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:z-tNQfWP5HYJ:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_scandals_in_the_United_Kingdom+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
At the end of the day if most peoples lives were investigated for fact, it would be a sorry state of affairs. That includes powder sniffing, drunken and dishonest social workers.
Most of these people and friends have the idea that its all ok to commit offences so long as you dont get caught.
Sadly these people do tend to work in jobs that will judge others. Therefore they have a idea in their head that most people would commit offences but will cover it up with family and friends.
Hence it is not guilty people who lose out but the innocent as few will believe their pleas of innocence and prefer to believe the person accused are in some sort of denial or cover up.
Therefore giving a stand off between the innocent and the Judge. Off course the Judge will win UNLESS he happens to be a clean living honest Judge. Then he would Question IT including the validity of the statements presented to him by the accusers and accused.
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Marriage is considered by some to be an outdated institution. It’s costly and it is not guaranteed to last and there are not many perks! There used to be the argument that if you had children then it would be better but since there are so many divorces that holds little credence now. Maybe people should concentrate on working at their relationship and not quitting if it gets a little tough. All relationships hit turbulent waters from time to time and its easy to forget what attracted you in the first place. However, if violence erupts, get immediate help or run a mile!
Society puts women in boxes, Mrs or Miss or Ms but note the man is always Mr! Why should getting married change your title if you are a female? I think this is stigmatising and should be dropped!
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I must say, I’ve never been a fan of Ms……
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