At 6:45 AM 11/27/96, Gerald Levy wrote: >Consequently, although I think we should support the right of teen women >to have children, we can not ignore the tremendous cost (in financial and >other terms) that having children at that age has for the prospects of >increased income and job opportunities for the mother or the affect of >this development on the families of the mother and the communities that >they live in. Seems to me that the disadvantages suffered by single parents are only a more intense version of those suffered by a parental pair: the absence of a civilized welfare state, income volatility, the expense of education and childcare, etc. Women obviously suffer the increased injury of discrimination. The orthodox, from Clinton rightwards, want to make families absorb the costs of cutbacks in the welfare state. By conceding anything on this issue, we're letting them set the terms of debate (but of course, since they own the press, they have a natural advantage in term-setting). Empirically speaking - and I know what high regard you have for empirical work, Jerry - there's no evidence that early childbearing has any "affect" on the long-term employment prospects of poor women. Doug -- Doug Henwood Left Business Observer 250 W 85 St New York NY 10024-3217 USA +1-212-874-4020 voice +1-212-874-3137 fax email: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> web: <http://www.panix.com/~dhenwood/LBO_home.html>
