Evaluations | International Resources? | Surgeon General | UK Focus on Marriage - 7/11/07

[Smartmarriages]

- CEU EVALUATION
- INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES
- SURGEON GENERAL SAYS WHITE HOUSE HUSHED HIM
- UK: FOCUS ON MARRIAGE

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- CEU EVALUATION

>>  I applied for CEUs and was told as soon as I submitted them that I only
>> received 28.29.  I wondered how that is determined out of a potential 69.  I
>> thought I would get more ..
>> Janice Konrade 
> 
> See the program at a glance on page 17 of the brochure or on the
> smartmarriages website.  It lists the number of hrs for each pre or post
> institute, keynote, banquet, or workshop attended.  - diane

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- INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES

> Diane,   Do you know of any PAIRS Educators or other marriage educators
> anywhere in the Philippines?  I need to make a referral.  Other countries of
> interest include: South Korea, Cuba, Russia, India, Thailand.  Please ask the
> list to reply to me directly and I'll compile these resources and share them
> with you and the coalition.
>  
> Jeff Williams
> Jeff at GraceandTruthRelationship.com

Good.  I'll create a page of referral info.  South Korea will have a bunch,
no idea about the others.  -diane
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- SURGEON GENERAL SAYS WHITE HOUSE HUSHED HIM
I've been trying for 12 years to get the Surgeon General to issue a report
on the health benefits of marriage - a healthy marriage is, after all, one
of the most important factors predicting the physical and mental health of
men, women and children.  It's been like driving a car into a brick wall and
I could never understand why such a logical and useful report couldn't
happen. The research is there, we just need the surgeon general to make it
KNOWN to the public - make "The Case for Marriage" national news and help
educate them on the value of working on their marriages. I've clearly been
extremely naïve about how these things are decided.  This story is front
page news in Washington Post, NY Times, papers, networks, and blogs across
the country. 

> All three men [three past surgeon generals serving under various
> administrations] urged major changes in the way the surgeon general is chosen
> and the way the office is financed.

- diane 

Washington Post: 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR2007071001
422.html?hpid=topnews
  
NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/washington/11surgeon.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=
1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1184167052-3CvETb7BN1QPPcBbRdb7pA

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- UK: FOCUS ON MARRIAGE
Nick Robinson's News Blog/UK
10 Jul 07

So, we're off.

Welcome to the first skirmish of the long long election campaign which began
when Gordon Brown became prime minister. No, don't stop reading. This
argument has the benefit of being about something that really matters. That
something is the "Broken Society" - that's the new catchphrase for the
proposition that having mended the British economy politicians have watched
as our society has shattered.

The Tory policy review out today blames five evils - family breakdown,
addiction (to drugs, alcohol and gambling), poor education, welfare
dependency and failed education. The language is a self conscious re-working
of Beveridge - the founder of the welfare state. The message is that that
the welfare state has all too often made things worse rather than better -
whether through a benefit system that makes it too easy to stay out of work
or a drugs policy that gives addicts their next fix.

Today's focus will, though, be on marriage. To reduce this to a debate about
whether getting hitched is good or bad is too trite. In truth mainstream
politicians do not disagree about this. Most subscribe to the view that the
evidence shows that marriage is - in most cases - more stable than
cohabitation and that two parents are - in most cases - better than one.

Of course, there are plenty of exceptions ranging from the good - lone
parents who give their all to their kids - to the bad - abusive fathers who
beat their children. However, these examples do not challenge the basic
premise.

Gordon Brown has ordered ministers not to engage in an argument about
whether marriage is better or worse. That's why the exceptionally bright
minister Ed Miliband got into a bit of a tangle on the Today programme this
morning when asked just that. The argument is really about the best
priorities for spending taxpayers' money and whether governments can or even
should signal the way people should lead their lives.

The Tories propose a transferable tax break for married couples as a
"signal" of society's approval for marriage. Labour point out that a tax
break for all married couples would either cost a lot or give couples very
little. It would also only benefit those whose income is high enough to pay
tax and where one parent earns very little. Better, they say, to help
children regardless of what their parents do and focus help on the poorest.

The Tories will find it easier to make the case for reforming the benefit
system. Labour's former welfare minister Frank Field has recently argued
that it sends perverse signals about how people should lead their lives. The
premiums for single parents in fact represent a "couples' penalty" by making
people better off if they separate. This is a problem which John Hutton -
the minister in charge until a couple of weeks ago - has himself
acknowledged.

Today's report tries to avoid the trap of robbing lone parent Peter to pay
for married Paul. The result though is that it comes with a bill attached of
over £6 billion which it claims can be paid for by a tougher and more
efficient welfare system. Sounds too good to be true. Someone somewhere will
have to lose if others are to gain. These are the choices politicians - and
ultimately voters - have to make and it's an illusion to think that any of
them come value free.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2007/07/focus_on_marria.html

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