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I think DanaC also doesn't understand that children are not property of the state in the US. Nor do we want them to be.
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Who said anything about property? I am talking about responsibility. In the event a parent abdicates responsibility for their child that child can either a) be left to their own devices or b) become the responsibility of the society they were born into. If it's a) well that's just fine, maybe we let em beg on the streets calcutta style if its b) then society ( the State) should take that responsibilty seriously.
Personally I think we are all responsible for the children born into our society;not to remove any of the rights of the parents, I am not in favour of heavy handed state intervention where it is at all possible for children to be raised without it.
If the state refuses to accept responsibilty for the children who are born into it then it stands to reason not all of those children will have the chances/opportunities for happiness and success that their more loved and wanted counterparts might have.
If we are talking about children whose parents refuse/ or are unable to care for them then I see the State and it's responsibilities as an empowering thing for society. I say this as someone who has never had a child. I would gladly pay higher taxes in order to ensure that each child in my community was given the best possible chance in life. There is no need in countries with our wealth for children *not* to have those chances/opportunities. None whatsoever.