Glenn Grothman: The Breakdown of the American Family is the Nation's Most Pressing Problem

The Crisis of Family Breakdown

• 💔 Representative Glenn Grothman identifies the breakdown of the traditional family as the most pressing problem facing America, impacting crime, drug use, and education.
• 📈 He highlights a dramatic increase in children born outside of a two-parent household, from 5% in the 1960s to 40% for post-1995 generations.
• 💡 While acknowledging successful single-parent households, Grothman argues that the difficulty of raising children is significantly higher without both parents present.

Government Incentives and Marriage Penalties

• 💰 Grothman asserts that numerous government programs, such as food stamps, low-income housing, and the earned income tax credit, penalize marriage by reducing benefits for couples with two incomes or a combined income above certain thresholds.
• 🏠 Programs like the low-income housing tax credit can incentivize the construction of superior housing that is then offered at lower costs to eligible low-income individuals, creating a disincentive to marry.
• 🎓 Similarly, Pell Grants for college education may be more accessible to single individuals, discouraging marriage before pursuing higher education.
• 💸 He suggests that these programs create a situation where individuals may choose to remain single to receive a $25,000-$30,000 cash benefit.

Societal and Ideological Roots

• 🗣️ Grothman references historical figures like Karl Marx and feminist scholars like Kate Millett, suggesting that the abolition of the traditional family has been a stated goal for some ideological movements.
• ⚖️ He cites a Wisconsin Supreme Court judge who described the notion of marriage as the foundation of the family as