May 22: Repeal amendment; Fatherless homes


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In this Sunday Edition, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, discusses his proposed constitutional amendment to give states a veto over federal decisions. Also, BYU professor Erin Holmes, and author and family advocate Roger Muir discuss the impact of fathers.

SEGMENT 1: Repeal amendment

United States Representative Rob Bishop, of Utah's 1st District, has introduced into Congress an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

It is called the Repeal Amendment: "Any provision of law or regulation of the United States may be repealed by the several states, and such repeal shall be effective when the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states approve resolutions for this purpose that particularly describe the same provision or provisions of law or regulation to be repealed."

Bishop says he is trying to bring balance back to government.


Anytime you get two-third of the states saying there is a problem, there probably is a problem.

–Rep. Rob Bishop.


"I am convinced that the founding of this country was decided on the concept of check and balance," he explains. "Usually we only talk horizontally about it between the three branches of government, but equally important at the founding was a balance vertically between the federal government and the states. And I think that has been seriously eroded over the last five to six decades. The hope is that by giving the states the ability of having another check on the federal government, you don't let the states tell the federal government what to do but you bring them back into some kind of a balance. Now I think the political reality is, I hope, is that once the federal government realizes the states have a voice they will be more likely to talk and communicate with the States first, before they pass a law or institute on one of the agencies some kind of regulation or mandate on the states."

He says the amendment would be a tool.

"Anytime you get two-third of the states saying there is a problem, there probably is a problem," says Bishop.

Despite what people speculate, he says it is not about the Affordable Care Act.

"To me this is not a partisan issue, this is not ideological one. It actually goes back to my years in the legislature, when I got tired of the federal government giving us mandates at the same time."

"It can be used by conservatives, it can be used by liberals, it can be used by regions," Bishop describes. "I really think this is a philosophical approach to try to bring balance, which I think is essential to constitutional system of government."

If the amendment were already available for use, Bishop says he would use it to deal with issues from wild lands to some aspects of No Child Left Behind.

SEGMENT 2: Fatherless homes

Forty percent of American children will at some time live in a home without a father. Muir grew up without a father.

"My father, actually, moved on to another family. He left seven kids and started another family. We were basically left on our own with a mother to provide for those seven and deal with the upbringing of that group," says Muir. "As a kid back in the '70s I was one of maybe three in an entire school whose parents were divorced. For me it was very negative stigma. I was obviously the outcast when it came time to doing father-son activities, fishing, hiking, baseball. Other kids had people to do that with and I just didn't do it."

His experience changed the way he views fatherhood.


We've got a group of people out there who never had an example on a 24-7 type basis.

–Roger Muir


"Initially, it was about being what I never had," he explains. "My kids would never have to go without dad being there or being involved. And so I was very adamant about always being the perfect dad. Ultimately, I had the opportunity to connect with my dad and ultimately find forgiveness and create a little bit of a relationship there. And I recall very vividly the moment I realized I can stop behaving to correct him and I can be a dad just to enjoy those kids."

The greatest contributor for fatherlessness in homes is not divorce but is children born to unmarried parents. Holmes says it is one of the greatest increases we have according to census data.

Also, one in four children in the U.S. are being raised by a single parent. Holmes says there is an "interesting contrast" with an increase in fathers who choose not to be involved while there is an increase in men being more involved and trying to be better than their fathers.

Muir says part of the problem for fathers today is they did not have a father in the home and don't know how couples deal with tough issues.

"We've got a group of people out there who never had an example on a 24-7 type basis," he explains.

Related:

Holmes says the effects of not having an involved father include increased crime, delinquency, drug and alcohol use, and dropout rates. But she says the research primarily show correlation, not causation.

Some studies indicate the real issue is income and there is less income generally for single mothers. But Holmes says it is important to not think of fathers as only income providers.

"Income is related to other knowledge, other skills and other resources. If a father is providing a family with income, that also might mean that a father is also providing a family with other values -- other opportunities," she explains.

Holmes also says single mothers should not fret, there are many ways children can have a father figure in their lives with other family members or neighbors.

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