~ Diversity is the Norm ~
The American Association for Single People takes
exception to the title of a press release issued today by the Census Bureau. On closer
examination, the government's media spin that "the nuclear family rebounds"
turns out to be a distortion.
The Census Bureau issued a new report today which
examines the living arrangements of children in the United States in 1996. The official
government report was announced by a press release from the Commerce Department which
declares "The 'Nuclear Family' Rebounds, Census Bureau Reports."
In fact, more recent data from the Census Bureau shows that the percent of children living
with a single parent has continued to increase each decade since 1960 when only 9.1
percent of children resided in single parent families. As of 1998, the Census Bureau's
annual report showed that nearly 20 million children, more than 27% of all youth in the
nation, lived with a single parent. One million more minors lived with a single parent in
1998 than in 1995.
"Nuclear family rebounds" turns out to be even more inaccurate when one looks at
other census data from the perspective of the nation's households.
The percent of American households which contain a married couple has steadily declined
since a peak in 1950 when 78 percent of our households included married couples. An annual
survey done by the Census Bureau in 2000 of 50,000 households found that married-couple
households had declined to 52.8 percent.
When children are thrown into the mix, the decline in the percent of married-with-children
households has dropped even further. For example, census reports show that in 1970, more
than 40 percent of the nation's households were comprised of married couples with
children. That percent has been steadily dropping, to 31 percent in 1980, 26 percent in
1990, and 24 percent in 1999.
"Since married-with-children households have dropped that dramatically in 30 years,
and with the percent of children living with single parents continuing to increase each
year, it is amazing that the Census Bureau would issue a press release that claims the
"nuclear family" of married couples raising children is rebounding," said
Thomas F. Coleman, Executive Director of the American Association for Single People.
"This type of a media spin on facts such as these looks as though it could have
political underpinnings," he added.
"AASP is not for or against marriage or traditional families," Coleman
explained. "We want society to respect the personal decisions that Americans make as
to whether they choose to marry or not, and whether they choose to have children or
not."
This new census report is being released at a time when
tax reform proposals are a major topic of debate in Washington. Some of the
proposals focus on married taxpayers with children at home. But lawmakers should
remember that many of their constituents have different types of living arrangements.
"It's time for Congress to focus on tax relief for ALL Americans, including unmarried
wage-earners and taxpayers," Coleman stressed. "After all, we make up 40 percent
of the nation's full-time workforce."
AASP is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization promoting the well being of all of
America's 82 million unmarried adults, whether they live alone, with a roommate or
domestic partner, or whether they are a single parent or live with other relatives. AASP
uses educational means to insure that the concerns of unmarried Americans are considered
by elected representatives, corporate executives, political party officials, and the
general public.
"Unmarried Americans, whether they have children
or not, deserve to be treated fairly," Coleman said. "And as it stands now, we
are not."
Marital status discrimination is pervasive in our tax codes, including and especially in
the federal death tax. While a married person may leave an unlimited amount of wealth to a
surviving spouse without being taxed at all by the federal government, unmarried people
are treated differently.
"Why should a single parent not be able to leave tax-free assets to a surviving
child?" Coleman asked. If taxation is going to be "marriage neutral" as
Senator Joe Lieberman and others in Congress say it should be, then an unmarried adult
should be able to leave assets to a relative or domestic partner tax free," he added.
"Removing marital status discrimination from the tax codes either requires
eliminating the tax, or taxing married people the same as unmarried people -- whether we
are talking about the death tax or about the 'marriage bonus' that most married couples
get when they file a joint return," Coleman said. "What's fair for one should be
fair for all."
One thing is certain, marital status discrimination will not stop until unmarried
Americans begin to speak out and to organize.
"The squeaky wheel gets oiled," Coleman observed. "Single people need to
take a page out of the book of older Americans. In 1950, seniors were relatively
powerless, but today AARP has 34 million members and politicians pay attention to the
needs of our seniors."
The American Association for Single People wants to provide a collective voice for the 82
million unmarried Americans -- whether they have children or not, whether they are gay or
heterosexual, whether they are men or women, or whether they are young or old. Any adult
may join AASP by making a tax deductible donation of $10 or more.
Reporters and other media may contact Stephanie Knapik, Director of Public Affairs, at
(818) 242-5124 or e-mail her at knapik@unmarriedAmerica.com.
We can also put members of the media in touch with book authors, academics, and other
experts who have provided us with comments about the new census data on children as well
as other types of living arrangements.
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Sources:
Census document: CH-1. Living Arrangements
of Children Under 18: 1960 to Present.
Internet Release Date: 1-7-99.
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/ms-la/tabch-1.txt
Table 60. Households, Families,
Subfamilies, and Married Couples: 1970 to 1999.
Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2000, Section 1: Population.
Internet version last revised on 2-16-01.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-us.html
Table 73. Households, 1980 to 1998, and
Persons in Households, 1998, by Type of Household
and Presence of Children.
Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1999, Section 1: Population.
Internet version last revised on 2-16-01.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-us.html
Census document: AD-2. Unmarried-Couple
Households: 1960 to Present.
Internet Release Date: 1-7-99..
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/ms-la/tabad-2.txt
Table 57. Unmarried Couples by Selected
Characteristics: 1980 to 1999.
Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2000, Section 1: Population.
Internet version last revised on 2-16-01.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-us.html
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