Why is the issue of child abuse not included in any political platform?

Question

At least, I've sure never seen or heard any statements from the major parties about what they would do to reduce this problem, and I think I've only ever heard one candidate address it (Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee). Do they not care that much about this problem, or do they just calculate that the voters don't really care that much?

While I wouldn't expect it to be the centerpiece of a campaign, you'd think somebody out there would want to "declare war" on child abuse like has been done on drugs, poverty, etc.

Answer 1

If I were running for President(and I'm thinking about getting in), child abuse would be one of my major platform issues.

I still am having a hard time understanding why states like Vermont, refuse to have mandatory minimums for child predators. I have yet to hear an argument that made any sense for letting these animals out of jail after serving only months instead of years.

Child rapists CANNOT be rehabilitated. We need to lock these low lives up in solitary for the rest of their miserable existence.

Answer 2

I guess my counter question is...why should it ?
Child abuse is already on the books and against the law. Too many people think that the Federal Government should just come a running to help people out when there's a problem. That's what local and city governments are for. The Feds and other authorities lay down the law, and its the local society that enforces it.
But consider the problems with the whole issue. You have CPS and other agencies that at one moment or location might not even be doing their job due to the large amounts of casework, but on the other hand you might be having children snatched away all because some neighbor made statements against a mother. I've seen both. Its a slippery slope, one of those nasty little subjects that all we can do is try to hire people that have integrity and will do their jobs....and do them right.
The slippery slope continues as you have liberally minded people grantnig rights to children as if they were already adults and entitled. Fine, maybe a few children are saved from actual abuse, but who pulls the reigns on the out of control children that are spoiled, or know they can get by with lying....I've seen a few that understood they could use the police force behind the rules to blackmail their parents. And a parent has what recoarse ? to simply tell the little brat to get out ? Most parents can't do that to their own child.
Slippery slopes do not make good platform topics.

Answer 3

The platforms tend to be filled with issues that provide for a variance between the parties. There is actually a strong bipartisan concensus that child abuse is despicable. There are clearly some differences as to the penalties to be used for the abusers but these fall into a general crime prevention/ law enforcement agenda rather than a child abuse agenda.

This does not mean that the candidates do not find the issue compelling as one to be addressed and monitored during governance but there simply is no difference to present between the parties.

Answer 4

Child abuse does not put a Bentley in the garage or a yacht in the sea. Politician's will only talk about issues that will fatten their pockets. Government get paid from poverty, if you are broke and desperate you will most likely do a crime to feed your kids. in the process of doing the crime you become a prisoner. the state gets paid $69 a day for each inmate. government inflates the cost of law enforcement some goes to the cause the rest into the pocket. Drugs are the same way. war on drugs has cost us billions and still we have a problem. Use this for an example, ten million termites are invading your house, you pay $200 to get your house protected. We have 12 million illegal immigrants and spent BILLIONS of dollars on home land security and border patrol as well as immigration offices. Then we pay taxes to school their children and keep them healthy. We pay more for health insurance due to the illegals going to the hospital and not paying for services. I figure a 1 billion dollar budget would fix the problem but it works out to be more like 20 billion in the eyes of government.

Answer 5

There really isnt a agruement against it. If a candidate were to use it as a platform the other party would merely agree and possiblely take the position away. Most platforms have to have a counterpoint. Also what is there to say about it. How would you make it better from a political veiw. Just tougher laws?

Answer 6

They all think that child abuse is bad. It would be like a candidate bringing up the fact that murder or rape is a problem. The problems of poverty and drugs lend themselves to eventual solutions. We can reduce the amount of drugs that are on the street and give financial help to the poor. The answer to child abuse is not as easy.

Answer 7

While this is a serious issue, it's not a major issue. We don't have some epidemic of "child abuse" in the nation that would require politicians to campaign off this topic.

Answer 8

Well the short answer is: kids aren't important to politicians, because they can't vote, unless a politician needs to have his/her picture taken with a kid (spelling bee champ, kidnapped baby that was recovered, state science fair winner). Other than that kids are totally unimportant to politicians. And it's too bad because kids grow up to be voters too.

Edit ~ they're even less important to LIBERALS that allow abortions to continue and keep letting child predators/sex offenders out of jail, with just a slap on the wrist. Notice how it's only BLUE states that don't have a "Jessica's Law" or is that just a coincidence?

Answer 9

It's already against the law and of course people are against child abuse. What is the purpose of putting a "DUH" issue on the platform?