Progressive Policies Make Families Stronger

October 31, 2016

A newly released report from the Center for American Progress confirms what many of us may already know, that strong families are linked to access to resources and financial stability. Family stability has been tied to the following progressive policies: increasing the minimum wage, strengthening collective bargaining, expanding Medicaid and supporting reproductive rights. You can read the report here.

This report flies in the face of conservative policies on family, especially the GOP platform on Marriage, Family and Society (content warning, but you can find it here). This analysis adds to a growing body of literature which shows that inadequate resources and financial stress contribute to unstable families. Strong families are tied to to adequate wages, affordable health care and other benefits, and access to family planning. States with a progressive stance on these four policies also tend to have higher educational attainment and lower levels of incarceration – which is also good for families.

It is important to note Republican platforms have a negative impact on families –  the party of so-called “family values.”  GOP policies, like union-busting and anti-choice legislation, keeps families stressed and struggling. Strong families have nothing to do with marriage between a man and a woman, but rather progressive policies that empower individuals to create strong partnerships with whomever they may love, however they may love.

The Woodhull Freedom Foundation Family Matters Project advocates for just this: to secure full rights, respect and recognition for all families by eliminating discrimination based on family structure. This report makes it clear – there is no place for discrimination in family values. Rather, our elected officials should work to strengthen social safety nets, protect workers and champion reproductive rights.