Jeb's (sort of) Evolving Opinion of Single Mothers is Still Wrong

In 1995, Jeb Bush (R) published a book he called "Profiles in Courage." One chapter carried the title "Restoration of Shame."  In it he said we had a high percentage of out-of-wedlock births because: "There is no longer a stigma attached to this behavior, no reason to feel shame... Their parents and neighbors have become ineffective at attaching some sense of ridicule to this behavior. There was a time when neighbors and communities would frown on out-of-wedlock births and when public condemnation was enough of a stimulus for one to be careful."  He went on to cite children raised by single mothers as the cause of our "social ills."

Six years later, in 2001, then Florida Governor Jeb Bush--having been given some authority to act on the convictions he voiced in his book--allowed a little document that became known as the "Scarlet Letter Law" to be enacted.   It required women who did not identify the father of their babies to first publish their sexual histories in a newspaper before they could put their newborns up for adoption.  At the time, Jeb said he allowed the bill to slide into Florida's law books without his signature because he had been told that the newspaper requirement would be changed. Marco Rubio, then a member of Florida's state legislature, voted for the law.

The newspaper requirement had yet to be changed or removed when, in 2003, a Florida court struck down the law and Jeb signed a repeal.

Last month, while Mr. Bush was still raking in questionable Republican dollars prior to officially announcing his presidential campaign, he claimed his opinions on single parenthood had "evolved." 

what eye thynk:  Judging from comments he made during a July European visit, they may have evolved, but he still doesn't seem to hold much respect for the ability of a woman to raise a child on her own. "It hurts the prospects, it limits the possibilities of young people being able to live lives of purpose and meaning."

I could make all sorts of obvious comments about his party's continued fight to limit a woman's access to family planning and how those limitations are a major and obvious contributing factor to the number of single women raising children. 

I could argue my opinion that it isn't single motherhood, but rather unwanted single motherhood that is the real problem--which is what happens when single women are denied access to birth control.  

I could make a case that continuing efforts from the Republican Party are responsible for the elimination of many single women's options.   But that's another subject for another time. 

Instead, I'd like to remind Mr. Bush of some very public evidence that, in his obvious and long-standing disdain for single mothers, he is painting the issue with too broad a brush.