For decades, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported that over 30 million Americans were living in “poverty,” but the bureau’s definition of poverty differs widely from that held by most Americans. Read More.
Abstract: Government anti-poverty programs share the flawed assumption that poverty in America is primarily a material problem that can be solved by increased welfare and entitlement spending. Poverty in America is often the result of a relational problem, such as fatherlessness or community breakdown,…
Abstract: Child poverty is an ongoing national concern, but few are aware that its principal cause is the absence of married fathers in the home. Marriage remains America’s strongest anti-poverty weapon, yet it continues to decline. As husbands disappear from the home, poverty and…
Abstract: The growth of welfare spending is unsustainable and will drive the United States into bankruptcy if allowed to continue. President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2011 budget request would increase total welfare spending to $953 billion—a 42 percent…
The mainstream media, liberal politicians, activists, and academia bewail child poverty in the U.S. But in these ritual lamentations, one key fact remains hidden: The principal cause of child poverty in the U.S. is the absence of married fathers in the home. According to the U.S…
Robert Rector, Senior Research Fellow for Welfare Policy at The Heritage Foundation, discusses how President-elect Obama can keep his pledge to reverse the decline of marriage in the United States, thereby reducing child poverty, welfare dependence,…
[C]hildren living with single mothers are five times more likely to be poor than children in two-parent households. Children in single-parent homes are also more likely to drop out of school and become teen parents, even when income is factored out. And the evidence suggests that on average, children who live with their biological mother…
Each month, familyfacts.org explores an area of academic research on a topic related to the family and religion. November's top 10 findings focus on the link between marriage and economic wellbeing.…
Abstract. A fiscal deficit occurs when the benefits and services received by one group exceeds the taxes paid. When such a deficit occurs, other groups must pay, through taxes, for the services and benefits of the group in deficit. A fiscal distribution analysis measures…
Statement of Robert Rector Senior Research Fellow Domestic Policy Studies The Heritage Foundation Before the Sub-committee on Human Resources Of the Committee on Ways and Means U.S. House…
The erosion of marriage during the past four decades has had large-scale negative effects on both children and adults: It lies at the heart of many of the social problems with which the government currently grapples. The beneficial effects of marriage on individuals and society are beyond reasonable dispute, and there is a…
This key research from 2004 has been updated in Robert Rector's new paper, How Poor Are America's Poor? Examining the "Plague" of Poverty in AmericaEach year, the U.S. Census Bureau counts the number of "poor" persons in the U.S. In 2005, the Bureau found 37 million "poor" Americans. Presidential…
Much of the debate about the growing gap between rich and poor in America focuses on the changing job force, the cost of living, and the tax and regulatory structure that hamstrings businesses and employees. But analysis of the social science literature demonstrates that the root cause of poverty and income disparity is linked undeniably…
In 2001, 1.35 million children were born outside marriage. This represents 33.5 percent of all children born in the United States in that year. Children raised by never-married mothers are seven times more likely to be poor when compared to children raised in intact married families. The obvious nexus…
Event Archive (real player) | Event Details Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today regarding an important institution that is increasingly threatened in our society--marriage. Several years ago, I…
The 1960s War on poverty was intended to eliminate child poverty nationwide through a variety of income transfers and human development programs. However, during the first three decades of the War on poverty, there was little net decline in the child poverty rate. In 1965 (the year when the first War on poverty programs…
The erosion of marriage over the past four decades has had large-scale negative effects on children and adults and lies at the heart of many social problems with which government is currently grappling. The beneficial effects of marriage, both for individuals and for society, are beyond reasonable dispute, and…
Nearly 40 percent of women in the United States have never been married, an all-time high, according to new data from...…
Children in Indiana born to single parents are more than six times more likely to live in poverty than children born to...…
Yesterday, The Heritage Foundation and the Georgia Family Council co-hosted an event in Atlanta illustrating the...…
The critical importance of committed fatherhood to the well-being of children is the theme of “Courageous,” the...…
A new chart from Heritage FamilyFacts.org bears good news: Recent marriages are lasting longer. This is great for...…
For many Americans, poverty is hidden from view, and its reality is conveniently tucked out of sight and out of mind in...…
On Tuesday, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that U.S. teen birth rates dropped to their...…
A recent New York Times article points out that divorce rates—once highest in metropolitan, big city areas—are now...…
On Thursday, The Washington Post heralded the findings of a new survey reporting on sexual activity in the United...…
The decline of marriage in recent years not only signals trouble for the men and women missing out on the stability of...…