Exclusive: Bristol Palin, Levi Johnston Are Engaged!

[debk]

Sometimes a fellow says the damnest things to get in a girls pants......and then worries about the consequences later.

True...but I don't think so in this case.

Putting it crudely....he's already been in Bristol's pants and walked away. And I don't for a minute think he's been going without all these months travelling about the countryside.

If sex was all he wanted....he's probably getting it wherever and whenever he wants.

He's what 19? a recent 20 at most? Not many guys at that age...who didn't plan it, and have already had the luxury of no responsibility after the birth,.....are going to jump up and down with joy ( ) and walk back into the fire that they have already escaped from with little to no injury, unless there is SOMETHING in it for them.

I don't think regular sex with Bristol, or a burning desire to be an "in-place" father to his son, has brought him back. Especially when there are too too many people out there who are willing to bring Sarah Palin down however they possibly can.

I've seen this kid interviewed on tv, in several different venues, and he's out for himself....no one else. He doesn't have an altruistic bone in his body....  

[debk]

The evidence really suggests otherwise. For a single woman who gets pregnant, the best answer is putting the baby up for adoption. Go read the chapter titled "Victim of a Crime? Thank a single mother" in Ann Coulter's Guilty for an indepth look at the statistics about single motherdom.

 

That's a blanket statement that all single mothers' children end up criminal. 

I like Ann Coulter...but to assume that any child raised by a single mother will end up a criminal is absurd.

There are a whole bunch of criminals that were raised in a two-parent home and still became twisted. The Columbine killers both were.

I will just point out....your children are very young, so I will assume that you are too...which means you have a lot of years until your children reach 18. Should you ever get divorced from their father....your children will also be the children of a "single mother". Does that mean your children should be taken away from you and "put up for adoption"?

Which is just as absurd as saying that single mothers should put their babies up for adoption, because "that's what's best for them".

[thundley4]

That's a blanket statement that all single mothers' children end up criminal. 

I like Ann Coulter...but to assume that any child raised by a single mother will end up a criminal is absurd.

There are a whole bunch of criminals that were raised in a two-parent home and still became twisted. The Columbine killers both were.

I will just point out....your children are very young, so I will assume that you are too...which means you have a lot of years until your children reach 18. Should you ever get divorced from their father....your children will also be the children of a "single mother". Does that mean your children should be taken away from you and "put up for adoption"?

Which is just as absurd as saying that single mothers should put their babies up for adoption, because "that's what's best for them".

There is something else to consider also.  Bristol has the support of her own family. Many of the single mothers that Ann Coulter talked about were on their own.  Extended family can make a world of difference to the children of a single mom.

[RightWingMama]

Actually, the statistics are about single mothers. Not divorced mothers. And not widowed mothers. Just mothers who didn't bother getting married before getting pregnant/having children.
Here's an excerpt from that chapter:

"Here is the lottery ticket that single mothers are handing their innocent children by choosing to raise them without fathers: Controlling for socioeconomic status, race, and place of residence, the strongest predictor of whether a person will end up in prison is that he was raised by a single parent. By 1996, 70% of inmates in state juvenile detention centers serving long-term sentences were raised by single mothers. 72% of juvenile murders, and 60% of rapist come from single-mother homes. 70% of teenage births, dropouts, suicides, runaways, juvenile delinquents, and child murderers involved children raised by single mothers. Girls raised without fathers are more sexually promiscuous and more likely to end up divorced. A 1990 study by the Progressive Policy Institute showed that after controlling for single motherhood, the difference between black and white crime rates disappeared.....According to the Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, children from single-parent families account for 63% of all youth suicides, 70% of all teenage pregnancies, 71% of all adolescent chemical/substance abuse, 80% of all prison inmates, and 90% of all homeless and runaway children. "

[debk]

There is something else to consider also.  Bristol has the support of her own family. Many of the single mothers that Ann Coulter talked about were on their own.  Extended family can make a world of difference to the children of a single mom.

Exactly.

Just as the amount of education the mother has, and her financial ability to raise a child/children, has an extreme influence on the child's circumstances.


 

[debk]

Actually, the statistics are about single mothers. Not divorced mothers. And not widowed mothers. Just mothers who didn't bother getting married before getting pregnant/having children.
Here's an excerpt from that chapter:

"Here is the lottery ticket that single mothers are handing their innocent children by choosing to raise them without fathers: Controlling for socioeconomic status, race, and place of residence, the strongest predictor of whether a person will end up in prison is that he was raised by a single parent. By 1996, 70% of inmates in state juvenile detention centers serving long-term sentences were raised by single mothers. 72% of juvenile murders, and 60% of rapist come from single-mother homes. 70% of teenage births, dropouts, suicides, runaways, juvenile delinquents, and child murderers involved children raised by single mothers. Girls raised without fathers are more sexually promiscuous and more likely to end up divorced. A 1990 study by the Progressive Policy Institute showed that after controlling for single motherhood, the difference between black and white crime rates disappeared.....According to the Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, children from single-parent families account for 63% of all youth suicides, 70% of all teenage pregnancies, 71% of all adolescent chemical/substance abuse, 80% of all prison inmates, and 90% of all homeless and runaway children. "

Progressive Policy Institute...

Progressive Policy Institute
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Progressive Policy Institute
Abbreviation PPI
Formation 1989
Type Public policy think tank
Headquarters 1730 Rhode Island Avenue NW, Suite 308
Location Washington, D.C.
President and CEO Will Marshall
Website http://www.ppionline.org

The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is a think tank in the United States, founded in 1989 and affiliated with the Democratic Leadership Council, which styles itself as promoting the ideas of "New Democrats." It covers a very wide range of issues and describes itself as centrist, although progressive critics frequently describe it as conservative, neoconservative, or neoliberal. Its current president is Will Marshall, who writes frequently on foreign policy, defense, national service, globalization and trade policy, and cultural issues. Notable affiliated scholars include Fred Siegel (cultural issues), Paul Weinstein (economics and fiscal policies), Robert J. Shapiro (economics and securities law), Jan Mazurek (energy and environmental protection), Edward Gresser (trade), David Kendall (health care), Michele Stockwell (education and social issues).

Single parent families are at a higher risk of poverty than couple families, and on average single mothers have poorer health than couple mothers.[14]  Millar, Jane and Ridge, Tess (2001)"Families, Poverty, Work and Care: A review of literature on lone parents and low income couple families" (DWP Research Report No.153)


Single parenting is strongly associated with an increased risk of a number of negative social, behavioral and emotional outcomes for children. However while the association is strong, on balance the effect size and the actual numbers affected are modest. Most children from single parent families do well. Many factors influence how children develop in single-parent families: the parent's age, education level, and occupation; the family's income, and the family's support network of friends and extended family members (including the non-resident parent, if available). Disadvantages in these factors that often accompany single parenting appear to cause most of this association rather than single parenting itself.[15][16] Rickard, Maurice "Children of Lesbian and Single Women Parents" Research Note no. 41 2001-02, Social Policy Group, Parliament of Australia (accessed February 18, 2008)
^ a b Mackay, Ross (2005) "The impact of family structure and family change on child outcomes: a personal reading of the research literature" Social Policy Journal of New Zealand (accessed February 18, 2008)


Shocking headlines do get published; for example a 2003 Swedish study, stated that those living with a single parent were about three times more likely to kill themselves or end up in the hospital after an attempted suicide by the age of 26 than children living with two parents, however this only happened to 2.2 percent of girls and 1 percent of boys.[17] The Lancet, January 25, paraphrased by CBS News' Emma Ross, "Single-Parent Kids More At Risk

A variety of viewpoints do exist, with different readings of the research possible. The Institute for the Study of Civil Society reports that children of single parents, after controlling for other variables like family income, are more likely to have problems.[18] Experiments in Living: The Fatherless Family There are impacts of sole parenting on children, however the weight of the evidence it is suggested, do not appear to support a view that sole parents are a major cause of societal ills and are doing irreparable damage to their children.[16]. Mackay, Ross (2005) "The impact of family structure and family change on child outcomes: a personal reading of the research literature" Social Policy Journal of New Zealand (accessed February 18, 2008)

Thousands upon thousands of studies are done on just about any subject.

Those conducting a specific study may use specific "controls" to achieve the desired outcome.

Those wishing to cite a specific outcome, may use specific study data in order to support their position.

While it is true, that is more likely that a criminal was raised in a single parent situation.....the percentages, that Ann Coulter cited, were determined from statistics on criminals , NOT on children who were raised by a single parent. 

Vast difference.

Just for the record...a single parent is defined by their status as being the sole parent who does the majority of raisng the child/children without the benefit of spousal support in the home. It is not defined by whether or not the mother had the child without benefit of marriage, has become divorced, widowed or abandoned, or chose to do a single parent adoption.

[Airwolf]

Yeah this is looking to be another page filler for the National Enquirer

[RightWingMama]

While it is true, that is more likely that a criminal was raised in a single parent situation.....the percentages, that Ann Coulter cited, were determined from statistics on criminals , NOT on children who were raised by a single parent. 

Vast difference.

Just for the record...a single parent is defined by their status as being the sole parent who does the majority of raisng the child/children without the benefit of spousal support in the home. It is not defined by whether or not the mother had the child without benefit of marriage, has become divorced, widowed or abandoned, or chose to do a single parent adoption.

Perhaps I didn't word it right. The stats Ann used for the book refer to women who never were married and got pregnant. The statistics are not referring to divorcees or widows. .

On to the second point, here are some more statistics, about children of single parent households in general (instead of only looking at the criminal population and drawing conclusions)

Children from single parent homes are 5 times more likely to commit suicide, 9 times more likely to drop out of high school, 10 times more likely to abuse chemical substances, 14 times more likely to commit rape (boys that is), 20 times more likely to end up in prison, and 32 times more likely to run away from home. Kids from single parent homes are also 6 times as likely to be in poverty as kids from 2 parent households.

 

[GOP Congress]

I wonder how much behind the scenes Todd was in this situation? I have seen this scenario in other families with women who get pregnant, bf doesn't commit for awhile, but after DAD has his talk first with his daughter, then one with her bf, such a result happens. I'm willing to bet that Todd had much to do with Levi's turnaround and decision, and that this had nothing to do with politics. Well, I KNOW it didn't have a damn thing about it, but knowing Todd, the riot act got read, even if it was just inferred.

[PatriotGame]

True...but I don't think so in this case.

Putting it crudely....he's already been in Bristol's pants and walked away. And I don't for a minute think he's been going without all these months travelling about the countryside.

If sex was all he wanted....he's probably getting it wherever and whenever he wants.

He's what 19? a recent 20 at most? Not many guys at that age...who didn't plan it, and have already had the luxury of no responsibility after the birth,.....are going to jump up and down with joy ( ) and walk back into the fire that they have already escaped from with little to no injury, unless there is SOMETHING in it for them.

I don't think regular sex with Bristol, or a burning desire to be an "in-place" father to his son, has brought him back. Especially when there are too too many people out there who are willing to bring Sarah Palin down however they possibly can.

I've seen this kid interviewed on tv, in several different venues, and he's out for himself....no one else. He doesn't have an altruistic bone in his body....  

You wouldn't suppose he is being "secretly"  paid under the table to marry Bristol then cause a BIG public embarASSment & outrage by leaving her in the middle of Sarah's 2012 presidential campaign - do you?

[Peter3_1]

EXACTLY, he is a paid spy there to  get and dish plausable "dirt" on Sarah. Hw has already proved he has no loyalty or honesty in him. He has changed now because??????  HE'S DESPICABLE TRASH.

[DumbAss Tanker]

The evidence really suggests otherwise. For a single woman who gets pregnant, the best answer is putting the baby up for adoption. Go read the chapter titled "Victim of a Crime? Thank a single mother" in Ann Coulter's Guilty for an indepth look at the statistics about single motherdom.

Anecdotes are her specialty, not evidence.  I enjoy her baiting of the Left and find her an entertaining writer, but taking her as a valid source for anything substantive is naive in the extreme.

Hitler came from a home with two parents, and couldn't possibly have turned out as bad as he did if his abusive father had croaked when he was an infant.  How many convenience store robbers does it take to equal one Hitler?  With real humans instead of Sims, there is no such thing as one mold that everyone has to fit, or one model that everyone must fit.

[debk]

You wouldn't suppose he is being "secretly"  paid under the table to marry Bristol then cause a BIG public embarASSment & outrage by leaving her in the middle of Sarah's 2012 presidential campaign - do you?

That was my first thought regarding him....

[RightWingMama]

Anecdotes are her specialty, not evidence.  I enjoy her baiting of the Left and find her an entertaining writer, but taking her as a valid source for anything substantive is naive in the extreme.

Hitler came from a home with two parents, and couldn't possibly have turned out as bad as he did if his abusive father had croaked when he was an infant.  How many convenience store robbers does it take to equal one Hitler?  With real humans instead of Sims, there is no such thing as one mold that everyone has to fit, or one model that everyone must fit.

Anecdotes are what you are providing. I provided statistics. The two are quite different.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Anecdotes are what you are providing. I provided statistics. The two are quite different.

If you'll think back, what I originally posted was to the effect that having both parents in the home is not always the best idea, i.e. life is not one-answer-for-everyone situation.  That's actually an inherently-anecdotal situation since all individual decisions are, ultimately, anecdotal data points at best to a statistician, and the discussion was about a particular individual situation. 

Indeed anecdotal information is not useless, in fact statistical information by itself is at least equally subject to abuse.  The lack of valuation in the normal application of statistical results (As in the Hitler analogy) is just one of the flaws with it as a tool.  But, apparently my off-hand comment concerning the naivete of taking an advocate like Ann Coulter as gospel threw you off the main point.
 
To me it seems your underlying argument is the idea that all choices should be ruled by statistical trends, and there is in fact only one right answer which should be demanded in every case.  I disagree, as do many others here, and I am obviously not the only one who has taken your argument that way.

Well, let's examine the soundness of that idea with an example from a different subject.  Did you know that statistically (At a certain level of analysis, which an advocate is of course free to cherrypick) the evidence is that you voted for Obama?  He did get a majority of the vote, so despite your handle, 'The evidence really suggests otherwise.'  Perhaps that will illustrate the grave limitations of statistics in predicting individual outcomes.

Statistics are macro-level information.  While they are of some utility, depending on their weight and quality, they aren't decisive predictors in micro-level decisions.  This whole thread is about one micro-level, individual decision.  I stand by my original point.

[RightWingMama]

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

[littlelamb]

He is looking to get more than his 5 minutes of fame I guess