The Right Rights

What to Know: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is proposing a “Family Bill of Rights” that would dramatically increase government involvement in the lives of children.

“Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand released her ‘Family Bill of Rights’ Wednesday morning, a policy proposal meant to make raising children safer and more affordable,” CBS News reports. “…The plan is broken into five ‘fundamental rights’ that would ‘dramatically transform child’s health, safety, and future academic success,’ according to a press release. Focusing on various aspects of childcare up to kindergarten, Gillibrand said her plan “levels the playing field starting at birth” for children and parents.”

The TPPF Take: The senator’s plan is based on a flawed premise—that more government involvement is always good for families.

“A true family bill of rights must, like the U.S. Bill of Rights, focus on securing the liberty of families,” says TPPF’s Andrew Brown. “At the most basic level, it must recognize the natural right possessed by children and parents in their relationship with one another and protect it from government interference absent a compelling interest. It would recognize that parents have the right to raise their children as they see fit, free from state-imposed social engineering.”

More From TPPF: