The President's Fatherhood Pledge

 National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

Fatherlessness is a growing crisis in America, one that underlies many of the challenges that families are facing. When dads aren't around, young people are more likely to drop out of school, use drugs, be involved in the criminal justice system, and become young parents themselves.

The President's Fatherhood Pledge 

President Obama grew up without his dad, and has said that being a father is the most important job he has. That's why the President is joining dads from across the nation in a fatherhood pledge — a pledge that we'll do everything we can to be there for our children and for young people whose fathers are not around.

"The family crisis is caused by a government assault on the family"

Baskerville, whose articles have frequently appeared in HUMAN EVENTS, specializes in research on and activism in how public policy affects fathers and families. He believes that the government began the disintegration of the American family. “The family crisis is caused by a government assault on the family,” he said. “The position of the father has been weakened. The two big things that have weakened fathers have come from the government. One is the welfare state, which replaces the father’s income….The other, which grew out of that, is the change in divorce laws–no-fault divorce since about 1970.” He noted that divorce law is the province of state governments, not the federal government. “If you go back and look at it, it’s amazing how much culture follows law,” he said.