Two-parent family is key to success

There is a current national obsession with income equality, the latest drumbeat of wealth distribution coming from the White House.

Under the Obama ideology, those on the upper ends of the economic ladder would be forced to shift some of their financial resources to lift those on the lower ends of the ladder.

In Obama's world, success is evil and those who fail to produce are entitled to the benefits accrued from those who do produce.

It's a populist tone that plays well with a wide swath of our national population.

For as long as anyone can remember, education was always thought of as the key to success in American society.

Combined with hard work, sacrifice and perhaps a little luck, anyone had the ability to improve their lot in life and, in turn, provide for improvements in their children's lives.

But as we should all know by now, the key to success in the world of Obama is to take from those who have resources.

The glaring element that Obama and his ilk miss is the central theme of success.

The top ingredient to predict success or failure is not race, gender, education nor economic freedom.

The leading indicator is household status.

Those children raised in single-family households are much more likely to have challenges in their march to success.

Every single study under the sun verifies and validates this singular truth.

So if Obama and company truly and honestly want to "level the playing field," they would launch an unprecedented program to encourage and reward two-parent households.

The potential success of such an initiative would put to shame all past programs that simply tossed money at the problem.

But the dark little secret is that there is no inducement nor incentive to encourage the two-parent household.

I have long opined that you cannot mandate responsibility.

And at the core of the single-parent household is the irresponsible nature of far too many in our society.

We are currently paying the price for that societal flaw and the price tag will surely rise in the future.

As I am equally quick to point out, there are some phenomenal success stories of brave single mothers raising productive and inspiring children.

But by any measure, they are the exception.

If our federal government is truly concerned about income equality, then they need to start with the core problem.

Provide a tax benefit or some incentive to those households that have two parents. Put money into the hands of those parents who take their responsibilities seriously.

Right now our system encourages just the opposite.

And the headlines prove each and every day that we are losing the battle because we are unable to address the real issue.