For Sale: One Baby, Hardly Used, Excellent Condition

[Borodog]

This got little response in the other thread, possibly because people might have thought I was kidding. I assure you, I am not.

If women were allowed to sell their babies to the highest bidder on a legal baby market there would be fewer abortions, more happy infertile couples, and fewer women stuck in poverty. As it is many would-be adopters must go to foreign countries to adopt, due to the high barriers to adoption in the United States (where perverse government incentives ensure that childcare bureaucracies receive funding for children they keep in foster care but not for children that are adopted).

Discuss.

[hmkpoker]

I have no problem with that.

[tolbiny]

as long as the governemtnt is fully in control and supervises all aspects of the transaction i have no problem with it as the government can do no wrong.

[Borodog]

Nice try, but I refuse to take the bait.

[soon2bepro]

The problem is that you're putting a price on the baby's life. Even if you somehow control that his/her life is not in danger, you're still giving him/her a life that is not based purely on his/her best interest (as normal adoption ought to be), but also in who pays most.

Think about it; you have 2 couples and 1 baby. couple nº1 scores 99 out of 100 for the babies' care, but only offers $5000 on his/her life. couple nº2 scores 75 out of 100 (minimum is 60), but they bid $50k.

Obviously people who don't care for the baby will take couple nº2's offer, giving him/her a worse life to the best bidder.

[Borodog]

The couple that offers the highest price values the baby the most, and will likely take care of it the best. After all, it will represent a sizable investment. They probably also have the greater means to take care of the child's health and education.

[soon2bepro]

Ridiculous statement. Simply because they have more money (and are therefore willing to pay more) doesn't mean the baby's best interests will be fulfilled better. There's more to life than just money, money is just the way to pay for things. Babies need love, comprehension and education. (besides various types of cares that will not necessarily be better fulfilled just because a couple has more money)

[Borodog]

Nor does having less money mean the baby's best interests will be fullfilled better. There is more to life than money, but money can buy a secure home, clothing, better food, healthcare, and education. All of which are much more highly correlated with a child's social and academic success than nebulous measures of love.

Is it not the case that socioeconomic status is highly correlated with a child's opportunities? Doesn't the child deserve the best opportunities he can get? Why do you hate children?

[slickpoppa]

I think you are on to something, but there needs to be some kind of oversight. Your assumption that whoever is willing to pay the most for the child will likely take the best care of them is unfounded. Millions of girls in the third world are sold into sexual slavery on the free market. Is that in their best interests?

[Borodog]

Millions? I'd like to see the numbers. My understanding is that sexual slavery is rampant because prostitution is illegal in most places, creating a huge black market demand. However, that may not be the whole picture.