Russian Lawmakers Pass Ban on Adoptions to US

[RockEnds]

Putin has not indicated he will sign the bill. This was in retaliation ironically to a Free Trade agreement between Russia and the US. The US Congress, during the aproval process of that deal, added a stipulation to deny visas for a handful of Russian government figures who were guilty in a bribery scandal. The lawyer who prosecuted them (and won) was later killed.

The press is trying to sell it as retaliation, but in reality, this has been a long time coming. Russia has suspended adoptions recently, and they are not pleased with the US system. This was the last rift I heard of between the Russian and US govts over adoption, but there may have been others since. I haven't been paying close attention lately.

http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture...e-denies-fault

This isn't the first time Russia has tried to cease adoptions to the US, and if Putin doesn't sign it, it won't be the last time they attempt to end it.

[FindLiberty]

Does this bill also prevent bankers from contacting Russian "Birthday Girls"?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/birthday_girl/

video clip http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/birt...ilers/10896166

[RockEnds]

Russia's Putin signals he will sign U.S. adoption ban

http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNew...8BQ06K20121227

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin signaled on Thursday he would sign a bill barring Americans from adopting Russian children into law and sought to forestall criticism of the move by promising measures to better care for his country's orphans.

In televised comments, Putin tried to appeal to people's patriotism by suggesting that strong and responsible countries should take care of their own and lent his support to a bill that has further strained U.S.-Russia relations.

"There are probably many places in the world where living standards are higher than ours. So what, are we going to send all our children there? Maybe we should move there ourselves?" he said, with sarcasm.

(cont....)

[Zippyjuan]

I was also hearing that even though he is now likely to sign it, it could still be a year before it takes any effect which would give it time to go away.

[acptulsa]

I remember a time when hardly anyone in the U.S. would have stood for a poor, defenseless orphan being condemned to life in Russia because it was the world's bastion of socialist tyranny...

[RockEnds]

I remember a time when hardly anyone in the U.S. would have stood for a poor, defenseless orphan being condemned to life in Russia because it was the world's bastion of socialist tyranny...

And you could take one home for the bargain basement price of $50,000 or so.

http://www.theadoptionguide.com/cost...-adoption-cost

And let's not forget that the US isn't exactly a bastion of goodwill and charity. Masha Allen is a pretty good example of that, but there are others as well.

http://poundpuplegacy.org/masha_allen
http://www.childlaw.us/masha-allen/ (wrong link, but a good one, so I'll leave it.)

When looking at the bigger picture, it's difficult to pretend this really is all for the children. Russia has been exporting orphans, and the outcome isn't always picture perfect. I don't blame them for rethinking the idea. Adoption, like any other social program, is outcome based, and outcomes can never be guaranteed.

[axiomata]

related:

[oyarde]

Russia has about 18,000 families signed up for one of these children . There are , about 3/4 of a million of these children.

[presence]

Just putting this out there... bottom end cost of adopting a US kid in the US is $25-35K.

Bottom end of importing a Russian kid is about $50k.

Its illegal to sell babies though.


http://www.creatingafamily.org