Monday, January 05, 2009
Tragic Solution to Child Support Obligation
A man in New Orleans was distraught with a court's order that he pay child support. So he kidnapped and then killed his son.
I've been warning folks that this sort of thing is an inevitability given our broken child support system. The vast majority of folks would never sink to this heinous of an act, but sane, stable individuals aren't the only ones ordered to pay child support.
In the current state of the national economy, I don't think that this story is the last of its kind for 2009. I wish that wasn't the case, but we have to come up with a better way of making both parents realize that they have a responsibility - both financial and otherwise - when they bring a child into the world short of threatening them with incarceration.
I've been warning folks that this sort of thing is an inevitability given our broken child support system. The vast majority of folks would never sink to this heinous of an act, but sane, stable individuals aren't the only ones ordered to pay child support.
In the current state of the national economy, I don't think that this story is the last of its kind for 2009. I wish that wasn't the case, but we have to come up with a better way of making both parents realize that they have a responsibility - both financial and otherwise - when they bring a child into the world short of threatening them with incarceration.
Labels: Child Support
Friday, February 23, 2007
Heartbreaking Stories
Not to start the weekend on a down note, but don't forget to go back and read some of the stories that people are telling regarding Tennessee's broken child support system in the Comments section of a post I authored that has disappeared off of the main screen. A new one appeared there today.
A year ago, I would have thought these tails of oppression by the State to be rare. That is certainly not the case. Lives are being ruined every day by this broken system. I applaud those members of the General Assembly who have lent me their ear (particularly Representative Stacey Campfield, who mind as well be my rep since I happen to live in Joe Armstrong's gerrymandered district) on this topic. I don't see this as a partisan issue, and I hope we can fix this system within the near future.
A year ago, I would have thought these tails of oppression by the State to be rare. That is certainly not the case. Lives are being ruined every day by this broken system. I applaud those members of the General Assembly who have lent me their ear (particularly Representative Stacey Campfield, who mind as well be my rep since I happen to live in Joe Armstrong's gerrymandered district) on this topic. I don't see this as a partisan issue, and I hope we can fix this system within the near future.
Labels: Child Support, General Assembly
