Opinion Talk

By DK

August 11, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this

About time someone called this out! Having kids is not a right and the two people who conceived the child should be responsible for the child’s existence. I am sick and tired of paying for other’s choices when I could be using the money to make mine and family’s life much better!

By rd

August 11, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this

Good luck!. Even though the idea of holding parents responsible for their offspring sounds good, the racial makeup with respect to the % of babies born out of wedlock makes any “holding parents responsible” look like racial persecution.

The concept of squeezing the parents of the 70% of black and 50% of hispanic children born out of wedlock for $$$ is dead in the water.

The illegitimate children discussed by this article are the same children that receive peachcare… the same children that the Democrats rely on to push their class warfare and healthcare agendas. The Democrats DON’T WANT to hold parents responsible. They, instead, want GOVERNMENT to become responsible because it enhances the politician’s power. They tax those parents who are in the upper 50% of income earners and who take responsibility for their children and give that money to the children of irresponsible parents in some kind of grand social experiment that punishes the responsible and rewards the irresponsible… all in the name of the children.

By GaLiberal

August 11, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

DK: Are you really concerned about the children or just making your life more comfortable? Since you rail like a Rethuglicon, I’ll bet it’s the latter. Hell with them b******* children, cut my taxes so I can buy a BMW or buy a big house. So typical.

Also, DK, did you ever consider the Rethuglicons opposition to sex ed is one of the major factors in unplanned pregnancies? For years the teen pregnancy rate dropped until recently. The abstinence only (Just Say No) policy of the Bush and the moralistic Rethuglicons is an abject failure. Now the chickens are coming home to roost and you and your ilk don’t like the results. You would rather use pregnancy as a weapon verses preventative measures like birth control or abortion. Look at all the draconian laws restricting teen access to abortion that have been passed over the last eight years. Parental notification, ultrasound pictures, waiting periods, discussions of ‘alternatives,’ zoning limitations, etc. have all made getting an abortion almost impossible. Planned Parenthood, the only organization that has a realistic approach to preventing unplanned pregnancies, has been virtually eliminated by Rethuglicon lies. Pharmacists refuse to give out birth control or Plan ‘B’ pills due to their “moral objections.” So women are forced (or shamed) into having an unwanted child. Then people like you are only interested in saving a few bucks on your taxes. Oh so typical.

When you vote Rethuglicon, you vote against your own best interests. And DK is living proof.

By SaveOurRepublic

August 11, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

It’s all about taking responsibility and ownership. This carefree attitude is totally fostered by the Elite controlled government, because they want sole reliance on the government (to greater enrich govt coffers & further empower the govt)! Cutting welfare handouts is a good step indeed. However, the ultimate goal should be totally ending the “nanny state” and greatly reducing the size & power of (puppet) government!

http://www.jbs.org

By CJKatl

August 11, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this

Aren’t we done talking about the John Edwards thing yet?

And please, don’t insult me by somehow differentiating between b******* brought into this world by rich people. Ain’t no difference. An irresponsible person must be held accountable no matter how rich, poor, educated, or cockeyed he/she might be.

By rightytighty

August 11, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

Hold people responsible for their own actions!!?? What a very non-progressive thought. And from a professor no less.., I’m shocked.

Besides, $112 billion is but a drop in the Obama tax bucket, 1/3 of what we’ve already blown on farm subsidies and schooly lunches alone. Heck, another cigarette tax and perhaps a tick lower on that middle class ceiling should do the trick.., for now.

By steve

August 11, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

GaLiberal, I didn’t have Sex Education in school. My education about how & where babies came from was a sitdown discussion with my parents. It included a short discussion on the birds and the bees and a much longer discussion using my allowance money to show the difference between the cost of living with out children versus the cost of living with children’s mouths to feed and clothes to buy. It made an impression that lasts me to this day. Quit blaming this on political parties. The mom and dad decided to have some fun, and the end result was a pregnancy. They need to stand up and be responsible for it.

By Logical Dude

August 11, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this

As passionate as the essayist is regarding hunting down the parents and making them pay, he does go over the line a bit.
Ranting about “who will pay” is going about the situation in the wrong way. Is the situation (1) about the unwed mothers, is it (2) about affairs resulting in a child, or is it (3) about the resulting child? 1) yes, fathers should pay. I think the author goes over the line to ask for genetic testing because that cost alone will not make the taxpayer pay less. Also, more education in the younger years regarding birth control will curb much of this cost also. 2) Affairs are still so taboo that openness about the father is still lacking. Look at the outrage for John Edwards and you’ll see that Americans are not ready for open marriages and affairs. Once that openness is present, then the fathers can be better tracked.
3)I’m trying to figure out where the $112 billion a year comes from. Is this medical? day care? school? There are more better solutions than putting in controls for the fathers, but all of them will still have taxpayers taking care of those who need assistance.

By rightytighty

August 11, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this

Obese children? On welfare? No healthcare? Abortion minded? Born loser??

MILITARY SCHOOL!! We’ll have $112 billion to add to their yearly budget tomorrow. And just think of all the positive role models we have as positive contributing citizens 20 years from now. It worked for Dale Jr..

By DK

August 11, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this

Hey GaLiberal, Thanks for jumping in with name calling and generalizations! Shows you are a true thinker. Have you noticed all of the foreign babies that are being adopted? Doesn’t that show that there is a market for placing kids in good homes, but our government prefers the cradle to grave services without care for who has to pay for it.

What is wrong if I want a big house? Vacation home, nice car, go out? It’s called consumption and is what drives the economy, but I guess you believe it’s the government who should allocate to all??? This is my life, I get one shot at it and having to have my hard earned money taken from me to pay for those who make poor choices is BS! The government has a constitutional role and I am willing to pay taxes, but am tired of the money being wasted on those who are always willing to blame someone else for their lot in life.

You talk of pregnancy rates going up? Are these not the same kids who pressed to learn about adultery, oral sex and other sexual conquests during their elementary years???? Makes sense that when they became teems during Bush years they have been giving it up!

By T Dub

August 11, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this

I am a 35 year old, never-married black woman whose biological clock is ticking over time. I want a baby girl so bad that I can hardly stand it. Yet, I REFUSE to have a child out-of-wedlock because of the moral, financial and societal implications that it will have to my community and the child. I am soooo tired of seeing our sisters around here with children and no wedding bands! What impact will this have on the children’s self-esteem? What does the 70% of kids born out-of-wedlock stat say about us as a people? How can we be the most “churched” people in the country but also have this embarassing statistic attributed to us? In no other culture is having out-of-wedlock children acceptable as it is in the black American culture - and even the Black middle-class have bought into this cultural norm. I feel that any single woman who goes to the hospital to deliver a baby; without a man claiming to be the dad, should be required to submit the names, addresses, DOB, etc. of all the sexual partners that’s she’s had in the preceeding year to the hospital administration. The hospital should then work with the police to have those men brought in for a paternity test - paid for by the mother (by adding to the hospital bill). Whomever the father is would then be responsible for assisting the mother with the hospital bills as well as paying child-support immediately. If we are not going to allow our own moral compass to guide us out of this negative epedemic, at least maybe we can shame folks into doing what’s right and best for the children born into this most unfortunate circumstance.

By paul lee

August 11, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this

Ga Liberal is so typical. Wants everyone to be equal. You can see how well that type of system works right? If you care so much about the poor go be a missionary in Africa. PS- and take all your other left wing nuts with u.

By Kinsman Redeemer

August 11, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

T Dub, I have the solution for you. Let’s just say that I have huge contribution for your campaign.

By JJ

August 11, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

You think this is bad, check out “global poverty Act” that obama is sponsoring. $845 Billion to stop Global poverty. Sounds good, lets tax the rich in america and send it to a poor country…. If you do the math there is about 300 million people in the US which comes to about $2700 per person. I dont know about you, but I dont want to pay taxes that are shipped to other countries.

By AJ

August 11, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this

I agree with the general gist of the authors statements, but there is a cycle of illegitimacy born in the Free Love 60s of people who want to hop in bed with whomever they please and leave it to the Government to deal with the results. That cycle needs to be broken, parents need to know it is THEIR job to make sure their kids know about sex, and the possible consequences. Its not up to the schools to teach kids morals, the basic biological details, sure thats fine. But morality starts at home, with parents and other relatives and role models.

Someone mentioned Planned Parenthood, as being the only responsible outlet for women who find themselves pregnant and alone. Let us not forget what Planned Parent hood is, and what it was intended to be by its founder. It was, and continues to be a eugenic mechanism to artificially reduce the birthrate of the underclasses. While 70% of black children are born to single mothers, more than 40% of all abortions are for Black/ Hispanic mothers (that number may be higher) This is not an accident.

The illegitimacy crisis in the black community is a logical result of removing the responsibility fathers had toward their children by the Great Society Welfare state, and a willing black community, too many of whom were all to happy to let Uncle Sam feed their families.

Dependence breeds discontent and misery, misery breeds self destructive behavior. Maybe one days our politicians will be progressive enough to see that.

By SaveOurRepublic

August 11, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this

JJ, foreign handouts are far too common on both sides of the aisle. This Globalist minded attitude is fostered by those who truly hold the reigns over the pawns on “Crapitol sHill”. While “Bacrock Obummer” is more open in his Marxist rhetoric, make no mistake that “Juan McAmnasty” is every bit the Globalist Elite puppet (as is “Obummer”)!

http://www.baldwin2008.com

By Rusty Nutz

August 11, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this

Now JJ, there you go with the Obama Momma Drama crap.

By buck

August 11, 2008 4:01 PM | Link to this

i like TDub response sound like a smart woman

By Temp

August 11, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this

GaLiberal said, “Are you really concerned about the children or just making your life more comfortable?…So typical.”

Yes, my concern is making life better for myself, my family and my friends. Everyone else is a veeeery distant second.

Are you saying that I should also be responsible for every illegitimate child out there? My tax rate already hovers around 50% of my gross income, how much more would you like me to contribute to the rest of the world? I think I’ve already paid far too much and I certainly don’t have a BMW sitting around in my driveway (although that M3 is so, so pretty).

As for the rest of your post, I totally agree that the Republican platform on birth control, abortion and sex ed is ridiculous.

By glenn129

August 11, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this

GALiberal you have no right to tell me what to do and no right to my hard earned money. These sluts that have babies they want me to pay for should identify the daddy of the baby and make him pay for the child not me. You liberals and those that do not believe in abortion want me to pay for your beliefs. Why don’t you pay for them?

By shanthemanatl

August 11, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this

I couldn’t agree more——free sex is just wrong!

I’ve been married for years, and I think my wife should have been paying me for sex this entire time. Hey, it’s really hard work (especially with her)!

By T

August 11, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this

If we gotta pay for some of these children, do we get the right to smack them when they act up in public places?

By Ditto

August 11, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this

Good luck!. Even though the idea of holding parents responsible for their offspring sounds good, the racial makeup with respect to the % of babies born out of wedlock makes any “holding parents responsible” look like racial persecution.

The concept of squeezing the parents of the 70% of black and 50% of hispanic children born out of wedlock for $$$ is dead in the water.

The illegitimate children discussed by this article are the same children that receive peachcare… the same children that the Democrats rely on to push their class warfare and healthcare agendas. The Democrats DON’T WANT to hold parents responsible. They, instead, want GOVERNMENT to become responsible because it enhances the politician’s power. They tax those parents who are in the upper 50% of income earners and who take responsibility for their children and give that money to the children of irresponsible parents in some kind of grand social experiment that punishes the responsible and rewards the irresponsible… all in the name of the children.

By Staying in the fray

August 11, 2008 4:21 PM | Link to this

Anyone who thinks that young people are thinking about pregnancy when they engage in unprotected sex is STUPID. I definitely pay my share of taxes (being a 6 figure household and all) but some of you idiots kill me…thinking all minorities want to do is have babies so that they can suck up your tax dollars in the form of welfare.

No.. it’s simply a lack of education, social awareness and desire for sexual pleasure that causes these people to want to engage in it, and the out of wedlock children are merely a negative result of it.

While admitting that there is a serious problem in the Black community with this, I would like to offer that I have never in my 30+ years seen Black women jumping up and down about their “right to choose”. Know why???.. because this is something that has been held sacred to White women since the push for equal women’s rights. Yes, White people take advantage of privately pursuing ABORTIONS..in a very quiet and “proper” manner. When they or their children become impregnated with a child out of wedlock, they simply KILL it. Same to be said for the “morning after” pill.

Family dignity and “purity” of character maintained, social stigma avoided.

Now someone tell me I’m lying.

By KM

August 11, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this

Before everyone turns this into a race issue, all the facts are not here to tell us which group has the TOTAL # of kids born out of wedlock.

One thing that we do know is that as of July 2008, the U.S. had an estimated population of roughly 303,824,646. Here is the make-up for different ethnic groups:

Whites = 79.96% Blacks = 12.85% Hispanics did not have a true count because of the multi-ethnicity but for the sake of argument, we’ll say = 12.85%

Depending on how many kids were born in the U.S., one group may have more than the other. As you can see Whites make up almost 80% of the population. Even though 71 percent of black kids are born out of wedlock they only make up 13% of the population and of that 13%, how many had babies, the same goes for Hispanics and other ethnic groups.

So before we go blaming one side or the other, this guy should have provided us with all the figures in addition to the overall cost.

By SaveOurRepublic

August 11, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this

AJ, outstandingly accurate info on the Malthusian origin & agenda of Planned Parenthood. Along with the massive pushed for (tainted, laced) vaccinations worldwide, the Globalist Elite also funds the murderous “abortion” racket as part of the population control/reduction agenda.

Once/if “unwanted” children escape the murderous vermin at the abortion clinic, the often end up in the clutches of CPS/DFACS. Around the nation, CPS agencies have a long history of abuse, negligence and attracting pedophiles and other predators as employees. Add to that, the “cocktails” of psychotropic drugs that most children in CPS custody are placed on. It’s all about further government empowerment via taking away citizen’s rights!

http://www.jbs.org

By Dr. Spaceman

August 11, 2008 4:48 PM | Link to this

While I don’t like the IDEA paying for other people’s children any more than the next guy, WHERE ON MY PAYSTUB is the deduction for “other people’s children?”

The author claims that we all pay this money in “anti-poverty, criminal justice, and education programs.”

That is so vague as to be meaningless, so I’m not convinced. This article is another example of the type of editorial trolling that most of us unthinking Americans swallow hook-line-and-sinker.

Rather than getting angry about some supposed impact that some unmarried mother (oooh, how evil of them) is having on my paycheck IN THE ABSTRACT …

How about getting angry about the billions of real dollars that we all are paying for a phony war in Iraq?

The line for that on your paystub is FICA, by the way.

Th

By Tanuki

August 11, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this

My first suggestion is to make the birth control pill an over the counter medication the way it is in Europe.
There is no side effect of the pill in the teenage age group as devastating as having an unwanted pregnancy.

By Newrandyt

August 12, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

GALiberal

This whole thing bugs me to no end. Pregnancy is a choice. I am a single, high income, high tax bracket individual who leaves half of the money I make on the table for the government also, and frankly I could use some of that. And before you sit back and think that I am one of those people born with a silver spoon in my mouth, my father was a construction worker who died when I was 7 years old and we lived in an 8” by 45” foot mobile home until I was 12.

I raised my own 3 children, all planned (we all know pregnancy is preventable, no matter what you say), and sent money well into the six figures for child support when my wife and I broke up. So why should I have to raise the children of people who choose a life of irresponsibility also. They never helped pay to raise mine.

It is not just about the money, it is about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, and I do not think I should have to pay a substantial portion of money I HAVE WORKED 50 HOURS A WEEK FOR, so someone can sit on his/her behind watching daytime TV and having babies by multiple partners.

I don’t have a BMW either, coincidentally I could afford one if I got to keep some of that money the government wants to ‘redistribute’. And for the record, I was against the war in Iraq too, so I am all for making people work, make them pay for raising their own kids, and getting out of Iraq. Then maybe there would be “something in that bag for me, Toto”. Right now, I just get to pay for everyone else’s irresponsibility.

By GaLiberal

August 12, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

Newrandyt proves my point by saying: I am a single, high income, high tax bracket individual who leaves half of the money I make on the table for the government also, and frankly I could use some of that.

So you are more concerned with padding your already admitted comfortable lifestyle by tossing out some b******* children. You are so typical of the Rethuglicon mindset; it’s all about you and you only. Hell with anyone else.

If you actually bothered to read my earlier post, you would understand that I am for preventing these children from being born in the first place. Contrary to your false statement that “pregnancy is preventable,” there are many cases where it does happen even if all proper precautions are taken. Access to abortion is so restrictive that it isn’t an option for many women. Some pharmacies will not carry Plan ‘B’ and some pharmacist will not dispense it or birth control pills. So the Rethuglicons and the moralizers like you have set them up to fail. No matter what they do and their options are very limited.

When you vote Rethuglicon, you vote against your own best interests. And Newrandyt is living proof.

By Morrigan

August 12, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

GaLiberal,

Newrandyt is arguing for his own best interests. Do try to keep up.

Further: no one but the sperm and egg donors are “tossing out some b** children.” Cranking them out, pushing them out, tossing them out.

I don’t know where your anger comes from, but if you want to pay for other people’s inventory - I mean welfare increases - I mean beloved, adored, tenderly treated children, be my guest.

Yes, it is all about me and mine. Just as it is for the b*-makers you love so much.

By Newrandyt

August 12, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this

That is your problem GaLiberal, you miss the point as so many bleeding heart liberals do…it is PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY I am talking about. If someone CHOOSES to not use birth control, then that person should be resonsible for the consequences, not those of us who did it right.

As for the compassion you seemingly refer to, I have no problem helping feed and clothe people who have been harmed by things out of their control, but what I do have a problem with is people who think they are entitled to a LIFESTYLE without working for it. And also for your information, I am not a Republican or a Democrat, I am an Independent who will not vote for anyone who thinks they have the right to continue to offer up evry “entitlement” program under the sun just to get votes.

The bottom line is that I was taught that NO ONE OWES ME ANYTHING THAT I AM NOT WILLING TO WORK FOR and this whole “welfare state” that you seem to want is what causes economies to just die.

And for the record, my “comfortable lifestyle” was bought and paid for by hard work, sweat, accepting responsibility for my won welfare, and more than a few scars. You and your “sperm donors” should try it sometime.

By Newrandyt

August 12, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this

@T Dub

I really like your post. That is what I mean and I am sorry if I come out indifferent because I do care, but you have outlined PERFECTLY what is escaping some people…the Personal Responsibility. We can CHOOSE. Thanks for a great post.