Willard wants all women who get pregnant to be forced by law to carry their babies to term. "I had a meeting with him one-on-one and he told me he is definitely pro-life," the chairman of South Carolina’s Spartanburg County Republican Committee said last month when Romney kicked off his 2008 Presidential campaign with a speech to the group.
When the bill for his positions comes due, however, Willard, like his Republican Party, is nowhere to be seen. A new measure proposed by the Governor would end welfare for teenage mothers after two years even if they are still in high school. Current law keeps benefits going until such mothers finish school, according to the Springfield Republican.
The high school moms rallied last week at the Statehouse on "Teen Parent Lobby Day."
Cortney S. Mondon, a single mother of a 16-month-old son, said thatwithout help from state government, she might fail to achieve her goalof becoming a probation officer or social worker. "We are the future," said Mondon, who receives day care and $533 amonth in welfare assistance from the state and hopes to attend HolyokeCommunity College. "Our children are the future, too," she added, according to the newspaper.
Republicans expect their girl-children (and assert that the schools should teach) to keep their darn legs crossed until something approaching majority, so it’s at least not inconsistent.What is inconsistent is the fact that teaching ‘sola safe sex’ in schools hasn’t made a dent in the pregnancy rate in the 13-17 age group (arguably, when it was all the rage, before people started adding abstinence programs, pregnancy rates went up dramatically (doubled) in the freewheeling 90s): although states with easy access to abortion have made a dent in the birth rate in the 13-17 age group.Good job.Next point: do we really want someone with the judgement and critical thinking skills that allowed her to get knocked up at 14 to become a social worker or probation officer? It’s a blind-leading-the-blind thing. Education is great, but it appears to many of us that some things about a person’s nature don’t typically change much from their (relative) youth. (In retrospect, one wonders if such people are already there: it would explain the dysfunctional state of our social support and penal systems.)Next: where are the fathers? These scum-sucking sperm doners got the girl knocked up, they should be collared with paternity and be out paying more than half the bills. Hey – I hear the Army is looking for people…and they hire at 17. Good wage too, if you include all the benefits. And, I bet it’s really less dangerous serving in the military than it is to be a young male in the inner city. I, for one, would support conscription for males who knocked up their partners and won’t take responsibility for the baby. At least let them do something redemptive with their miserable, selfish existances.Finally, and also importantly: where are the parents? Both the girl’s, and the boy’s? I’d have more sympathy if these girls were living on their own, but presumptively and typically, they are living with their parents – so really, this money is (or should be) going to the parents to support the added overhead for one child, which, in this context, 2 years of $533 a month actually goes a long way. Add to that a negative tax “burden” of a few thousand a year, and things begin to look less bleak.
The children should not suffer, but let’s not make these teen mothers out to be victims or heros.The are young woman who made mistakes, no matter how beautiful and loving their children are they still messed up by having chldren at too young an age when they could not care for them. And let’s not forget the fathers. They are equally to blame. No more no less.Courtney wants to become a social worker. “We are the future,” she says. Parents aren’t the future Courtney, the children are. You gave it up when you had unprotected sex with some dirtball. Now you want me to pay for your future. Let’s get the word out Courtney to other teens. It sucks being a teen mother.
JRP, by your post, I’d have to assume that you’ve never made a mistake in your life. But far be it from me to point out the mote in your eye…And where are you getting your statistics from? What about this? Or this? So much for the freewheeling ’90s.There are two issues here. One is the degree of compassion we extend to kids who made a mistake, and their babies. Two is whether we as taxpayers want to either foot the bill for these kids (and kids of kids) for a few years, or whether we want a bunch of single-parent high-school dropouts. That choice is pretty clear to me, all caveats of “moral hazard” notwithstanding.
right on! charlie
the probate ct. responsible for ordering support for the children had kept me outside the dor guidelines for 12yrs. since i moved back here. i have letter from dor atty. stating so, only too affraid to put this court. stated court from where i used to live. untrue. i have proof. i moved back w/$100.00wk. my first time in barns. ct. they cut it to $50.00wk and $15.00 arrearage. father drives $44,000.00 harley on wk. ends. was’nt until judge from another venue after stating how long father had gotten away w/out paying raised it to $197.00 2002 since 1993. when a 35yr.old 3 x felon drugs a/b breaking and entering got the word and jelous stating how us woman get it all for free. he lied to daughter after following her sch. bus after i had the principal escort her to her bus knowing what he would do. then he lied to judge ex parte, saying he had his own business. the judge then gave my 14yr.old to man of no relation. i am 53yrs. old and really worked most of my life unlike this man. was up to this man if i ever saw my daughter again. was this judge provoking me to commit murder? i thought so. during sneak calls she let me know what his “own business” was that he told judge he had… pot. 4mos. into an 8mos. dss plan he let her know what his interest of her was during his mandatory talks after sch. while wife and kids in the house. she demanded to come home. they said not to press charges and they would not take support monies. but the court still wants them too. dss area director i sent tape to told me there were no micro tape player there for him to listen to the tape, w/a tonge in cheak attitude. why let moms get support when the surrounding area can get money instead from the state and federal monies. even better for the parents to commit crime they can be put in jail, more monies. more than they would be paid in taxes if the person working. then spread it to the people they think are better. what measuring stick are they using? the same judge lowered support not asking or caring what he had put my child through. i had gone to the commission of misconduct on these two judges after he still having custody admitted to following me across the street in front of customers called me a —-ing looser. the judge was fine w/that. tyranically stompted on my 14th.amendment rights and 1st. no lawyer no talking. this man left provoking vulger messages on phone. i could clearly hear him holding his child as he babysits while wife works. i played for her dss worker to tell suppervisor. she told man to watch what he said i was recording him. the 1st mo. of this horror spent $75.00 for 1/2hr. w/a few atty. one told me he was a petaphile. i could not afford atty. i motioned for one at the 4th. mo. as prior i did not know i could. judge gave one for 10hr. only to look into my medical records. i have fibros myalgia. this man said it was a mental desease. the court clearly had an agenda of their own. this man was jelous of house we had just rented and stated to daughter i should be out of that house by now. hate bias discrimination is right! i found out during the making of a $500.00 phone bill if i lived any where other than the cape i could of gotten legal representation. legal aide here turned me down several times during the tyranical treatment by the court for several different reasons. funding was the main reason. cape during the 70’s wanted soverienty, i felt like they had succeeded i was not in the USA. now i can not get the funds of course to give a $3,5oo.oo retainer to sue the man and have the lies on paper in this court removed. i can prove all but no funds to force the court to remove,that just gave custody back w/out asking what she was doing w/me? they never did care about her safty/health or happiness the decent support could of brought her. she is now 17 and confused as this man made a mockery of this court venue. man then reported his version of the days in court to my then 14yr.old. i told the court (as i recorded her) they asked him he denied they accepted. so dont complain how these kids turn out or who is allowed to turn them out. could be someone living on state/fed. tax monies. and you pay them more than you would ever allow anyone on welfare to get. who is waisting how much? being indigent here brings out the worst in people knowing the establishment will back them. all my daughter ever said during this case was “i yelled alot and she had no chores” true, guilty. i think a city would be safer for my family than here. just where most people here feel we should be. if i can’t afford an atty. i will bring this matter to the public. there are no fair and just court orders here. i have fought for the indigent here,the courts made us pay for that. i predict if the young teens don’t move their kids off cape this venue will soon be removing them for best interest of the child to a home they pay for w/more money than these kids will ever earn. it’s what ever the court says it is unless you can hire atty. 1996 welfare reform stopped all that for the poor. there are some dangerous moves being made on the checker board of knights and days. and you paid for it and will have to live w/the results. not the officials you the average citizen.