Bush wants genetic testing to ID newborns' father

[joni]

Is it just me or is this story, and the governor, missing the real problem here?  That so many women are having children and they have no clue as to who the father is?  Isn't that a HUGE problem in itself?
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Gov. Bush Wants To Use Genetic Testing To ID Newborn's Fathers

POSTED: 5:43 pm EST January 24, 2005
UPDATED: 5:56 pm EST January 24, 2005

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Bush administration in Tallahassee wants to launch a new crackdown on "deadbeat dads."

Gov. Jeb Bush said there are too many kids born to single mothers, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.

Many of the fathers are never identified, so they can never be forced to pay child support.

"Four out of 10 babies born in our state are born out of wedlock. That's a fairly remarkable statistic that becomes the statistic that then drives our efforts as it relates to child support. There are 800,000 children in our state today who have no legally identified father," Bush said.

Bush wants the state to pay for genetic testing of newborns so the father can be identified.

The governor also wants to simplify the legal process so mothers can get an order requiring child support without having to go to court.

[Avaya]

Well, first off, there has to be a 'father applicant' to compare the DNA with, right?  What if the mother doesn't know?  What if there are 10 potential fathers that the mother 'signs up' and the state has to pay for 10 DNA tests per child?  or 20?  I've watched Maury Povich a few times (the king of 'who da daddy?' LOLLOL) and I've seen the same girls on there time and time again testing yet ANOTHER set of 3 men to see if one of THEM is the daddy.  In theorey it's a good idea, but I think they're going to find that in practice, it's not going to fly.  

I do think however that if they put some stipulations - like 'No welfare unless you can identify the father so that we can go after him to help' then it might be a little more successful.  But then you're going to have a bunch of women 'claiming' rape just to keep from giving up the daddy (who promises he will still come cuddle with her and buy her clothes and jewelery - nevermind feeding the BABY - if she will just not tattle on him).  It's insane the lengths men and women go to these days.  All the rampant premarital sex.  All the shirking responsibility.  All the neglect of what is important.  

I think Governor Bush has the right idea, but I don't think his method will work out well.  I think he should promote abstinence education and that might be more effective.

[olanna]

and they have never been privy to be wronged like that.  I think it's a great idea.  The intent is wrong but the outcome will be a lot better for many men.

[patton]

The reason they want to be able to ID fathers, is to get them to support their children.

I have an Aunt that used to work in Birth and Death in the Records department of a large city.  And she said tons of women would record no father of record.

The reason they do this is so they can DRAW WELFARE indefinately.  If you don't know the father (or so they say) there's no one to step up to the plate to help support these fatherless kids except the WELFARE system.

She even went to far as to say she's heard them talking about to each other.....don't tell who the father is.  Just say he's some guy you met in a bar and don't  even know his last name.  Never have seen him again.  She even heard one woman say that the father was living with them, but she'd get more benefits from the welfare system.

This is called in my view "Beating the Welfare system".  So I can see why at some point that would be a good idea.  This is where some of our laws need to be changed.

[wendl]

Personally I think every child who is born should have DNA tests done, to many times woman lie and say that so and so is the father, and in reality they aren't.  This way men who are not these kids fathers will not be paying for cs for a child that is not theirs. JMO

**These are my opinions, they are not legal advice**

[annemichellesdad]

While there are logistical problems, some of which may interfere with civil rights, in obtaining a sample of DNA for comparison, the idea has merits IF, and ONLY IF, a conclusion of paternity also results in EQUAL PARENTAL RIGHTS for the father.

Here in GA, conclusive determination of paternity only establishes a father's duty to support the child. There are NO RIGHTS recognized whatsoever. In order to "obtain" his rights, he must go to court. (If this sounds odd to you, you're correct in so thinking.  By definition, "rights" are those things which we already have, Constitutionally protected. You don't have to go to court to obtain your rights. If you have to ask for something, then it's a "priviledge". Just a little "quirk" in the GA system left over from the slave days... no big deal.)

Michael

[wendl]

That is so true, the DNA tests usually are used so the NCP can pay cs support, HOWEVER IF every child and parents had DNA done at birth regardless of marital status, then that would help many men who are named fathers who actually AREN"T from paying for children who they have not fathered. It would help elimate the mother just listing so and so on the birth cert.

:)

**These are my opinions, they are not legal advice**

[FleetingMoment]

Bush can send the single moms to the Maury Povich Show. Testings are free over and over again :)