[quote]Sloth wrote:
[quote]therajraj wrote:
The Huffington Post obtained transcripts of Santorum’s comments and speeches from various campaign stops in 1994, which show just how far Santorum was willing to go with his proposals. Produced for the then-Sen. Harris Wofford’s campaign, the video and audio transcripts show that the Pennsylvania Republican was willing to deny unwed mothers government services until they revealed private family information.
Under the plan, those unwed mothers would have to reveal the name of their child?s father in exchange for welfare and subsidized medical care. What was once the domain of private labs, family courts, and Maury Povich would become the domain of the government.
“What we say is that in order for Mom to be able to go on welfare if she has a child out of wedlock, you have to tell us who the father is,” Santorum said at an event in Carlisle, Pa., on April 1, 1994. “If you don’t tell us who the father is, you’re not eligible for any welfare benefits, none, not even medical care. You tell us who the father is or you don’t receive benefits.”
Santorum argued that his proposal could persuade single women to slow their sex lives, which, in turn, would lead to less out-of-wedlock parenting. “If Mom knows that she isn’t gonna receive welfare if she doesn’t tell us who Dad is, y’know maybe she’ll be a little more careful, maybe,” he said.
“Or maybe she gives us a list, say ‘Well it could be one of five,’” Santorum went on. “I mean, y’know, I don’t know what she’s gonna do, but at some point we’re gonna see her cooperate.”
So is this guy for real or…?[/quote]
/cheers.
We’re not the damn father and we have to pay for her welfare. Pappa needs to be known, and squeezed for every last penny of child support.
[/quote]
Whether these services should be provided or not by the government is another issue.
I’m talking about the government’s intrusion into the personal lives of people. Going as far as requesting DNA samples and holding services hostage until they are provided is ridiculous. There are limits to what personal information the government should be allowed to have access to from it’s law abiding private citizens.
Secondly, if the woman does not know who the father is, how is that fair grounds to deny medical services? This is just another attempt to punish people for having sex outside of marriage. I guess government interference is only okay when it’s related to the bedroom activities of its private citizens. Why are you guys so in favour of using the power of government to control women’s sexual behaviour? While I agree that women should be discouraged from unwanted pregnancies, the legislatures seem to be pushing for more and more obstacles to a woman’s right to choose.
Thirdly, what about the private lives of men who are falsely claimed to be the father? If I am falsely claimed to be the father of some child by a random woman, why the fuck should I be required to give a blood test? Stay out of my fucking life government.
Fourth, how come there is no denial of services to the deadbeat dads once they are identified (in general whatever they are currently receiving)? Why is he so focused on punishing women only?
