Background: My recent column Hillary Clinton Proposes Reforming Child Support System to Help Dads, co-authored with Mike McCormick, Executive Director of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, has, predictably, been the source of controversy within the shared parenting/fatherhood movement. We dealt with one aspect of this in Blowback over Our Hillary Clinton/Child Support Reform Article (Part I).
The Hillary Clinton article largely dealt with Clinton’s proposals to help low-income noncustodial fathers. These fathers are often buried by unrealistic child support obligations charged to repay the cost of the welfare benefits their children’s mothers received. We wrote:
“Clinton’s proposals are a good start, but much more needs to be done to address the problems low-income fathers face.”
Mike McCormick, Executive Director of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, often meets with legislators, judges, child support officials and others who help shape family law policies, and he has an interesting perspective on what it takes to move our issues forward. McCormick writes:
“Over the past several days we have been criticized for an article Glenn & I wrote in which Hillary Clinton recognized a program in California designed to reduce the child support arrearages of low income fathers. ÂÂ
“We have been variously accused of somehow endorsing Clinton as a presidential candidate, failing to recognize it was her husband Bill that signed some of the most onerous child support laws the nation has seen, or of selling out fathers. There was also a widely circulated email that questioned Clinton’s mental health and suggested that an indiscernible number of people have been helped by the program as compared to the overall number of people with arrearages (Note: for our response to this, see Part I). Normally I do not comment on such emails, but this one deserves a couple of follow up thoughts. ÂÂ
“For those who think our article was about any of the issues in the previous paragraph, I suggest a reread. Our article gave a nod to a politician who recognizes the harsh nature of the current child support system on one specific population–low income obligors owing more than $5,000 to the government to reimburse the cost of welfare benefits for the mother and children.
“Lest anyone reading this think we are enamored of the current system, understand that ACFC has crafted and promoted 10 very specific public policy recommendations regarding the child support system which include providing incentives to encourage adoption of Shared Parenting statutes. We must recognize that if we are going to accomplish anything and reform family law, we are going to have to do more than simply throw stones at an entrenched bureaucracy and hope it changes.ÂÂ
“Regarding the current crop of presidential candidates and how ‘father-friendly’ they are, none of them will get gold stars from me at this point. We have to engage the political process and in part that means engaging in constructive dialogue with people who don’t agree with or accept our positions. Whether your ’cup of tea’ is protesting, letter writing, calling, walking the legislative halls, filing suits, pressuring the media, researching issues, organizing, blogging, pamphleteering or any of the other activities, just do something other than criticize those who are also doing. ÂÂ
“And thanks to all of you who are doing something, whatever that may be…..
“Mike McCormick, Exec. Dir.
ACFC” ÂÂ
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