| MND COMMENTARY |
March 5, 2004 by Jim Untershine California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is attempting to change the purpose of Department of Social Services (DSS) and that of the Attorney General. DSS will be rewarded for allowing the children to stay with their family, rather that taking them away. The Attorney General will be allowed to keep his job by enforcing the laws of his state, rather than allowing illegal marriage between gays. The impoverishment of the family caring for their own children is becoming apparent and disturbing: As reported in the Sacramento Bee, " In a ruling that will cost California and its 58 counties more than $80 million, a Sacramento federal judge has ordered the payment of unlawfully withheld foster care benefits for children living with relatives.", "the California Department of Social Services estimates that $30 million will have to be taken from the state general fund and another $42 million from county treasuries to cover the back payments. The federal government will be obligated to match those amounts" The supply side of the Foster care industry is finally being recognized and scorned. As reported in Star News, " Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for an overhaul of California's foster care system to end financial incentives that critics say encourage counties and their contractors to make money off children in their care.", "State and federal laws create financial incentives for placing children in foster care because counties receive $30,000 to $150,000 annually in state and federal funds for each child, say officials and critics." The demand side of the Foster care industry is becoming obvious and creepy: As reported in the Press Telegram:" The California Supreme Court declined a request Friday by Attorney General Bill Lockyer to immediately shut down San Francisco's gay weddings. ", " Pressure on Lockyer, a Democrat and the state's top law enforcer, intensified when Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger directed him to "take immediate steps' to halt San Francisco's marriage march. ", " Regardless of Friday's order, the San Francisco-based Supreme Court did not indicate whether it would decide the issue. The seven justices usually are loath to decide cases until they work their way up through the lower courts, which this case has not." DSS, operating in each state, is paid by the taxpayers to actively pursue removing children from their families and permanently giving them to strangers. As reported by the California Children's Services, most of these children were not victims of abuse:
The California child pay-off can be presented using the net per capita income (PCI) of California in 2000 as $26,422/yr ($2,202/mo). [Net PCI across all states are found in Table SA51-52 provided by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) for 2000]
Foster care and Welfare are paid for by the taxpayers, and are subject to repayment by the parents who are separated from their children. The state share (USC 42 1396d b) of these collections depends on the state's PCI relative to that of the nation. The state share of Foster care and Welfare collections = 45%*(PCI _state / PCI _nation)^2 and cannot exceed 50%. California is allowed to keep 50% of the Foster care and Welfare collections with a gross PCI of $32,363/yr ($29,760/yr nationally). [Gross PCI across all states are found in Table SA1-3 provided by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) for 2000.] Child Support Enforcement (CSE), operating in each state, is paid to actively prevent the payment of child support and drive both parents to poverty. The new and improved state incentive calculation (USC 42 658a b) doubles the Foster care (IV-E) and Welfare (IV-A) collections compared to child support (IV-D) collections. It is not hard to understand why states, like Utah, have opened the floodgates regarding unwed mothers giving babies up for adoption. The exploitation of children for money is more palatable if the children are supplied willingly. The new demand for children by same-sex customers may allow some states to distribute a catalogue, complete with a schedule of tax-free income that will be provided by the taxpayers or the parents roped into repaying it. Same-sex marriage would be a public policy wasted on a group of people who are proud of a lifestyle that precludes children. The institution of marriage does not confer commitment (in this no-fault divorce era we are forced to live in) it is simply a means to get free health care from the breadwinning partner's employer. State Attorney Generals of the Executive branch, who wish to ignore the law in an effort to force a new group of people into the divorce courts, only serves to feed the officers and agencies of the Judicial branch. Schwarzenegger may see through his Attorney General's murky motive, in hesitating to enforce the laws uniformly and adequately throughout the state of California. Attorney General Bill Lockyer must choose to put the 'smack down' on Mayors and Judges who choose to ignore the Legislative branch, or he must choose to resign his office. Is the California Attorney General a puppet of the California Bar Association or does he report to the California Governor? |
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