We all know that American reactionaries aren’t going to support tax increases to pay the costs of dealing with millions of new unwanted children after Roe. Would it be possible to privatize and equalize those burdens by sticking it to the fathers?
You can see, conceptually, how it might work. Unmarried women who become pregnant would be required to undergo DNA tests as early as possible to establish paternity. That done, the father of the unborn child would be required to pay for all of the medical and social costs of giving birth to the child. He would remain responsible for those costs unless and until the child is adopted. If he doesn’t comply, he goes to jail for contempt of court. Great idea, no?
There are three huge problems with it. First of all, the average father doesn’t have any money, and putting him in jail won’t solve the problem. Second, this system would require significant new public resources for enforcement; reactionaries aren’t going to support that. Finally, most legislators are men. Do you really think they would go along with a scheme like this? Does our experience with child support enforcement give you an answer to that question?
To my readers: I will be on vacation until late Thursday. Don’t count on any new posts until then.