Parents Owing Back Child Support in This Terrifying Economical Times

Another sect of the pool of the unemployed that must be looked at especially are the parents that are court ordered to pay child support.  Keeping in mind, that there's only a small percentage of truley "dead beat" parents, the ones that want nothing to do with their children at all....nada....zip.  The majority of parents who owe child support are trying all they can to support their children in the best way they are able to, given all the circumstances of each case and without losing their own ability to live any worthy standard of life.

But, what's going to happen with all the parents obligated to pay child support during this economic hardship, where jobs are scarce?  Many parents who are obligated to pay child support are falling in arrearages every day they are without work.  We all who are unemployed has that angry wolf at the door growling to be fed.  We all have debts and that we are unable to sufficiently pay as we try our best to hunt down jobs to keep the bill collectors off of our backs.  But, when you are a parent who owes child support, that wolf at the door is more meaner.

Back child support is unilaterally treated as a crime.  First they attack the obligated parent by revoking their right to have a driver's license.  How is this parent supposed to go out to fill out applications all over and attend interview meetings, if they are unable to legally drive and there is no public transportation available at that address?  Even if there was a bus stop at the job site that can get you to your interview, it's the getting on and off the bus to fill out applications that can get time consuming and you end up paying for re-boarding a bus to get to another destination.  In this day in age, it's almost impossible to find work without your own transportation, especially when most jobs require that you do so.

If the court system is unable to bully an obligated parent with taking their driver's license away, they send this struggling parent this nice notice stating that you are to attend this meeting to discuss the child support arrearages and see how they can help you meet your child support obligations.  But, they add this statement that if you do not comply, then they will bring a lawsuit against you in court, and that a decision will be made as to what punishment the obligating parent will get at the time of the hearing.  This can include anything from reporting the child support debt to the collection agencies who will seek every asset you have in order to sell it and turn it in to cash to pay the other parent the child support owed.....to being put away in jail for an indefinite amount of time.

It's so incredible how a spouse abuser can get arrested and put into jail and then released within 24 hours to 3 days, yet one who owes a child support debt at no fault of their own are locked up in the slammer with no maximum set days.  Reason being, is that if a obligating parent does not sign this contract, that clearly outlines a plan to pay the child support back that this parent knows full well that it will be impossible to do, then the law keeps that parent in jail until that parent complies.  But, just say this parent does sign that contract, this contract is binding and the punishment for not complying to what you basically agreed to by signing it, is to be found in contempt of court and immediately arrested and sent back to jail.  Talk about a catch 22!!!

Yes, there are real dead beat parents that need this treatment, but why should the majority that are just struggling to meet their child support obligations get the same treatment as those dead beat parents?  None of us born and bred Americans who are unemployed because of this failing economy asked for that terrorfying day of September 1, 2001....nor did we ask for a war to be started over it.....much less ask for it to continue as long as it has.  Rather you are a parent who has lost the ability to secure employment because of economical hardship or not, unemployment hurts all who are suffering from it right now.

I am so thrilled and hopeful of President Obama, when I hear him say his plans are to bring our men and women home from Iraq within a year and to finally let Iraq deal with their own political and social issues....and to restore America's economy to where we can get ourselves back in financial order as we were prior to this war.  I am hoping with all hopes that Obama is going to keep his word and that the dream we as Americans are working on right now to heal ourselves from this war will become a reality.

As far as his plans to end this punishment of taking the right to have a driver's license away from parents who are obligated to pay child support if they should fall behind in payments, I applaud him.  I just hope he is also thinking about ending the punishment of parents who are in arrears with their child support obligations, however the means the punishment is currently established, who are honestly struggling with finding gainful employment during this economic hardship.

It makes no sense to take away driver's license or cause more of a financial burden on tax payers by placing parents who are behind in child support payments in jail as a common criminal. All who are unemployed and behind in paying debts because of this economic hardship should be treated equally fair.  I along with others are eagerly waiting for Obama to announce a solution to end punishing obligated parents who are honestly doing all they can right now just to survive themselves until America is restored economically once again.

Mirror Mirror On The Wall Who's The Scaredest Of Them All?

I am sure that my mirror would say that all who live in North America affected by this economy are. Big giants such as Boeing and Microsoft have already laid off thousands upon thousands of employees already and there's yet another wave of lay offs to come in the near future. Starbucks is laying off thousands and closing many of their franchises all over.

Before any news of warning of all of this came out, we were already burdened with an unemployment rate that does not match up to the old ideology of the good ole US of A being the land of opportunity. I beg to differ. Being a divorced, born and raised American woman who chose to put her educational and career growth aside to be a stay at home mother in the midst of this grossly failing economy, I am struggling to survive and using up my only modest source of income while praying with everything inside of me to land that miracle job.

The question that screams inside my head is, if the government does not know the solution needed to fix this dysfunctional economy so that those with educational backgrounds and work history can protect their livelihood, how are we who are just trying to enter the work force going to secure an income to protect our livelihoods? This is absolutely the most fearful time for us all who are now living out the economic nightmare that this country is going through, instead of the American dream!

To be honest, I am not sure anymore what is the most paralyzing factor in America. The economy or the fear factor everyone's going through. All I know is that we have reached an era that if you are the type that enjoys being an island to yourself, you will not make it through this economic crisis. For now is the time that everyone has to lay aside their differences for other fellow human beings and start working with the other as a community in any way possible.

It may get to the point for many of us, that we will have to return to the historical way of life. Families might have to end up living together again, sharing household financial and practical every day responsibilities. We might end up using the tried and true barter system, where the community traded their time for goods and visa verse. Even more, paying it forward by just reaching out to another in need, so they can get ahead, which can allow them to reach out to the next person in need. These are all viable and workable ways to not only survive, but to thrive in this economical nightmare.

I try so hard to take the high road and remain positive so that I am not paralyzed by my own fear, which can prevent me from moving me towards my American dream. I limit my television watching, reading the Business part of the newspapers and listening to a radio station when the discussion is about our economic crash. For what good is it to have that barrage of negativity hitting me on a daily basis, when my energy can best be used focusing on the positive ways I can change my personal situation. But, it's hard to get away from that negativity and escape my inner fears of doom, when I go out and see the expression of despair on the faces of people I come across.

I used to think that the United States of America had to fix this malfunctioning system before we the people lose everything we hold of value. I am not so sure that this is going to fix us anymore. Perhaps, we have become a spoiled nation, that's been taking our riches for granted way too long, to the point of thinking we could go to our death beds unscathed by calamity. Maybe what's really got to happen, is that we as Americans have to lose everything we have before we finally figure out the solution to fix our economical problem.

I may not have all the answers, but I do know something has to be fixed no matter what.