<p>Any comments- is this his first step to the middle? By the way all absent fathers need to step up. The myriad of problems caused by absent or selfish males is something that needs to be confronted head on- white, black and hispanic.
Tucker Carlson thought Obama could put an end to Afirmative Action will he touch that issue?</p>
<p>Who does he think is, Bill Cosby? He will not likely be a Clarence Thomas.</p>
<p>He has already said that his daughters don’t need or deserve affirmative action.</p>
<p>This won’t endear him to some in the black voter base. They turned on Cosby pretty quickly when he preached accountability. I agree with tom that all fathers/sperm donors should step up to the plate. Things would be much better if they did.</p>
<p>This is not the first time he has made a speech to a black audience on exactly the same theme. See this sermon from 2005:</p>
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<p>[Obama</a> 's church sermon to black dads: Grow up | U.S. Senator Barack Obama](<a href=“http://obama.senate.gov/news/050620-obama_s_church_sermon_to_black/]Obama”>http://obama.senate.gov/news/050620-obama_s_church_sermon_to_black/)</p>
<p>Well. That’s one point in his favor in my book. That particular problem can only be fixed from within the black community. Anytime anyone else says anything they are crucified.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that Obama is the son of a man who deserted him. The gap that was left by his lack of a true relationship with his father was so great that it was the subject of his first book, and I understand that the disparity between the image he had of his father and the reality he later came to know was very painful for him. So he has experienced firsthand the emotional damage that comes from having an absent and irresponsible father. (Yes, he’s done pretty well for himself in spite of that, but that doesn’t mean it was easy). </p>
<p>There was an interesting piece on NPR comparing Obama & McCain’s relationships with their fathers - [Echoes</a> of Their Fathers: Obama and McCain : NPR](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91531137]Echoes”>Echoes of Their Fathers: Obama and McCain : NPR)</p>
<p>( I find it intriguing that both wrote similarly titled books. Obama: Dreams from my Father. McCain: Faith of my Fathers )</p>
<p>I agree that because Obama grew up poor and without a father, he has more clout when it comes to speaking about the issue. He doesn’t just come off as someone looking down on the community, but someone trying to help it.</p>
<p>Approximately 70 percent of African American children are born out of wedlock. That means a majority of these children are raised by their mothers. The boys do not have male role models and all the consequences resulting therefrom. Obama and Cosby cannot change a pratice that has developed over the years and as a result of big governent social programs. It is good to hear Cosby and Obama speak the truth, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.</p>
<p>I don’t suspect they can cause a lot of change in any reasonable time frame but at least they are speaking up. It took generations to degrade to this point and it will likely take many more before the issue is under control. I haven’t heard the likes of Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton talk about personal responsibility or accountability. It is refreshing…</p>
<p>From this year’s speech:</p>
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<p>It’s a lovely tribute to his grandparents.</p>
<p>This is an excellent message from Senator Obama. Regardless of the outcome in November, I hope he keeps this up.</p>
<p>Something else to note:
Source: [Obama</a> calls absent black fathers to task - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/15/obama.fathers.day.ap/index.html]Obama”>http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/15/obama.fathers.day.ap/index.html)</p>
<p>This is the sort of thing I wish the press were telling us about all along. Who here knew that Obama sponsored that legislation? Isn’t that one piece of information that is a lot more important than his bowling score? </p>
<p>About a month ago I learned of another piece of legislation Obama had introduced on a minor issue that happened to be of significance to me and my daughter – I never would have known but for the fact that I was reading a report on another, similar piece of legislation. </p>
<p>I just did a search on Thomas that showed 276 pieces of legislation introduced by Obama in the 109th & 110th Congress. (That’s just legislation where Obama was the primary sponsor - he is also shown as cosponsoring an additional 905 items).</p>
<p>“Obama often speaks about the importance of parental involvement. In Washington, he sponsored legislation to get more child support money to children by offering a tax credit for fathers who pay support, more efficient collection and penalties for fathers who don’t meet their obligations.”</p>
<p>Why would a father get a tax credit for paying child support, which is his obligation? Did this legislation pass? I would think that just knowing that he is contributing to the well-being of a child would be enough “credit” for a man who is a father. Do absent mothers get this tax credit? How about men and women who stick around and actually raise their kids everyday? Joint custody?</p>
<p>Bill Cosby has been saying this for years, and he has been hammered consistently by the Black “leaders”. I am waiting to see whether they will hammer Obama also.</p>
<p>I also agree with swatparent, Why would a father get a tax credit for paying child support? This is all a part of big government mess.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine they are going to hammer him for this… He won’t undergo the scrutiny from the “black leaders” (like there really is such a thing…) like Cos did. They wouldn’t do anything to screw up his presidential bid.</p>
<p>Mothers who claim their children on their taxes get a credit. The legislation probably mentioned fathers specifically (if at all) because absenteeism on the part of the father is far more prevalent. Married couples get to claim their children on their taxes, so they DO get a credit. Same thing for join custody. The legislation makes sense: actually give fathers that contribute to their children’s living expenses the same credit as everyone else. As of now, fathers pay child support but aren’t allowed to claim it on their taxes. </p>
<p>There wasn’t just a tax credit involved. Stiffer penalties were a part of the legislation, too.</p>
<p>Mothers (families) normally spend more on the kids than the tax credit they get. Most of the time, they are also the primary caregivers. I don’t know where you live, but in my city, kids are very expensive, and parents spend more money on their kids than what they get back from tax credit. </p>
<p>I don’t know anyone who is having a baby because they can get some tax money from the government, having a kid in my city is a net loss, and it wont make an economic sense to have them if your incentive is to get tax money. </p>
<p>I am not against legislation that gives more incentive for fathers to pay child support, my problem is, why should the fathers need incentives to pay child support? What will happen if the incentives are no longer available? Will they abandon their children? This is not the right kind of incentive.</p>
<p>This is similar to paying children to go to school. The best incentive is helping them to understand the benefits of learning, so that they will always love learning even when they are not being paid.</p>
<p>The person who provides the greater part of the care and support claims the exemption on taxes, and this small amount is in no way reflective of the actual cost, time and effort of being the custodial parent. If there is joint custody for 2 children, for instance, the exemptions can be divided, such as each parent takes one on taxes, if there are 2 children. </p>
<p>We are speaking here of fathers who often have no contact at all with their children, and would be giving minimal amounts of support. Child support offsets (is counted against) welfare and other government assistance, which lowers the government’s payments to single mothers. Since the government is a more reliable payor than most of these deadbeat dads, the mothers will opt for the government payments instead such as welfare, WIC, food stamps, section 8, tuition grants, day care, etc rather than go after an unemployed HS drop-out father who may or may not give his mandated $25 a month to the mother. </p>
<p>Plus the cost for the jurisdictions of chasing down these fathers is more expensive than what the fathers pay, versus just having the government give it directly to the mothers. It is reflective of a society where the HS drop-out rate is as high as 75% and there is little responsibility for anything by the males, except maybe to the single mothers who raised them.</p>
<p>Tega, I don’t think it’s so much an “incentive” for paying child support as much as it is a tax equity measure. I think post #17 expresses it pretty well.</p>