Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Who's Your Daddy? Seriously.

This is another in what looks to be a continuing series, or at least theme, of bizarre laws.

This law, SB3717, is still in the State House introduces mandatory genetic testing of all newborns and alleged Fathers before a Father can be listed on the birth certificate. Yes, I live in a state where this is being considered.

You don't have to think very long to come up with the points being argued by both sides. And, sadly, you don't have to think very long to figure out who it is targeted at, and why.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not at all knowledgeable on Tennessee, but I am curious what the subtext is here.

Please fill in my ignorance.
PS. Is it catholic priests? Politician-spawn? Half-dingo dogbabies?

Josh (the oak) said...

Well, the bill is being pushed by rich white male southerners.

Fill in as needed.

Anonymous said...

I would think proof that they are fathering illegitimate children would actually hurt them.

What am I missing about local politics - do lots of people claim to have bastards by the rich, yet are lying about it?

Orrr...is it to somehow keep fathers off the birth certs of the poor &/or loose when the dad is too lazy/lame to come to the hospital?

Josh (the oak) said...

Well, one thing it does is make it impossible to collect child support for deadbeat dads, since he probably won't be listed as the father.

It also means single mothers of children whose Father died before birth or testing cannot get Social Security Survivor benefits.

So all in all, a really great bill for low income mothers.