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OK, you're a guy with a gal. Mistakenly you impregnate her. She decides she's going to abort the child. You say no. But you have no right to that child no matter how you want it. She has the abortion. Case closed.
Well, new scenario.
You're a guy and a gal. Mistakenly you impregnate her. She wants to keep the child, you don't. She's going to have it no matter what you want and you are forced to an obligation of 18 years to support this child at the minimum - monetarily.
What if you could abort the child legally? She still gets to have the child, only you are now legally disconnected from the obligation. This would come at a price of no rights of visitation also.
I would support this freedom of choice for men. After all, welfare exists for a reason and single moms have unmitigated access to that. Men should have an opt-out period, too. No one should be forced to become a parent.
Since you quoted me, let me expand the part that is "punishment", in my definition. Having been on both ends of the equation, my viewpoint probably is influenced and biased by my experience though..
Anyway, it costs some amount to provide for the necessities of a child: housing, clothes, medical, food, education. This can vary by geographic location, but it should be relatively easy to determine for your area: difference of cost between 1 and 2 bedroom apartment..that is the "cost" of a child's housing (plus some minor amount of utilities to heat and provide light to that room, hot water for bathing) as an example. Same for the other items. Mind you, this should be limited to "basics"...ie, the minimum necessary, not Nike shoes, "dinner" at McDonalds, cell phones/data plans, TV's for Xbox, etc., as none of them are requirements. Once we've determined the basic necessities, a monthly cost can be calculated, let's call that $X.
So, we've got our basic figure, and mom should pay half of $X, and dad should pay the other half, regardless of income. I'm perfectly fine with that, and I do not view that as "punishment". But anything above that 1/2 $X? That's punishment for the person being forced to pay beyond the minimum need. I'm NOT advocating that person not provide extra..but it should be at their discretion, and they should be albe to control what it is spent on, and how it is spent, as it is their money, and the child should know that that person provided it. That way they know that the other spouse is not using it on themselves, which is NOT what child support is for. The current income based model more often than not, far exceeds the basic necessities, and is wasted on an ex spouse using it for personal luxury.
Like I started out with..I've lived both sides of the issue, and have seen this happen with my own two eyes.
Frankly, I think that you are being way too generous here. Indeed, if a child's custodial parent has enough money to take care of this child by himself/herself, then this child's non-custodial parent certainly shouldn't owe this child any child support if he/she wants to give up all of his/her parental rights to this child.
As a stepmother who has a spouse who pays child support, I find this to be absolutely ludicrous. It's not a punishment, it goes towards caring for the child. People who resent child support and having to pay it are people who generally don't want to be responsible for their choices.
Two things:
1. If child support is genuinely for the child, then if a child's custodial parent refuses to seek child support from this child's non-custodial parent, then this child himself/herself should be able to go to court after he/she becomes an adult, demand that his/her non-custodial parent pay 18+ years of child support, and always win in court in regards to this issue.
2. Why exactly should children have a right to financial support from their parents if their parents want to give up all of their parental rights to these children of theirs? After all, causing children to exist isn't a harm and having consensual is neither negligent not illegal.
I would support this freedom of choice for men. After all, welfare exists for a reason and single moms have unmitigated access to that. Men should have an opt-out period, too. No one should be forced to become a parent.
I am for equal rights.
Frankly, I at least mostly agree with you, but not for the same reason.
OK, you're a guy with a gal. Mistakenly you impregnate her. She decides she's going to abort the child. You say no. But you have no right to that child no matter how you want it. She has the abortion. Case closed.
Well, new scenario.
You're a guy and a gal. Mistakenly you impregnate her. She wants to keep the child, you don't. She's going to have it no matter what you want and you are forced to an obligation of 18 years to support this child at the minimum - monetarily.
What if you could abort the child legally? She still gets to have the child, only you are now legally disconnected from the obligation. This would come at a price of no rights of visitation also.
Yes, women have vastly superior rights in current American Law over men but what's missing from your scenario is what why the rights of the child are given zero credence...unless someone murders the child in the womb in which case they are given the rights of a human? We are messed up with our hypocritical laws in this area.
Yes, women have vastly superior rights in current American Law over men but what's missing from your scenario is what why the rights of the child are given zero credence...unless someone murders the child in the womb in which case they are given the rights of a human? We are messed up with our hypocritical laws in this area.
Everyone should read this and let it sink in.
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"Forced?? 
