"I am happy that scofflaws get aressted, but I'm not convinced this method doesn't make things worse, and convince these guys that the system, top to bottom, is out to get them."

I don't disagree, but people who skip out on child support are below toe cheese on the slime scale.

Max wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

"I am happy that scofflaws get aressted, but I'm not convinced this method doesn't make things worse, and convince these guys that the system, top to bottom, is out to get them."

I don't disagree, but people who skip out on child support are below toe cheese on the slime scale.

true, but rapists, child rapists, and murderers are WAY below those scofflaws, not mention strong arm robbery, and white collar crime of a huge variety.  You could let all the child support scofflaws walk, IMO< if you went and jailed each and every person involved in the banking scandal, in the Enron scandal, etc.

Can't disagree with any of that either. But I'm not sure Ken Lay was gonna be duped by a couple of tickets to a football game.

"You have just won a California nuclear power plant!  To pick up your prize please bring photo ID to . . . "

LOL. Now that tack might work.

APRTW wrote:

I think one of the most effective methods in Illinois is the "deadbeats dont drive" system.  It takes the drivers licenses of deadbeats if they are not attempting to pay.  If used right that can be effective.  Everyone has to drive.

Max I disagree that not paying child support is not serious enough to come up with creative ways to force payment.  If they dont pay it then they should feel like people are going to be out to get them.  It isnt pay it if you feel like it.  I do think that men get screwed by having to pay more then their fair share but I am not sure that justifies not paying it.

As someone who pays more than my share.... The entire reason the system is aligned to --ck me squarely in my formerly tight a---ole is because people DON'T pay what they should. It was really nice to see a woman getting hauled in too.

I can also tell you there are situations that can arise. Mine? During a job transition, and a 35K/yr loss in wages (I shit you not). I didn't declare a change of income and was "forgiven" of outside debts by my ex, understanding my situation. Insurance, day care, doctor bills, etc.

So this went on for a while, and I fought and fought to get back into IT where I could earn. About a year of the grace of the outside period. Then my ex-wife got into it with my girlfriend.....

All those bills magically became "owed" and I was brought to court to face about 7000.00 in debt. I made some legal mistakes during this process that assured me I had no case for this changing of my ex-wife's mind, and those were made from ignorance. I only bring it up for you to understand everyone who has child support arrears, a lost license, a warrant, or whatever might be a truly decent person who's got "circumstances".

APRTW wrote:

I think one of the most effective methods in Illinois is the "deadbeats dont drive" system.  It takes the drivers licenses of deadbeats if they are not attempting to pay.  If used right that can be effective.  Everyone has to drive.

Max I disagree that not paying child support is not serious enough to come up with creative ways to force payment.  If they dont pay it then they should feel like people are going to be out to get them.  It isnt pay it if you feel like it.  I do think that men get screwed by having to pay more then their fair share but I am not sure that justifies not paying it.

It's the tricking thing--many people already feel, or suspect, that society is basically a big trick with them on the losing end (think of what is going on in the UK, or Philly flash mobs).  Basically we need these guys working and paying, not sitting in jail and costing the society even more than if they were merely deadbeats.  We can already garnish their wages.  So perhaps, rather than sending them a letter that tricks them, send them a letter that informs them that their is a warrant for their arrest and that they could get picked up off the street at any moment.  Furthermore, if you call and make an appointment to turn yourself in we will meet you with a case worker who will arrange a payment plan for you.

Max wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

"During a job transition, and a 35K/yr loss in wages (I shit you not)"

50K here.

I left the job in Singapore because it didn't pay enough (yearly salary in the range of what Alz lost) and my bosses were going to keep me down forever there.  I came to the USA without work and arrived in August 2008 when the economy tanked.  Bumped around for nearly three years getting a few small contracts.  During that time the US dollar tanked relative to the Singapore dollar and had I just stayed at my old job I would have experienced a $13k increase through the exchange rate, no counting whatever else I could have wangled in the way of a raise.  Now I am being paid in UK£ and I keep hoping that the $ will slide against £, but I guess whatever is screwing the dollar is doing the exact same thing to sterling, as the exchange rate has barely budged one way or other. 

But fortunately I have no alimony or child support, just student loans.

About 10 years ago, I left the paper with my old editor to work for a p.r. firm. I had gotten really sick of the news beat. The deal-breaker was covering a trial after a guy had burned his girlfriend's infant son with a cigarette in about 50 places on a night the guy was baby-sitting while the mother was at work. Shit like that happened all the time and it just got too depressing.
At the p.r. firm, I handled two accounts - one representing a commercial development company that made a ton of dough and the other a trust that awarded scholarships to kids who wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford college. The trust required a lot more management, than the other client, but it was rewarding work. The developer paid us gobs of money to basically write press releases. So either way it was a pretty good gig.
When the economy started to tank in '08, the developer stopped building as many buildings, so p.r. became less of a priority for him. When he yanked his account, the guy who ran our firm decided he had made enough money to retire, so we all showed up for work on a Monday morning to find the door locked to an empty building. Last I heard, he was living in Belize.
I had to grovel, but I was able to get a job back at the paper - less writing and more production - but at a journalism salary. The editor who left with me wasn't as lucky. He basically flipped everyone at the paper the bird on his way out the door to our p.r. firm, so he wasn't welcome back there. He's writing as a freelancer while he's burning up the equity in his home paying tuition bills for his kids to attend Michigan and DePaul.

Last edited by artie_fufkin (8/11/2011 7:44 pm)

Darth, I had no idea you worked in PR. I've been trying for over a year to break in and have had one interview out of about 20 jobs I've applied to. Meanwhile I've seen people I went to college with who are significantly worse at writing (and that's not me touting myself as Hemingway; these kids just sucked) and no idea how to do strategic planning, yet they're all plucking away at their PR jobs.

I got sick when a girl who was a year behind me graduated and had a job in SEO three weeks later. The whole business has a way of making you feel hopeless.

Max wrote:

APRTW wrote:

I think one of the most effective methods in Illinois is the "deadbeats dont drive" system.  It takes the drivers licenses of deadbeats if they are not attempting to pay.  If used right that can be effective.  Everyone has to drive.

Max I disagree that not paying child support is not serious enough to come up with creative ways to force payment.  If they dont pay it then they should feel like people are going to be out to get them.  It isnt pay it if you feel like it.  I do think that men get screwed by having to pay more then their fair share but I am not sure that justifies not paying it.

It's the tricking thing--many people already feel, or suspect, that society is basically a big trick with them on the losing end (think of what is going on in the UK, or Philly flash mobs).  Basically we need these guys working and paying, not sitting in jail and costing the society even more than if they were merely deadbeats.  We can already garnish their wages.  So perhaps, rather than sending them a letter that tricks them, send them a letter that informs them that their is a warrant for their arrest and that they could get picked up off the street at any moment.  Furthermore, if you call and make an appointment to turn yourself in we will meet you with a case worker who will arrange a payment plan for you.

I am sure they knew tht a warrent was going to be issued.  Guys that owe cild support know it.  Like Alz said, they are al not bad guys.  However if there is a warrant issue it is because they didnt take care of something wen they had a chance to.

I've tried to focus on finding communications work for non-profits, but I think when they search for applicants they're looking for someone with experience in an agency or corporate communications. I've never heard kind words spoken about Fleishman-Hilliard, yet it seems like anyone who has made it in PR in St. Louis has worked for them.

And unfortunately for me, employers in the communications/marketing field are disregarding people who have newspaper experience, like me. I thought having seven years in the business writing articles, features, photography, editing and designing would give me a leg up on people, but it's done nothing. My old professor posted a link on his Facebook wall the other day that discussed how communications work is not necessarily going to newspaper guys anymore, but people with experience in marketing and strategic planning.