The new CSA - The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (link) announced proposals this week that would mean parents who were not paying for the upkeep of their children would be able to have their driving licences and passports taken away without the CMEC having to go to court. The issues on this are numerous.
Firstly, the use of the court system offers an independent legislative check and stops state officials believing they have unaccountable powers to harm UK citizens. It is fundamental to all the debates on ID cards, CCTV, using terrorist powers to spy on people going about their business etc etc. It is about the state controlling people and not people controlling the state, It is absolutely fundamental to the concept of liberty this once proud freedom loving country used as its foundation. Under this Government, it is no more.
The day-to-day incompetence of civil servants, bureaucrats and officials is legion so why does anyone think this organisation will be any different and more efficianet, transparent and fair than the awful CSA. An organisation that drove many men to commit suicide and why organisations like CSA Hell were set up.
Media Coverage
One of the issues constantly remarked here is the way that a story that is presented in a gender-neutral way is then twisted into gender stereotyping male bashing.
The story put out by the DWP was gender neutral - it said parents. But these newspapers just blamed it on fathers - Daily Mail, Daily Mail 'Deadbeat Dads', Scotsman, Telegraph, ITV. As if there are no absent mothers!
The most remarkable anti-male article seen for a long while was the anti-male feminist par excellence Polly Toynbee. She is literally overflowing with her hatred of men, it's almost as if she cannot control her rage, she says "The truth is that marriages often break down when women escape from bad role models - the ones who become the won't-pay fathers." No wonder she recived some 739 comments on her post. She has form on this issue.
Where is the fair deal?
Ultimately though, whilst the draconian powers have been ramped up, nothing changes.
The same inhumane admin cock ups as the CSA, refusing to answer letters or check up whether those claiming are telling the truth will continue?
Where is the justice when a mother walks out on the father to shack up with a new man leaving the rejected man to still pick up the tab?
Worse and this is the real injustice. If parents (lets say a father) are going to lose their passports and driving licences then the parent (lets say a mother) with custody who refuses to abide by contact orders, should then lose her passport and driving licence. This would be one remedy the Family Courts could use rather than the usual spineless inaction.
In a world of joined-up Government and fairness, this would be the case. However, we live in a Britain where the state dislikes men and has no interest in fairness towards them.
The child support system has been rife with Agency errors, delays and maladministration. In light of this, giving such powers, to a such poorly administered system, is completely irresponsible.
It would be far more beneficial to have a fair, effective system, efficiently administered, that runs smoothly.
afairercsaforall.co.uk offers free help, support and advice to ALL parents having problems with the CSA/CMEC - join us in the forum.
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