12-22-2008, 03:10 PM
sam, quite simply because it is part of the parents rights and responsibility to ensure the health, safety, and overall welfare of their children.
You cannot 'force' parents to do anything *for* their children without legally taking away those rights. It's a slippery slope, and America has been slipping down it. It starts with jailing parents who 'dare' to spank their children in public. It ends with The State not allowing parents to raise their children, and instead raising them in some sort of centralized creche facility (think orphanage).
Now- make it easier for parents to sign up for something like this, or automatically sign up kids based on available information (there is a child, the parent has x income per the IRS, etc..), or set up a directed communication campaign- Sure !
You cannot 'force' parents to do anything *for* their children without legally taking away those rights. It's a slippery slope, and America has been slipping down it. It starts with jailing parents who 'dare' to spank their children in public. It ends with The State not allowing parents to raise their children, and instead raising them in some sort of centralized creche facility (think orphanage).
Now- make it easier for parents to sign up for something like this, or automatically sign up kids based on available information (there is a child, the parent has x income per the IRS, etc..), or set up a directed communication campaign- Sure !