It might suck right now dealing with the cold and snow if you live in New York, but you should be proud to live in a state that cares about dads. I read last night that NY Governor George Pataki (R) is proposing legislation that will give a tax credit to low income fathers who don't have custody of their children but are current on their child-care payments. Currently single, low-income parents with custody (mostly women) benefit from such a tax credit, but this would help out both people responsible for their children. The tax credit is supposed to not only encourage young men (the first implementation would affect dads 18-30) to work and pay their child support, but also hopefully encourage them to participate in their children's lives.
What can you say about something that sounds like such a great idea you're surprised it's a new idea? If these are the kind of republicans you are growing out there in the blue states, could you send some of them out here to the red states?
In New York, a welfare experiment for single dads [Christian Science Monitor]
(By the way, let me pat myself on the back. Congratulations to me on my 100th post!)