It is undeniable that the current child support system in the U.S. is intended to make single parent families economically viable. In doing so, it has the (presumably unintended) consequence of providing incentives for these families, which in the overwhelming majority of cases are fatherless families.

Meantime, there are no incentives for the preservation of the place of the father in the intact family. In fact, every recent change that I can think of has had the effect of making it easier to establish fatherless families.

Where are we headed with this? I think we need only look at the statistics to tell ---

Children from fatherless homes account for:

63% of youth suicides. (Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Bureau of the Census).

71% of pregnant teenagers. (Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services)

90% of all homeless and runaway children.

70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Special Report, Sept 1988)

85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders. (Source: Center for Disease Control).

80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger. (Source: Criminal Justice & Behavior, Vol. 14, p. 403-26, 1978).

71% of all high school dropouts. (Source: National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools).

75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers. (Source: Rainbows for all God`s Children).

85% of all youths sitting in prisons. (Source: Fulton Co. Georgia jail populations, Texas Dept. of Corrections 1992).

So what's the bottom line? It is that a huge machine has been created, and is constantly being reinforced, to bring about exactly the situation that we don't want. More and more bureaucrats, special interest groups, and attorneys have an interest in see this destructive machine continue in business. It's a form of social suicide.