Center for Parental Responsibility (CPR)
WEEKLY
UPDATE (A Few Highlights):
Website:
cpr-mn.org contact: info@cpr-mn.org voicemail: 651/490-9277
____________________________________________________________________________________
ATTEND NEXT CPR General Meeting on
from
A MUST ATTEND MEETING TO HEAR an ATTORNEY talk about how to fight: modification, OFP, primary
caretaker myth and IV-D government intervention
See below for details.
FREE snacks and FREE Drawing for
Christmas presents!
______________________________________________________________________
1)
IV-D Eligibility Bill Rages on! Get on the
bandwagon to reform! Understand how IV-D applies to you!
a. More
attorneys interested! Other organizations interested! More legislators
interested!
b. Email
the governors office on a regular basis!
c.
GAO report found to supports our position
and our interpretation of the federal law!!
d. November
LEN letter complete – need you to send to your legislators
e.
NEEDS: we need constituents in Sen Berglins area and Sen. Betzolds area and we need to talk to your county
commissioner
2) Miscellaneous Non-Custodial Parent (“NCP”) INFORMATION
a. Baskerville
in town
b.
3) Upcoming Meetings and Events and Needs
a. NEXT
General CPR Meeting Sunday Night
i.ATTEND AND WIN - get
your name in the hat for a FREE Drawing for Christmas Gifts (we will only have
the drawings if we have a minimum of 30
people in attendance)
ii.GUEST SPEAKER:
Glenn Bruder, attorney at law (he’ll discuss
modification, OFP, primary caretaker, and how IV-D is unconstitutional)
.
4) CPR
Members: Individual Case Victories!
a. Your
case victory could be next!
ENCOURAGEMENT-HOPE-STRENGTH
“ I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your
adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.” Luke 21: 15
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your
heart … commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will act … fret not …
the Lord upholds the righteous .. . and they re not
put to shame … the Lord loves justice and He will not forsake His saints …the
Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is
brought to trial…the Lord is their refuge in times of trouble and the Lord
helps them and delivers them.” Psalm 37
· WHY IV-D IS IMPORTANT: IV-D reform is the best way to make the greatest change for the greatest number of people to ease the pressure of the draconian system that disengages fit fathers and prevents them from participating in the lives of their children. IV-D government services are provided solely and only to the custodial parent, and that is why you feel like your rights are being trampled on – because they are! It’s you against the entire bureaucracy. IV-D services are why you feel like you are being treated like a criminal – because the IV-D system was set up for criminals – it was set up to locate and prosecute fathers who had abandoned their families resulting in the child’s dependence on public assistance. Now ALL NCP’s are erroneously and involuntarily “welcomed” into the child support system (just as another class of people were “welcomed” into the “camps” of the 1930’s). The NCP’s are treated with the same prosecutorial fervor as all criminals, regardless of the circumstance, regardless of the fact there is no compelling state interest, and regardless of how involved you are as a non-custodial parent, and regardless of need for the prosecutorial methods. Because you carry the “label” of non-custodial parent, you are treated like a criminal that must be emotionally, financially, mentally beaten to submission.
·
NEW INFORMATION:
The IV-D Strategy Committee is now meeting every Thursday night. The
meetings take place at
· NEW INFORMATION: RESEARCH team continues to acquire more information in support of our claims for IV-D reform. This isn’t everything we have found, but all new information is nothing but encouraging.
o GAO Report: gao.gov – look for report #T-HEHS-95-181
o House
Research Report: Click here: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/chldsupp.pdf
· NEW INFORMATION: LEGISLATIVE FEEDBACK. We continue to pursue meetings with legislators. All legislators we have visited with are open to eligibility standards; most are shocked that there are no eligibility standards for this IV-D welfare program. This is a non-partisan bill that will reduce government services with no reduction in services for the poor, needy, or vulnerable, but it will reduce services for private cases in middle-and-upper income brackets, where the applicant can afford to pay for the services privately. We must meet with all key legislators well before the February 2004 session start-date. Their schedules get too busy. While ALL legislators must be informed on this issue, the KEY COMMITTEES are as follows:
o
§
Judiciary:
Betzold, Skoglund, Limmer, Cohen, Hann, Hottinger, Marty, Neuville, Ortman, Rest
§
Health
and Family Security: Lourey, Fischbach,
Berglin, Foley, Higgins, Kelley, Kiscaden,
LeClair, Nienow
§
Health,
Human Services, Corrections: Berglin, Higgins, Kiscaden, Foley, LeClair, Ruud, Koering, Lourey, Solon
o
§
Health
and Human Services Policy: Boudreau, Abeler, Paymar, Bradley, Dempsey, Finstad,
Nornes, Powell, Samuelson, Smith, Soderstrom,
Wilkin, Huntley, Opatz, Otremba,
Thao, Walker
§
Healthy
and Human Services Finance: Bradley, Wilkin, Huntley, Abeler,
Bourdreau, Finstad, Nornes, Samuelson, Opatz, Otremba, Thao, Knoblach
§
Civil
Law: Holberg, DelaForest, Biernat, Borrell, Kohls, Lipman, Smith, Swenson, Wardlow, Atkins, Latz, Pugh
· NEW INFORMATION: LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION NOTICE (LEN) FOR NOVEMBER 2003. The November letter to legislators (6th in series) is complete and was submitted to all legislators. Request a copy of this letter by emailing info@cpr-mn.org and one will be emailed to you. This FORM LETTER is for YOU to send to your legislators as well. It makes individual activism easy – just print the letter, sign your name, and send to your legislators.
o People always want to know “how can I get involved?” Change in family law will not occur until you get involved and convince your legislators that current laws are negatively impacting fathers, which negatively impacts children.
o These letters continue to elicit support from legislators, but we need your help. Legislators are noticing these letters – but they NEED to see these letters from their constituents – YOU (and as many people as you know of who will send the form letters)! CPR continues to get responses from legislators. These letters are instigating conversations at the legislature.
· NEW INFORMATION: LEGAL ASSISTANCE. We’re partnering with ANOTHER attorney, Glenn Bruder, interested in our cause. (Our list of interested attorneys is growing!) A CPR advisor located this attorney for us. Bruder wrote a letter to the editor of the RAKE magazine, responding to the September 2003 article on bias in the system against non-custodial parents regarding, custody, visitation and child support.
o He has figured out a way to WIN against the county when they come after a dad for a modification upward.
o He has ALREADY CHALLENGED the IV-D services provided to the mom because it is not means tested and there is no due process and a violation of equal protection because the government is aiding on parent at the expense of another.
o He
can argue successfully against the
“primary caretaker” argument for the child, and argue in favor of father involvement.
o He has WON every OFP charge he has ever challenged.
o He
will be our GUEST SPEAKER at the CPR General Meeting on Sunday night
·
NEW INFORMATION:
PARTERNING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. CPR was notified by the New Jersey
CRC (Children’s Rights Council) that our testimony on the
· NEW INFORMATION: CPR made CONTACT WITH ACCUSED “DEADBEAT” Francis Eugene Giberson. He is in Sherburne County Jail. CPR seeking more details in this case to find out “the rest of the story.” We want to find out if there was an ability to pay or not. There appears to have been no government debt (or limited), which means there may be no compelling state interest. Stay tuned for the rest of the story. CPR believes “deadbeat dad” is hate language and a pejorative label that stereotype and stigmatize fathers as moral inferiors blamed falsely for the ills of American society. Such attitudes reinforce the mistreatment of maligned fathers. These attitudes also increase levels of discord among families and further discourage them from working in a harmonious manner.
·
NEW INFORMATION:
· REMINDER: You can OPT OUT of the IV-D program with a 1301 d exception objection letter – that letter continues to be updated. A CPR research aid has produced a wealth of new information to back up this valid option to protect your rights as a parent. Much additional research has been located, reinforcing the validity of the 1301 d objection, which will finally renew your constitutionally protected voice in the process.
Miscellaneous Non-Custodial Parent INFORMATION
NEW
INFORMATION: Baskerville is coming to town. Dr. Stephen Baskerville. Professor
of Political Science at
REMINDER:
i.
winning your
modification
ii.
fighting an OFP
successfully
iii.
arguing against the
“primary caretaker” myth
iv.
why IV-D is
unconstitutional
·
Non-custodial dad, J.H. FINALLY gets his son out
of foster care (after about 3 months) and into his custody. Many CPR volunteers
helped to make this happen by packing the courtroom, and protesting with signs
in front of the
· Non-custodial dad, A.E. is working with his ex-wife who is willing to sign all the papers to get the government out of their private family matters.
FOR THE ACTIVIST: if you want to do something to help the
cause; if you want to know “how do I get involved?” The problems in family law are bigger than any
one of us can handle, but if we work together we can make a difference. Here’s some suggestions on how you can help:
1) Please WRITE your story --- the long version and a 2 page short version. This is critical to help you communicate your story in an organized, succinct, and concise manner. If you need help with your story, let CPR know. Because it is sometimes difficult to put words to paper, we have volunteers who can help you write your story. Stories can be used for:
a. Submitting to your legislator (and other government officials who can help the problem) so they have record of the problems in family court
b. Submitting information to your attorney – to save time and money by getting the attorney up-to-speed quicker with the written story.
c. We will be creating a video program, giving people who have succinctly written their story to complete a documentary on the problems non-custodial parents face. We want your story for the TV documentary.
d. Submit your story and your problem to any and all media outlet you can think of. Get the attention of the press.
e. The information can help your affidavits for the court when you have to explain what happened. The court rarely takes any of your verbal testimony into consideration, so the facts have to be provided to the court in writing.
2) Make MEDIA contacts. Anytime there is an article in any paper or magazine…write a letter to the editor and get others to do the same. We need to encourage the media that people want to and need to get educated on what is happening to non-custodial parents.
3) KNOW
your 2
4) If you have time available (especially during the workday) to make appointments with key legislators from your area – make the appointment and let CPR know – we will attend with you to help focus the conversation and take the lead to ensure your story is heard and ensure the message and call to action occurs.
a. We
especially need concerned constituents (NCPs, second
wives, grandparents) in the following legislative areas: Sen
Hottinger (
5) KNOW
who represents you in Congress in
Washington DC. Know your
6) If you have time available (especially during the workday) to make appointments with your county commissioner from your area – make the appointment and let CPR know – we will attend with you to help focus the conversation and take the lead to ensure your story is heard, and ensure the message and the call to action occurs. IV-D is a budget issue and the county commissioners are responsible to taxpayers to eliminate unnecessary expense. Counties are becoming desperate to save money – clarifying eligibility for IV-D will save money.
7) Obtain a copy of the LEN (Legislative Education Notices) regarding IV-D. Send a copy of everyone to your legislator – best if you keep up to date and send them one by one as they become available from CPR. However, if you have never sent them before, get a copy of all of them, sign them with your name as a constituent, and send them in a packet to your legislator. It makes individual activism easy. Keep yourself updated on each months new LEN. During the peak of the season, there may be weekly LEN letters.
8) Send
emails to Governor Pawlenty – continually and repeatedly! In December
2003 he made a QUICK decision to push for legislation to get the death penalty
in
9) Contribute to and VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME to CPR: your time, talents, or financial contributions are beneficial. We are a 100% volunteer organization. We are only as strong as our volunteers. We can’t continue without your support. Some people have more time than money; some people have more money than time. Whatever you can do to help support the cause is appreciated. NEVER think what you have to offer is too little to be of value – every little thing – no matter what it is, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
a.
CPR seeks
administrative help 12 hours a week (copies, mailings, filing, errands, return
phone calls, some writing, etc). This could be a paid position by a
contributor. Position would be located out of Little Canada.
b.
CPR seeks intern
(not-paid): marketing, etc (details listed on the stthomas.edu website)
c.
CPR needs rent
free office space by someone willing to contribute a spare room that we could
office out of and meet.
d.
CPR needs your
membership – CPR needs you to refer others to us so that we can grow our list
of interested citizens in family law reform.
e.
CPR also needs
financial contributions to cover general operation expenses included but not
limited to the following:
i.
Monthly phone
bill $15
ii.
Monthly
photocopies $35
iii.
Monthly printer
paper $25-$40
iv.
Printer cartridge
$82
v.
Stamps and
postage
vi.
Funding for legal
costs for attorney advice in lawsuits, legislation, etc
vii.
PO Box $35 every
6 months
viii.
General office
supplies
ix.
Other
10) Watch the CPR website for COURT WATCH opportunities – support other non-custodial parents in their court hearings by just being there. It does make a difference when judges, magistrates, and referees know that the NCPs have support and people are watching.
11) Try to work with your ex to OPT OUT OF THE IV-D government child support services, using the 1301 d objection. It will be better for your children and reduce the anger and animosity in the already fractured relationship.
12) KNOW the current child support legislation.
Read the Rep. Smith bill Income Shares (Omnibus
Bill HF 778 – originally HF110), and read the Rep. Eastlund
bill Cost Shares (SF600/HF 664) –
familiarize yourself with the bill to know what you like and don’t like about
each. Income shares will INCREASE your child support and create more punitive
government intervention in your case. Cost shares will ensure the other parent
is responsible for half of the costs for the child(ren). Find house bills on the internet at house.leg.state.mn.us or call House 651/296-2314. Find it
on the internet or call
651/296-2344.
a. No “cheat sheet overview” to summarize HF778 and HF 664 is available at this time from CPR – we encourage someone to volunteer to do this. What we really need is a side-by-side language comparison from current language to the Smith bill. Anyone can volunteer to get this - a legislator can request this for the DHS or house research to complete.
13) ATTEND THE CPR GENERAL MEETINGS. The third
Sunday of every month from
SPECIAL NOTE:
PLEASE FORWARD
THIS EMAIL ALONG TO ANY NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT (or anyone else who is
concerned for the non-custodial parent and the impact on the fractured family).
WE are EAGER to add the names
of all citizens who are EFFECTED OR INTERESTED IN HELPING TO REFORM FAMILY LAW AND
ANY NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT NEEDING ASSISTANCE IN THEIR FAMILY LAW CASE.
WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION
AND WE NEED ALL INTERESTED NAMES so AS A
CONCERNED CITIZEN we can ORGANIZE
AND MOBILIZE
(like Martin Luther King Jr did!) to prove to legislators that this
issue matters to their constituents, and TO
ACHIEVE THE GRASS ROOTS PUSH needed to DRIVE the MUCH
NEEDED Family Law REFORM. Please forward names to CPR of other
citizens interested in these issues. We want to add them to our list to keep
people informed and show legislators there is a LONG list of effected and
interested people in
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