Libertarian
presidential candidate Michael
Badnarik has taken a strong
stand in defense of parents and
noncustodial fathers--the only
2004 presidential candidate to
do so. According to Badnarik:
"In divorce
proceedings, the states
routinely award custody of minor
children to one
parent...relegating the other
parent to the status of
'second-class citizen'--not
because the latter parent has
been convicted of any crime, or
found unfit, but because of a
prejudice in favor of....the
best 'single' parent.
"The default presumption in any
divorce proceeding must be for
joint custody of minor children.
Failing the waiver of that
presumption by one parent, or
proof that one parent is unfit,
to deny any parent equal access
to, and equal participation in
the raising of, his or her
children is clearly an abuse of
law and repugnant to the
Constitution.
"...The 13th Amendment prohibits
involuntary servitude...the
attachment of criminal liability
to failure to pay, or work off,
debt. Yet, across the nation,
hundreds of thousands of
non-custodial parents find
themselves in court, often
charged with felonies and facing
prison, for their failure or
inability to pay child support.
Further, the federal government
has intervened to the extent of
maintaining a special database
to track 'deadbeat parents'
across state lines in order to
enforce these draconian and
unconstitutional laws."
Michael Badnarik joined
Glenn on His Side with Glenn
Sacks on October 24.
To learn more
about gender issues in the
presidential election, see:
