In a well-meaning effort to catch "deadbeat dads," Republicans added a measure to the
'96 Welfare Reform Act to set up a national database that will catch everyone -- even
those who aren't deadbeats or dads.
The new system will certainly track down parents who don't pay child support. But the
law, however effective, is a dangerous extension of federal power that will ultimately
be misused. Congress shot a blunderbuss, with every working American a target.
Hitting up deadbeat dads -- and deadbeat moms as the case may be -- would seem to
hold great promise. Even if the amount of child support collected is small, the
simple act of holding deadbeat dads liable should make them ponder more carefully
their decision to have children.
The problem of welfare is at bottom a problem of fathers. Children in female-headed
households are more likely to live in poverty. Such families are more likely to
collect public assistance. And men who aren't held responsible for fathering
children are more likely to sire illegitimate children.
The database idea has precedent. California passed a law in '92 requiring companies
with five or more employees in 17 different industries to report all new hires
within 30 days who are older than l8 and earn more than $300 a month. Firms had to
include the workers' names and Social Security numbers. (So much for the old promise
never to use Social Security numbers for anything other than Social Security.)
People's privacy is already under assault at almost every turn. The deadbeat dad
registry demonstrates yet again how it is government that most threatens our
freedom.
Congress voted in '96 to take the California program national. Now all the states
must create comparable systems. All companies must report the names and Social
Security numbers of new hires and reported deadbeats, along with the date they
started work, within 20 calendar days. Come May 1, states will also have to compare
Social Security numbers of new hires and reported deadbeats.
That's all well and good. But where in the Constitution does Washington get the
power to order states to create employment databases?
Congress is run by Republicans who regularly proclaim states' rights and inveigh
against unfunded mandates Yet here they've passed a serious intrusion into states'
rights and an enormous expansion of unfunded mandates.
And is it appropriate to impose such a regulatory burden on private business? The
cost may be modest compared to many other federal dictates, but the cumulative
effect of these rules is immense.
A federally mandated employment database is inconsistent with a free society.
Government should not know where everyone in America works. Nor should government
be able to track people as they change jobs. A truly limited national government
of enumerated powers has no authority to force every company across the nation to
turn in a list of its new employees.
Knowledge of everyone's employment could be a powerful tool for social control.
Once such a list exists, politicians will be tempted to expand its uses. Indeed,
Congress ordered that the hiring data also be used to verify eligibility for other
welfare programs, as well as for managing state employment security and workers'
compensation programs. And lawmakers will be tempted to create other lists --
perhaps of people who purchase guns, contract serious diseases, attend particular
schools, lose court judgments, run up bad debts and so on. All of them could serve
one useful purpose or another. But all would pose a serious threat to freedom.
People's privacy is already under assault at almost every turn. The deadbeat dad
registry demonstrates yet again how it is government that most threatens our
freedom.
Congress should rescind the State Directory of New Hires. Repealing this law may
cost the government some money. But our liberty is too precious to sell for a few
pieces of silver.
Today the list is being used for a good cause. Next time, the government's
intention may not be so benign.
(This article originally appeared in Investors Business Daily.)
"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions"
|
Join