Gary Johnson can either pay up or get hitched

**Unamused Cat** · January 18th, 2009, 10:41 PM

Gary Johnson and Co.

FLINT, Mich. — The state of Michigan is giving a father a choice: Pay the medical cost of his daughter’s birth or marry the girl’s mother.

Gary Johnson was billed $3,800 for the birth of his daughter JaeLyn, The Flint Journal reported on Sunday. Johnson is not married to the child’s mother, Rebecca Witt.

The Michigan Legislature amended the state’s paternity act five years ago to waive birthing costs for a father, if he married the child’s mother. A year later, Witt gave birth to JaeLyn. The state paid for the hospital costs because Witt was on Medicaid at the time and is now trying to recover the money.

Jack Battles, the Genesee County Friend of the Court, said the law is an incentive to maintain the sanctity of marriage.

“It’s totally up to them,” said Battles, whose office enforces paternity rulings, child support and other aspects of family law. Until Johnson can produce a marriage license, “they have to pay.”

Johnson and Witt said they want to marry eventually, but Witt said she wants her marriage date to be her choice.

“I don’t think anybody should tell me when to get married,” said Witt. “I would like to have a nice wedding, and I can wait for it.”

Witt and Johnson said they have been struggling since the state started coming after Johnson for the hospital costs. Johnson said he was told he would be billed $500 a month and planned to meet with a caseworker to work out a solution.

“Losing just $10 hurts us,” said Johnson, who makes $8 an hour at a Grand Blanc-area nursery. “We don’t have a car, we don’t even have an oven.”

Johnson said he understood the state wants to promote marriage for parents but he respects Witt’s position. “It’s a woman’s dream to have the best wedding she can have,” he said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6218350.html

If Johnson is so poor ass'd, he ought to be pulling out rather than making more babies.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 18th, 2009, 10:46 PM

Sorry, don't feel sorry for him.

If they plan to get married, why not just do it? I child is a hell of a lot bigger commitment than marriage.

She's going to have a hell of a long wait if she wants the fancy wedding to marry a guy who makes $8/hr.

**theskyisfalling** · January 18th, 2009, 10:52 PM

“Losing just $10 hurts us,” said Johnson, who makes $8 an hour at a Grand Blanc-area nursery. “We don’t have a car, we don’t even have an oven.”

Then why are you popping babies out like hotcakes!? You obviously can neither feed them properly or transport them.
Stop reproducing!

**btrflyangl** · January 19th, 2009, 12:54 AM

Two words for ya...birth control. Stop having kids that you can't pay for dumbass.

**Kitty** · January 19th, 2009, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by theskyisfalling

“Losing just $10 hurts us,” said Johnson, who makes $8 an hour at a Grand Blanc-area nursery. “We don’t have a car, we don’t even have an oven.”
Then why are you popping babies out like hotcakes!? You obviously can neither feed them properly or transport them.
Stop reproducing!

Apparently her oven works just fine!

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 19th, 2009, 01:38 AM

I'm going to go off and make babies. Will you guys pay for it? I already have my own car and oven.

No wait! They took my oven out when I was in my 40's.

**penelopejo** · January 19th, 2009, 12:56 PM

LMAO Dakota..but seriously. You can always have a damn ceremony after you get married in front of the judge. That's what I'm going to do. $50(or whatever the fee for a marriage license there is) is a whole lot better than $3800. I don't know why you would want to go public with the fact that you make only $8 and hour and on top of that probably on welfare since "they don't even have an oven". That's just embarrassing. Just cut your losses and get married. Dumb asses.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 19th, 2009, 01:02 PM

My daughter had a "paperwork" marriage and then later had the wedding and party. Worked well for everyone's budget.

**Athena** · January 19th, 2009, 01:02 PM

Battles, the Genesee County Friend of the Court, said the law is an incentive to maintain the sanctity of marriage.

WTF?!?

Does anyone even know what "sanctity of marriage" even IS, any more? This guy doesn't seem to, as I can't imagine the sanctity of marriage is assisted, supported, or at all enhanced by what amounts to a state-sanctioned shotgun marriage.

That said, while I do believe that this money (and all welfare, honestly) should be paid back, why should the expense land on the man in the situation? Shouldn't it be split evenly at the very least?

**Peeperann** · January 19th, 2009, 01:03 PM

Ya'll don't understand. I grew up in Genesee county. In Clio, MI. About 15 minutes from Flint. Everyone in Flint are idiots. Even the freaking mayor is in jail right now but won't step down!

So not surprised! And the Friend of the Court there is one of the toughest in the country!!

**Nell** · January 19th, 2009, 01:04 PM

If she is so upset and wants to "pick her own date and have a nice wedding" then she needs to pay that bill and shut her mouth. You gotta pay the cost to be the boss, and if you are on State funded medical, they choose.

**rebel450** · January 19th, 2009, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Athena

WTF?!?

Does anyone even know what "sanctity of marriage" even IS, any more? This guy doesn't seem to, as I can't imagine the sanctity of marriage is assisted, supported, or at all enhanced by what amounts to a state-sanctioned shotgun marriage.

That said, while I do believe that this money (and all welfare, honestly) should be paid back, why should the expense land on the man in the situation? Shouldn't it be split evenly at the very least?

I agree it should be split evenly. It takes two. I still can't imagine how he could live on $8.00 an hour, even if he was solo.

**penelopejo** · January 19th, 2009, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Dakota_Valkyrie

My daughter had a "paperwork" marriage and then later had the wedding and party. Worked well for everyone's budget.

That's what I did. Still planning even though it's been 3 years since we married in front of that handsome judge.

**Nell** · January 19th, 2009, 01:12 PM

I agree it should be split evenly. It takes two. I still can't imagine how he could live on $8.00 an hour, even if he was solo.

She is on welfare! That is why she doesn't want to get married to him. If she does she has to claim his income and will lose her cash at the least and her food stamps will go down. That is the whole reason, I know tons of people like this. But displaying themselves like this is gonna bring about an investigation I am sure.

**sanityslipping** · January 19th, 2009, 01:17 PM

I don’t think anybody should tell me when to get married,” said Witt. “I would like to have a nice wedding, and I can wait for it.”

An observation that I have made through my years in life, is that too many ppl rank the wedding above the marriage.
If you are making eight dollars an hour, you are better off spending the money on your kid and maybe getting an oven or a car, than doing a fucking wedding.

**CPL CHUD** · January 19th, 2009, 02:02 PM

I don't see why the hospital bill should be waived at all; married or not.

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 19th, 2009, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Athena

Shouldn't it be split evenly at the very least?

Perhaps that amount is half?

They surely cant recoup their money from her as her money is really their money.

**Athena** · January 19th, 2009, 02:30 PM

I realize they can't recoop the costs from her immediately. But, ideally, welfare would be like a tab, one that you start paying off once you are gainfully employed (or married). That way, I believe people would be more mindful of the amount of time they spend on welfare. Nothing sucks quite like owing the government money.

Forcing them to get married solves nothing. Being married is not some automatic fix-all. In fact, encouraging broke people to marry just increases the risk of divorce (as financial problems is the number one factor in divorce). Our government is absolutely retarded, sometimes.

**btrflyangl** · January 19th, 2009, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Nell

If she is so upset and wants to "pick her own date and have a nice wedding" then she needs to pay that bill and shut her mouth. You gotta pay the cost to be the boss, and if you are on State funded medical, they choose.

**CPL CHUD** · January 22nd, 2009, 03:15 PM

This just demonstrates how fucked up people's priorities are.

My sister works for WIC (women, infants, children assistance) and she often sees people come in there looking for hand outs that have brand new clothes, phones, and jewelery. The other day she said she was asking a woman there what kind of phone she had because she was looking to buy a new one and liked the way the one this lady had looked. She told her what it was (I totally forget what kind), and then told my sister who divvies out welfare assistance that she paid 300 dollars for it. That equated to roughly two months of government assistance money given to her to help pay for her children's food and she spent it on a fancy phone.

It just pisses me off.

**Peeperann** · January 22nd, 2009, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Nell

She is on welfare! That is why she doesn't want to get married to him. If she does she has to claim his income and will lose her cash at the least and her food stamps will go down. That is the whole reason, I know tons of people like this. But displaying themselves like this is gonna bring about an investigation I am sure.

Especially in Michigan................

**sanityslipping** · January 22nd, 2009, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by CPL CHUD

This just demonstrates how fucked up people's priorities are.

My sister works for WIC (women, infants, children assistance) and she often sees people come in there looking for hand outs that have brand new clothes, phones, and jewelery. The other day she said she was asking a woman there what kind of phone she had because she was looking to buy a new one and liked the way the one this lady had looked. She told her what it was (I totally forget what kind), and then told my sister who divvies out welfare assistance that she paid 300 dollars for it. That equated to roughly two months of government assistance money given to her to help pay for her children's food and she spent it on a fancy phone.

It just pisses me off.

It pisses me off too

**theskyisfalling** · January 22nd, 2009, 04:50 PM

I'm not going to lie. I get WIC. I work two jobs to support my family and my ex hasn't paid child support in almost a year. The last time I was at the WIC office the woman next to me pulled out her new I Phone. I wanted to slap her! How dare she! That phone costs atleast 100 bucks a month to maintain and she is getting free formula for her kids! Fucking priorities people!

**sanityslipping** · January 22nd, 2009, 05:07 PM

nothing wrong with getting wic if you need it, sky, but the damn problem is people like the woman you were next too. if you can afford that phone, you can afford formula.

**MichaelJCheaney** · January 22nd, 2009, 06:01 PM

Dude:

Don't get married!!!

Its a whole helluva lot cheaper to pay the medical bills than it would be to get divorced!

Jus' Sayin'

**Dakota Valkyrie** · January 23rd, 2009, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by Nell

She is on welfare! That is why she doesn't want to get married to him. If she does she has to claim his income and will lose her cash at the least and her food stamps will go down. That is the whole reason, I know tons of people like this. But displaying themselves like this is gonna bring about an investigation I am sure.

If they live together, don't they have to declare his income as part of the household? And if they don't live together, wouldn't he have to pay child support?

**sanityslipping** · January 23rd, 2009, 01:35 PM

If they live together, don't they have to declare his income as part of the household? And if they don't live together, wouldn't he have to pay child support?

technically? I think so, but does it happen like that? nope.
Try proving he lives with her, seriously. Maybe she just likes to wear mens clothes, sometimes, and that's why they are in her closet.

My uncle's ex girlfriend, had a low income townhouse, they paid like 17 dollars in rent, got food stamps, WIC, utitlities were paid already, and he had a great job making close to thirty dollars an hour, he lived with her, and they raked in the dough, not having to pay for anything, and making that much, because they never got married. Lived like that for two fucking years.