John Washington III Questions Whether Child-Support Enforcement Is Fair to Families and Calls for Accountability
John Washington III, a candidate for president in 2028, argued that child-support enforcement was built in part to reimburse welfare costs and reward collections, and he asked whether the government is held accountable for families' real outcomes, not just totals collected.
John Washington III questioned whether child-support enforcement truly protects families, arguing that for decades Americans have been told it does, while history shows some policies punished families for having a man in the home. "For decades, Americans have been told child-support enforcement protects families," he wrote. "But history shows some policies punished families for having a man in the home."
John Washington III traced the program's design to its beginnings, writing that the federal program began in 1975 and that part of its design was reimbursing welfare costs, and that a new incentive structure in 1999 rewarded states for collections. Families receive billions in support, he wrote, but collections alone do not prove fairness or family stability.
"We should ask who benefits, who struggles, and whether the government is held accountable for families' real outcomes, not just totals collected," John Washington III wrote. "Fifty-one years in, Americans deserve clear answers," he wrote, signing the statement as a 2028 presidential candidate. Standards pass by LAS-006 was completed for this item, which touches family policy.
