-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Impoverished Visitation Homes Harm Children
Date: Thu, 06 Feb 2003 09:41:58 -0500
From: Twodrumsticks@aol.com
To: vahouse@hrlp.org, vasenate@hrlp.org

Virginia has a child support guideline that already creates stark living standard
disparities between post-divorce custodial and noncustodial homes.  Any bills in the General
Assembly that seek to increase the flow of money from noncustodials to custodials will have
the real-life effect of making dramatic differences between homes WORSE AND WORSE.

Children are entitled to similar levels of comfort in both homes, and should not be
subjected to having a bed in one home and a sleeping bag on the floor in the other, a square meal
four nights a week, inadequate nourishment for the other three.

A vote to raise child support and further exacerbate already lopsided home conditions is a
vote to mentally abuse children, who are the ones who suffer the effects of laws that do not
take reality into account.  There is virtually no evidence whatsoever that Virginia's
current guideline is inadequate.

If the real intention of the Virginia General Assembly is to marginalize visitation homes,
it is contrary to existing Virginia law that guarantees ample contact with both parents
after divorce.  It is a disgusting, child-abusing agenda.

Mark Lindamood, Annandale Virginia