Privatizing Child Support: Follow the Money

It seems that every day there is a new program that Mississippi legislative Republicans suggest need privatization. Whether it's PERS, Medicaid, or public schools, it seems like these state Republicans would prefer to do just about anything to offer a few more kickbacks to corporations.

So, it should come as no surprise that the house passed a measure that would privatize child support today, and would allow a company to "rake in millions."

What is somewhat surprising, though, is that this one has been done before. And failed miserably.  From The Clarion Ledger:

Mississippi used a Virginia-based company, Maximus Inc., to collect overdue child support from 1995 to 2000.
"I remember the disaster that Maximus was," Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, said during the debate Wednesday.
Maximus spent more but collected less money for overdue child support payments in Hinds and Warren counties, on average, than DHS did in the rest of the state from 1996-2000, according to a report issued in October 2000, by the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review.

What's the definition of insanity again?  Trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different response.

Or perhaps it's not about functionality. Perhaps we should just follow the money. As Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville) suggested:

"It's a greased pig already. Somebody up on high already knows who's going to get this contract"

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/12/4464951/top-republicans-push-child-support.html#storylink=cpy