1. How much did I pay for the birth of that child?

2. Are the parents legal residents of the U.S.?

3. Third kid to a 19 year old? Aren't we all so proud?

Could be worse. One year, a Patriots player was the father in this scenario.

At 19, I'm sure she's well educated & has a good paying job to support her "family" that also has health benefits to pay for the birth of 3 children.

Yes, that was sarcastic...

Is 2008 "The Year of the Bastard" on the GA-ese calendar?

Actually, Ragin', the politically correct term is 2008: The Year of the Welfare Exemption"

I brought that mother to the ER (or one just like her, I'm not 100% sure)at five past midnight, January 1st. Nineteen, third child, nine months to plan, still called 911 at the first hint of labor. Numerous cars in front of the house, New Years Eve party in full swing, nobody wanted to take her to the hospital.

Call 911, it's free and you get in faster!

New year, same morons.

michael,
I was curious to know your thoughts on your union president and how he is sticking is right up the @$$ of the taxpayers?

Couldn't resist could you?

It appears from the sound of your question you don't care at all about what I think, rather you just want to stir things up.

I don't speak for my union president. He's a big boy, let him fight his own battles.

What if that guy works 3 jobs? What if she lives with a big family who could be helping out? What if the rest of her family pitches in?

Justin, how dare you make the snap judgment that this kid doesn't have a good chance at life! You dont know anything about the family's background or support structure or money situation!

Well, "Anonymous," when the kid's GRANDmother doesn't look a day over 35, what do YOU figure the chances of success are?

Teenagers shouldn't have three kids, no matter WHAT their "support structure" is! Stop being an enabler and apologist for the decline of this nation!

That's right michael, you are so intuitive. However, trying to disassociate yourself from your union president doesn't cut it with me You are a serial enabler. In that sense you are no different than some tramp pumping out kids that we end up paying for. Who do you think you are kidding? Spare me your your selective moral outrage. Your are just like her - just a different trick!

Well, I did say "the best odds."

As I said: a sad commentary if we're to be attacked for offering the merest bit of suspicion about an unwed, teenaged mother of three.

Did you notice the ages of the other children? Mom was 16 and 17 when she had them. All the family support in the world shouldn't make this sort of thing just dandy.

How dare you facilitate a world in which increasing numbers of children are born to randy teenagers who apparently don't see anything wrong with their behavior.

"What if the rest of her family pitches in?"

You've already been proven wrong, Anonymous. According to her ambulance driver, Michael, her family didn't even pitch in for the critical moment of delivery:

"Numerous cars in front of the house, New Years Eve party in full swing, nobody wanted to take her to the hospital."

Expanding this out, the following is why the compassion of Rep Costantino, Senate President Montalbano and others at the General Assembly is completely mistaken, mis-placed and misguided.

"Call 911, it's free and you get in faster!"

Of course, the state offers lots of other services in addition to "free" ambulances. See, it's not a question so much of need as it is: if there's a free service out there, why not take it?

Admittedly, this isn't Cicero, but it will do... I'm reminded of the old SNL "Wayne's World" quote: "Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt."

Exceptions make bad policy. Yeah, she might be a 19 year old with a 3.9 GPA on her way to a promising medical career ... or odds are (i.e. statistically) she's on her way to a life of misery and dependence, which she's just passed on to her child #3, due to repeated poor choices. Of course, there's now a tremendous incentive for current boyfriend of the moment to marry her now, right? Oh wait, she's got to keep them checks coming!

The reason why 911 gets called so much for non-emergencies is because, as Michael said, you go in much faster, no one asks questions about where the money's coming from, and the rest of us will get stuck with the bill. Welcome to Rhode Island, The Welfare State.