You've probably heard by now that the state has - for the second time - double-issued a batch of child support checks. A total of 133 checks totaling $63,000 were mistakenly sent twice to recipients last week. That's not nearly as bad as the $1.2 million in double payments mistakenly made late last year. Let's hope the state soon rectifies this costly snafu.
But the St. Louis official where the double payments were made said a mouthful concerning the state mistake. "People being people, they cashed the second check." And that, I think, says a great deal about modern culture and society. The people who received the checks knew they were mistakes but, "people being people, they cashed the second check."
Perhaps we would all react the very same way. Perhaps this extra money would be seen as a "gift from God" and cashed and spent in an instance. I would like to think however that there are some recipients who would recognize this mistake for what it was - a mistake. But perhaps I give far too much credit to human nature. The facts of these two cases proves I'm wrong.
The state can only ask for voluntary repayments of these mistaken checks. The state cannot withhold regular child support checks even if the family received and cashed one of the mistaken checks. Oh well, it's just money.
But now the state says they have their act in order and the double-issued checks will not be repeated. We seriously doubt their sincerity however given the million dollars mistake last year. We'll have to wait and watch.
We hope there are recipients who voluntarily return those checks. It would at least help restore our crumbling faith in human nature. We're not going to hold our breath however. Not by a long shot.