OK, is it just me...

...or does this sound like a really bad idea?

Governor: marry, and erase your child support debts

[NY Gov. George] Pataki is pushing a proposal that would reward deadbeat fathers by forgiving their child-support debts to the state -- if they marry the mothers of their children. He says the idea is to get those fathers involved with their children's lives and encourage them to support their families.

You know, I heard this on local radio news, and found articles, and it still seems like a joke. Maybe there was a retraction somewhere that I didn't catch.

So, the idea is to "encourage them to support their families". Well, how about making them pay the child support?

Hey, maybe this is a brilliant idea and I just don't get it. But apparently, neither do a lot of New Yorkers.