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Jens 'n' Frens
Idle thoughts of a relatively libertarian Republican in Cambridge, MA, and whomever he invites. Mostly political.
"A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures."
-- Daniel Webster
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Thursday, May 15, 2008 :::
Here's an issue that deserves more attention:What if the federal government forced couples to pay 20% of their annual income just to get or stay married? And suppose a couple could avoid this tax if they either got a divorce or never got married in the first place?...
That's more or less what we demand of millions of low-income Americans who receive government welfare benefits. For most couples on welfare, getting married is among the more expensive decisions they will face as newlyweds, because saying "I do" will reduce the benefits they receive, on average, by 10% to 20% of their total income.
We shudder to think what would happen to marriage in America if all of us, and not just the poor, faced such a pernicious incentive system. I think limiting this policy to the poor focuses it where the harm it does is greatest.Labels: poverty
::: posted by Steven at 12:20 AM
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