Re: Democrats start to become opposed to it once they do the math. and realize that this ends up subsidizing marriage.
I was nodding along to the material-- until I hit the sentence above. In what way do Democrats object to removing the benefit cliff? In what way are they opposed to marriage? This sounds like propaganda from an alternate universe far far away. Or maybe just a tired unexamined stereotype. The pro-Safety Net people I know would be foot stomping in favor of getting rid of marriage penalty benefit cliff.
Lyman Stone says tax credits for having children are effective in increasing birth rates but that Baby Boomers oppose tax credits because they see them as socialistic. I have to laugh because being a Baby Boomer, that's exactly how I've felt. I'm inclined to think it works this way: a couple plans to have kids, discovers there's a tax credit, and then happily applies for it. Result: no change in the birth rate. However, he apparently has data to the contrary.
A cheaper way to increase the birthrate might be to counter the negative view of motherhood and family life in the media. When I was a kid, there were lots of commercials and sitcoms depicting babies and happy mothers in marriages. Today it's hard to even find a baby or a mother in social media. If conservative groups started airing high quality, entertaining commercials depicting babies and motherhood, it might move the needle. We're already seeing a baby boomlet among strong Christian young couples. Conservatives might respond favorly, even if liberals remained unmoved. But as Lyman Stone said, the solution to the low birth rate will require multiple approaches.
Re: Democrats start to become opposed to it once they do the math. and realize that this ends up subsidizing marriage.
I was nodding along to the material-- until I hit the sentence above. In what way do Democrats object to removing the benefit cliff? In what way are they opposed to marriage? This sounds like propaganda from an alternate universe far far away. Or maybe just a tired unexamined stereotype. The pro-Safety Net people I know would be foot stomping in favor of getting rid of marriage penalty benefit cliff.
Lyman Stone says tax credits for having children are effective in increasing birth rates but that Baby Boomers oppose tax credits because they see them as socialistic. I have to laugh because being a Baby Boomer, that's exactly how I've felt. I'm inclined to think it works this way: a couple plans to have kids, discovers there's a tax credit, and then happily applies for it. Result: no change in the birth rate. However, he apparently has data to the contrary.
A cheaper way to increase the birthrate might be to counter the negative view of motherhood and family life in the media. When I was a kid, there were lots of commercials and sitcoms depicting babies and happy mothers in marriages. Today it's hard to even find a baby or a mother in social media. If conservative groups started airing high quality, entertaining commercials depicting babies and motherhood, it might move the needle. We're already seeing a baby boomlet among strong Christian young couples. Conservatives might respond favorly, even if liberals remained unmoved. But as Lyman Stone said, the solution to the low birth rate will require multiple approaches.