Reducing Poverty with Tax Cuts

[Stunt]

I had this thought the other day and i'm going to toss it to the wolves on ATPN...

I've noticed in day to day life that wealthy people tend to have relationships with people with similar socio-economic status. This could be for multiple reasons; similar intelligence, ambition, easier to meet similar people, etc. For example friends of our family have a dentist married to an optometrist; both very prestigeous jobs.

My idea was...what if there was a tax incentive/cut given to wealthy individuals ($80k+) if they married someone who was collecting social assistance? This would create an incentive for wealthy people to look for a mate who isn't as financially sound. The benefits to a system like this are endless. First off you have less people collecting government payouts because the spouse would now have this responsibilty, the poorer person would learn skills to help live their lives and get on their feet, children would be brought up in a better home life, the wealthy person gets a tax break, less people are consuming government handouts and would lead to more tax cuts for everyone.

Of course this would be completely voluntary...you cannot force people to fall in love and to earn the credit, you would have to show that the person was relying on government assistance.

There are currently 89million unmarried adults in the US and 13% of people make over $80k/year. With these numbers, you can estimate 11.5million people who are single and wealthy. There are currently an estimated 30million poor in the US, and with kids in that poverty number, I would bet over half of the poor could be elimated if all the wealthy singles took advantage of the incentive. As long as the tax break is less than the government handouts, it's a win win.

Thoughts/Opinions?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Stunt
Topic Title: Reducing Poverty with Tax Cuts

I've noticed in day to day life that wealthy people tend to have relationships with people with similar socio-economic status.

This could be for multiple reasons; similar intelligence, ambition, easier to meet similar people, etc.

For example friends of our family have a dentist married to an optometrist; both very prestigeous jobs.

My idea was...what if there was a tax incentive/cut given to wealthy individuals ($80k+) if they married someone who was collecting social assistance?

This would create an incentive for wealthy people to look for a mate who isn't as financially sound.

The benefits to a system like this are endless.

First off you have less people collecting government payouts because the spouse would now have this responsibilty, the poorer person would learn skills to help live their lives and get on their feet, children would be brought up in a better home life, the wealthy person gets a tax break, less people are consuming government handouts and would lead to more tax cuts for everyone.

Thoughts/Opinions?

and I am the one always getting ribbed for bizarre posts. :roll:

Trickle down economics has been proven to be a joke under the current system, what makes you think under a "voluntary" communist version it would work???

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Stunt
Thoughts/Opinions?

I have one:

That's one of the funniest things I've heard in days... and it's been quite the weekend!

 

[THUGSROOK]

why would i marry a poor person when i could just buy one?

 

[sandorski]

hehe, well, it could work to raise people out of Poverty, but then you'd have the Wealthy getting Married for a Tax Break. The Divorce rate would likely be very high in that situation or the Marriages would be a complete sham. Overall it a bizarre idea and I doubt it would be a benefit to Society.

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: sandorski
hehe, well, it could work to raise people out of Poverty, but then you'd have the Wealthy getting Married for a Tax Break. The Divorce rate would likely be very high in that situation or the Marriages would be a complete sham. Overall it a bizarre idea and I doubt it would be a benefit to Society.

The tax break would only be in effect for the duration of the marriage.
And yes, it would raise people out of poverty, it would also reduce burden on government assistance. Is that not what we as a society should strive for?

 

[HombrePequeno]

I would hope that people marry for more than just the tax benefits.

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: HombrePequeno
I would hope that people marry for more than just the tax benefits.

It's merely an incentive to help guide people to logical actions.
Just like a baby bonuses of the past...

One would hope people would have kids not for financial gain...

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: sandorski
hehe, well, it could work to raise people out of Poverty, but then you'd have the Wealthy getting Married for a Tax Break. The Divorce rate would likely be very high in that situation or the Marriages would be a complete sham. Overall it a bizarre idea and I doubt it would be a benefit to Society.

The tax break would only be in effect for the duration of the marriage.
And yes, it would raise people out of poverty, it would also reduce burden on government assistance. Is that not what we as a society should strive for?

Not really. Marriage should be a stable Institution capable of establishing a strong Family(Children) and not a Tax Loophole. What's to stop a Divorce or Family on the side? Basically this would just cause people to get married for all the wrong reasons, would undermine Marriage as an Institution, and just make situations where people were miserable in their choice.

Eliminating Poverty is a good goal, but the Ends do not justify the means. AKA, I disagree that this policy would benefit Society because it lowers Poverty. The trade off is too costly.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Stunt
Topic Title: Reducing Poverty with Tax Cuts

I've noticed in day to day life that wealthy people tend to have relationships with people with similar socio-economic status.

This could be for multiple reasons; similar intelligence, ambition, easier to meet similar people, etc.

For example friends of our family have a dentist married to an optometrist; both very prestigeous jobs.

My idea was...what if there was a tax incentive/cut given to wealthy individuals ($80k+) if they married someone who was collecting social assistance?

This would create an incentive for wealthy people to look for a mate who isn't as financially sound.

The benefits to a system like this are endless.

First off you have less people collecting government payouts because the spouse would now have this responsibilty, the poorer person would learn skills to help live their lives and get on their feet, children would be brought up in a better home life, the wealthy person gets a tax break, less people are consuming government handouts and would lead to more tax cuts for everyone.

Thoughts/Opinions?

and I am the one always getting ribbed for bizarre posts. :roll:

Trickle down economics has been proven to be a joke under the current system, what makes you think under a "voluntary" communist version it would work???

Post of the year from Dave :laugh:

 

[HombrePequeno]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: HombrePequeno
I would hope that people marry for more than just the tax benefits.

It's merely an incentive to help guide people to logical actions.
Just like a baby bonuses of the past...

One would hope people would have kids not for financial gain...

Babies are expensive as hell when you add up things like how much it costs to take care of them and opportunity cost of caring for them rather than working. Aside from the actual wedding and possible divorce, marriage isn't really that expensive. Plus this wouldn't be an incentive to marry, it would be an incentive to marry poor people.

This would also have to take into account the highly probable increase of divorce rates in this group of couples. The rich and poor tend to have different lifestyles which would probably be pretty taxing on a marriage.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Stunt

Originally posted by: HombrePequeno
I would hope that people marry for more than just the tax benefits.

It's merely an incentive to help guide people to logical actions.
Just like a baby bonuses of the past...

One would hope people would have kids not for financial gain...

That's not what the inventors of the baby bonus hoped...

The only thing about economics that actually holds in most situations, is that people respond to incentives.

 

[piasabird]

Why would a CEO want to hang out in a neighborhood with a bunch of dopers and drug dealers?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: piasabird
Why would a CEO want to hang out in a neighborhood with a bunch of dopers and drug dealers?

They do everyday, it's just called a different name in the golf clubhouse.

 

[JD50]

Originally posted by: Stunt
wealthy individuals ($80k+)

Ummm...thats not wealthy, not even close.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Stunt
Thoughts/Opinions?

Why not just spend the tax cut money on the poor person's education?

As a practical matter, let's face it - if a woman is good looking she can land a rich guy no matter poor she is. So all we're left with is toothless 300lb trailer park trash, or scrawny crack heads. No amount of tax credit is gonna make that look good enough to screw, much less marry.

"Mom, you don't approve?" "But think of the tax credit!"

Fern

 

[blackangst1]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Stunt
Topic Title: Reducing Poverty with Tax Cuts

I've noticed in day to day life that wealthy people tend to have relationships with people with similar socio-economic status.

This could be for multiple reasons; similar intelligence, ambition, easier to meet similar people, etc.

For example friends of our family have a dentist married to an optometrist; both very prestigeous jobs.

My idea was...what if there was a tax incentive/cut given to wealthy individuals ($80k+) if they married someone who was collecting social assistance?

This would create an incentive for wealthy people to look for a mate who isn't as financially sound.

The benefits to a system like this are endless.

First off you have less people collecting government payouts because the spouse would now have this responsibilty, the poorer person would learn skills to help live their lives and get on their feet, children would be brought up in a better home life, the wealthy person gets a tax break, less people are consuming government handouts and would lead to more tax cuts for everyone.

Thoughts/Opinions?

and I am the one always getting ribbed for bizarre posts. :roll:

Trickle down economics has been proven to be a joke under the current system, what makes you think under a "voluntary" communist version it would work???

huh. I guess it depends on what study you read. IMHO it works very well. But of course thats for another thread...

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Fern

Originally posted by: Stunt
Thoughts/Opinions?

Why not just spend the tax cut money on the poor person's education?

As a practical matter, let's face it - if a woman is good looking she can land a rich guy no matter poor she is. So all we're left with is toothless 300lb trailer park trash, or scrawny crack heads. No amount of tax credit is gonna make that look good enough to screw, much less marry.

"Mom, you don't approve?" "But think of the tax credit!"

Fern

You can't force education on someone who doesn't want it.

 

[theeedude]

So what would you call this new system? Dribble down economics?

 

[theeedude]

Also,don't we already have a system like that in place? If they file jointly and the wife isn't making much money, that will bring down the brackets.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: senseamp
Also,don't we already have a system like that in place? If they file jointly and the wife isn't making much money, that will bring down the brackets.

but if both are working they are "penalized"

 

[theeedude]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: senseamp
Also,don't we already have a system like that in place? If they file jointly and the wife isn't making much money, that will bring down the brackets.

but if both are working they are "penalized"

Not if one is making much less money they aren't.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: senseamp
Also,don't we already have a system like that in place? If they file jointly and the wife isn't making much money, that will bring down the brackets.

but if both are working they are "penalized"

Why do you say that?

The so-called "Marriage Penalty" was eliminated several years ago.

Fern

 

[StageLeft]

Heh, yeah I'm really going to scrounge the projects for a dumbass on social assistance almost certainly with a crap family and no aspirations or education just for a tax break? Mm, and have her take care of our kids? No, thanks!

 

[Genx87]

Never work. They have tried something similar with our school district by bussing inner city kids to the suburbs with the hope taking them out of the enviornment for the day will somehow foster a want to do better. The results however are usually fights, drug dealing, and gangs at the suburb school.

A good friend once told me. You can take the thug out of the hood, but you cant take the hood out of the thug. In other words they want to want it, giving it to them wont magically make their problems go away.