:: St. Stephen's Musings ::

:: Wednesday, October 20, 2004 ::

Saving Social Security By Taxing Abortion

From "Discovering Our Dependence" by Mary Ann Glendon:

"Cambridge economist Partha Dasgupta noted an interesting 'free rider' problem: childless individuals (who as a group enjoy a higher standard of living than child-rearing persons as a group) expect to be cared for in old age through benefits financed by a labor force that they are not helping to replenish."

Ok, so I have a tongue-in-cheek idea to help Gen-X stave off the eminent financial crisis caused by the Boomer generation's moral bankruptcy, simplistic thinking, and overall shoddy governance:

For every abortion received between the years 1973-2004, the recipient is taxed for Social Security benefits equal to the average lifetime contribution the child would have been expected to pay into the Social Security Trust Fund. Or the mother and/or father can take a lifetime tax increase, paid on a graduated schedule. In some versions of the bill, perhaps, the abortion providers will pay the tax increase.

This plan could receive bi-partisan support because pro-abortion politicians needing to solidify their pro-life contingency could still support Roe v. Wade ideologically yet could stump on platform that they reduced the number of abortions (due to the procedure becoming a totally untenable financial option for all but the very rich.)

This is all grotesquely socialist and totalitarian, of course.

But then again, the government disincentivizes all kinds of activities and products through taxation (alcohol, imports, marriage, etc). Now that even hardened feminists and liberals are starting to admit the horrific health risks and financial crisis caused by the unlimited abortion license, one wonders why cigarettes and fast food have become politically incorrect but not abortion. Oh wait, I remember why....

:: Karl :: 7:34:00 AM [Link] ::