Is it in the US government's interest to encourage its citizens to have more children?

Question

And by encourage I mean give tax breaks.

Long-term economic interests

Answer 1

No

Answer 2

Although with more people, there is higher output and more income, the Real Gross Domestic Product doesn't increase on a one to one basis with population. The number one thing that drives GDP is productivity. If you have several children that are not productive, they bring the GDP down. Also, there comes a point of diminishing returns.

It's kind of like if you drink beer and you rate each beer on a happiness level (you are happy and the people around you are happy) Everyone's rating is different and this is just and example of diminishing returns .

Number of Beers - Happiness Rating
1- 6
2 -6
3 -7
4 -8
5 -9
6 -10
7 -8
9 -4
10 -(-1)

(lets say ten beers gives you a hang over and makes you yak. Your diminishing returns start at beer #7 and drops off to a point where there is no longer any benefit at all. A certain amount of children are necessary for the greater good, but if we are overly encouraged and over population occurs it will have a negative benefit. ) In the preview the ratings don't show, but they start medium go high then come back down.

Answer 3

Yes. If you look at what is currently happening in Japan, there is a huge difference in people going into retirement and the number of people who will be able to support their elderly as they begin to leave the workforce. If the US does not do something to encourage birth rates to at least remain constant (if not increase), then the problems that we are beginning to experience with Social Security will be multiplied exponentially. The future generations will be forced to shoulder a tremendous burden for those who have gone before them. Much more so than today. It will also make it very difficult on the elderly if there is not enough of a labor force to support them.

Answer 4

We need more children (or immigrants) because of the following multi-trillion dollar government lie:
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In 1936, the federal government published an informational pamphlet on Social Security. It stated:

"…and finally, beginning in 1949, 12 years from now, you and your employer will each pay 3 cents on each dollar you earn, up to $3,000 a year. That is the most you will ever pay."

http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/ssb36.html
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Nothing like a good Ponzi Scheme to bankrupt the country and shove high taxes down young people's throats.

.

Answer 5

No. In a democracy, the government wants to maximize its chances for re-election. People of child-bearing age account for a relatively small percentage of the voting public; the most important voting demographic is seniors. So the most important issues for any government seeking re-election are those that have to do with Social Security and Medicare, not with anything child-related.

Answer 6

We don't need population growth from a community-liveability standpoint. Our suburbs are already bursting their seams. From a social security standpoint, it does make sense to ensure that we have sufficient wage earners to support that accounting nightmare.

A good rule of thumb: if you can afford to have kids without the government helping you out (and that doesn't include the 1040 deduction), then each of those two people should have 2.5 or so children (on average.) If you can't support your children on your own, don't have them.

Answer 7

Yes, and it has to do with a certain Ponzi scheme called "Social Security."

As it is, the system is mathematically unsound. It's just been a cute thing that sounds good, so people voted for it.

It's the biggest boondoggle in the history of humankind. Instead of having more kids to prop it up, we could just invite illegal aliens. But then, A) they will not inculturate; B) they will not prop up the system and C) nobody's going to fix the system because it's mathematically unsound and doomed to catastrophic failure.

Answer 8

dude.... we already make like a grand per child on our tax returns...thats just for having the kid... and then theres always EIC.... that can usually give you a couple grand... then if you have enough kids it ends up that you hardly owe any taxes anyway... seriously what are you bitching about?? try moving to Germany....Half of your wages are taxed out of your check....then theres also an 18% sales tax on everything..

Answer 9

Could be an unspoken motive for some politicians. More kids = more potential soldiers and taxpayers.

Answer 10

Yep, they need more soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Answer 11

NO!!! didn't you hear on the news that the population hit 300million!!!!