ObamaCare’s War on Marriage
Consider two young people living together, each earning 200% of the FPL (about $22,980 annually). If that same couple were to marry, their combined household income would rise from 200% of the poverty level (individually) to 296% for a family of two. As individuals, the ObamaCare exchange would cap their premiums at no more than 6.3% of income; but as a couple their premiums would be capped at 9.4%. Their marriage penalty is $1,421 annually.
See additional estimates in the chart below.
Using the federal poverty level to discriminate against marriage — and rearing children within the sanctity of marriage — is a great way to perpetuate cycle of dependency that keeps Liberals in power. An added bonus is the good feelings Liberals experience when they pat themselves on the back for helping the down trodden.
Why does $29,874 break the bell curve?
There must be some special subsidy that no longer takes place at that level, but is replaced by something else at a slightly higher level.
Day after day there is a new report showing how poorly thought out this plan is.
They couldn’t get it right in 2,000 pages, that’s embarrassing.
Is there an economic benefit to having more married people?
I think that it would increase the savings rate.
It increases spending power.
More children, more in the labor force
It’s a shame the left doesn’t actually want that, otherwise they wouldn’t push birth control so hard or advocate for gay marriage.
Makes sense. The goal of the ideological left is to marginalize marriage. It stands against their neo-humanist ideas.
This is the stupidest thing I’ve read on this site (which is generally good). This isn’t a war on marriage, it’s just really steep marginal tax rates from phasing out benefits. All the other welfare programs have the same features.