Family Free-Riders (Childless adults are economic free riders)

Chicago Boyz ^ | March 03, 2006 | Shannon Love

[Kenton]

Childless adults are rapidly becoming economic free riders on the backs of parents.

I'm sure the childless people who have been paying taxes for years to send other peoples' kids to school might have some disagreement with this statement.

I don't disagree that we need to get out of our post-Feminist reproductive malaise. Too many good, productive people were tricked into pursuing their careers in the 70s and 80s rather than starting families. Many others didn't have kids out of fear for the future. The result is a declining population growth among our societies' most productive demographic groups.

But some of the statements here are kind of extreme, and I don't see any point in that.

[Wolfie]

That's the consequence of a Welfare State. Nobody would have to "pay for the aging population" if the fruits of our labor weren't stolen at gunpoint by the Tax Man.

[busstopsindetroit]

Personally I believe we all ought to be responsible for supporting OURSELVES in old age, and if we can't do that we shouldn't be having kids in the first place. I'm not counting on my kids or anyone else's to pay my way when I get old.

[who knows what evil?]

Childless adults are rapidly becoming economic free riders on the backs of parents.

I'll remember that "steaming pile" of a statement when I'm writing my check on April 17th.

[Robert A Cook PE]

The oddest thing about MOST socially-correct/adult-selfish/me-first "liberal" ideals (homosexuality, abortion,multi-divorces, no children, very few children/no families/money-centered/work-centered/entertainment-centered) and lifestyle choices is that they lead directly to the first biologicial generation EVER that decided on not reproducing!

(Recruiting, of course, continues minute-by-minute, and hour-by-hour through the media.....)

[RockinRight]

Flat tax or FairTax would of course put an end to that, too.

[RedRightReturn]

You have to pay for someone else's kids education because THE GOVERNMENT says you must. If not, you go into tax default and someone else gets your house.

I don't want ANYONE paying for my kids' education. That's why I would like you to get your school tax money back, but only if I can get mine back too! BTW it'll never happen!

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

True, I don't get a child tax credit like they do. Thanks for reminding those who want to take away the voting rights of the childless!!!

[joylyn]

Oh puhleez... I have no children and I've been paying out for other people all my life, both in taxes and taking care of parents, a spouse who was disabled for 12 years, etc. I'm pro-children. I'm not complaining. But step down off the soapbox and get a grip.

[commish]

LAst I checked, this was a free country, and people were free to choose the life that they want and enjoy. To me, that is the conservative principle, not lambasting someone because they choose not to have children.

This coming from a father of 4 and grandfather of 2.

I do have to give you one jab though Jersey -- never having children will deprive you of one of the greatest joys in life -- namely GRAND Children. :-) hehehe

[steve-b]

Ya took a wrong turn. The site for collectivist philosophy is thataway.

[CIB-173RDABN]

I would be against taxing one set of citizens to pay others to have children, however, I would have not problem with lowering the tax burden on people with children.

Business can deduct a lof of their expenses, parents should also be allowed to deduct more of the expenses involved with raising children.

(For those that do not see the difference between paragraph one and two, I do not want the governement to pay someone to have children, however, let productive individuals keep more of what they earn themselves.)

[tcostell]

Red Herring Alert!!!

[busstopsindetroit]

I think it's more selfish to have kids you can't provide for, or to have kids if you know you won't be good at raising them.

[who knows what evil?]

Personally I believe we all ought to be responsible for supporting OURSELVES in old age, and if we can't do that we shouldn't be having kids in the first place. I'm not counting on my kids or anyone else's to pay my way when I get old.

Exactly. I don't have children, but it is MY responsibility to prepare myself for my 'golden years'.

[dirtboy]

The childless shouldn't be allowed to vote.

I have two words in response: Up yours.

[unixfox]

The childless shouldn't be allowed to vote. They have little interest in the future of the nation.

Oh really? Who the hell are you all sanctimonious one?

I'm childless not because I chose that, but because it just never happened. People like you piss me off almost more than feminists.

[George from New England]

"What about people who have tried for years to have children but face infertility problems? Please don't tell me "just adopt" when adoption can run 20-30k from a so called "non-profit" agency."

If children weren't aborted like candy then adoptive parents could have a plentiful source of children.

God does provide to those who want. But our society is playing god with the unborn or should I say playing satan?

[Robert A Cook PE]

Er, yes.

And at that point, when the aging generation's long-term health and mental care starts to get too expensive for too few working class - who have to support their generation, the previous TWO generations (parents and grandparents still alive!), and their following generations, will take too much money, the incentive for euthanasia increases.

[ElTianti]

I do want children someday.

However, I really get infuriated at the certain posters on FR that have this "people-who-choose-to-remain-childless-are-evil" mentality.

They are legion. People are childless for a variety of reasons some of them self serving some of the not. But I'm pretty certain that not everyone who’s had a child do so for the glory of God or the betterment of the world…