Is it moral to pay problem parents not to have kids?

[29apples]

People on welfare shouldn't be having children. We already pay such "welfare." Why on earth would I then want to pay them for not having children. The only downward spiral I see is with regard to unwed mothers having 2, 3, 4 "mistakes" at the expense of a supposed responsible society.

Saying "people on welfare should not have children" is an obvious statement. Of course they shouldn't have kids because they can't afford them. Unfortunately they still do, and a lack of education does not help the matter. We as taxpayers foot the bill. Offering them an incentive to not have kids would probably be cheaper than giving them more welfare.

I pay well over four thousand dollars a year to send my child to a private school. In addition I pay over 3000 dollars in public school taxes. So I'm actually paying over 7 thousand dollars a year for grade schooling. If I only paid for the education my child used, I'd actually save money.

Good for your child. Many times private school offers better education programs and opportunities than public school. However most parents, including my own cannot afford private school. To cut funding for education of the majority of the children is a horrible idea. In your proposed plan, what if a parent could not afford to pay for their child to go to school? Would they still be able to go?

 

[Fantine]

Now, THIS is an interesting concept:

India offering firearm permits for vasectomies // Current

A scheme that trades one male status symbol for another has achieved a large rise in the number of men undergoing vasectomies in a bandit-ridden region of central India.
Shivpuri district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, an overpopulated area renowned for its machismo culture, has started to offer fast-tracked gun licences for those who agree to be sterilised.
“This is a state with a high number of dacoits [bandits], where people like to keep rifles,” Manish Shrivastav, the administrative chief of Shivpuri and originator of the lateral thinking behind the plan, said.
“It also has a low level of vasectomies because of a perceived notion of manliness. I decided to match that with a bigger symbol of manliness — a gun licence. It has been a success.”


The results are impressive: 139 men have undergone vasectomies in the district since the incentive of a firearms permit was introduced a month ago, compared with only eight in 2007.

I guess in India, if the medical professionals want to tinker with a man's Johnson, they have to give him a Johnson in return

 

[david_x]

I guess someone thinks its a good idea.

Pay problem parents not to breed - mayor | World News | News.com.au

I guess it's the more human way of doing it.

 

[cantata]

I have a very simple answer to this. Make only people who have school aged children pay taxes to support public schools.

People who do not mind paying taxes will capitulate, and those that don't will think twice before having any children or another one... It's really that simple.

This is a ridiculous suggestion, LN. Firstly, if only the people currently using a service pay taxes for that service’s upkeep, then it is not a tax, but a fee. Secondly, you are advocating taking more money from parents rather than supporting them—a marvellous way to punish children and make struggling parents’ lives even more difficult.

Everyone benefits from an educated population. In your dotage, it’ll be today’s schoolkids who are doing your hip replacement surgery.

I believe society depends on responsible citizens to survive. Right now I feel our society thinks that the government is big daddy, and will take care of everthing and everyone. It has to redistribute the wealth so everyone can live as they feel fits their habits --- good or bad...
Everything today is my right and I don't have to work for anything.

So those irresponsible parents’ children can starve, and give up any hope of an education, for all you care.

Yay for bringing the last remnants of social mobility to a halt!

 

[Verv]

On the other hand it's like that line from the movie Parenthood: "You know, you have to get a license to drive, to hunt, heck you have to get a license to own a dog, but they'll let any old so and so be a father..."

I have thought about that emotional and well executed quote a hundred times.

It is really not in place only because of the sentimentality of allowing people to have kids as one of the most natural things.

 

[Zebra1552]

Seems like there'd be no accountability for that kind of idea...

 

[Autumnleaf]

I have thought about that emotional and well executed quote a hundred times.

It is really not in place only because of the sentimentality of allowing people to have kids as one of the most natural things.

It also has a bit to do with control over our own bodies. How much control does the government have to have over you before you realize you don't have control?

 

[yasic]

I say it is moral.

However, there is a problem, and it is twofold: first, who gets to decide who is a 'problem parent'? Second, from whom is the money taken? The tax-payer?

If you could overcome those problems, which I doubt, I don't see any reason to discourage 'bad' parents from having kids. After all, everyone wins, and no one is detrimentally affected.

That is like saying genocide would be moral if it did not involve killing people.

 

[mahoutragicqueen]

I think people are missing the point that the proposed sterilizations are voluntary. Since these voluntary, the arguments about it removing autonomy are moot. From the tax perspective, this would create less stress on the welfare system without removing the freedom of the individuals to choose weather or not to have children. I don't think it's immoral in this case.

 

[Verv]

It also has a bit to do with control over our own bodies. How much control does the government have to have over you before you realize you don't have control?

Yes, and my afterthought is:

This cannot be moral because it is almost as if one is taking away privileges and punishing a crime before it does occur, which can never be just.