United States Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minn) is in Iowa this weekend and creating a lot buzz about a potential 2012 presidential run. The Iowa caucuses typically play a big role in determining who the GOP nominee is each presidential election year. Bachmann certainly did not close the door to a run in her speech to the left, but instead came about as close as she could to announcing her candidacy without actually doing so. At the end of her speech Bachmann stated, "America has made their decision, they’ve decided, we are going to take our country back . . . I’m in, you’re in, we will take this back in 2012!" While that quote in itself was noteworthy, it was Bachmann's tax proposal that may gain the most attention.
Beginning at the (4:15) mark in the video to the left Bachmann proposes implementing a tax system that would encourage "family formation." The context of Bachmann's remarks make it clear that she would like to either give tax credits, or lower tax rates to people who are married as opposed to those who are single. Given Bachmann's past statements on gay rights, the lower tax rates and/or tax credits would also only apply to heterosexual couples. If implemented, single mothers would likely be taxed at a higher rate than mothers who are married.
Bachmann's proposal stands in stark contrast to the small government tone of the rest of her speech. Just minutes later in the speech Bachmann states that she would scrap the current tax code because it is too complicated. Then Bachmann would presumably implement a system in which the government tried to encourage "family formation" through the tax code. Rather than encouraging people to buy homes (as the current tax code does), Bachmann would like to encourage people to get married through the tax code.
Progressives will also likely take issue with implementing a tax system which punishes single parents as opposed to married couples. Single parents, it is argued, actually have a harder time paying for child care expenses and the necessities of life given the lack of two incomes. Married individuals can also spread out the costs of living more. For example, with a married couple two people share the costs for rent, the gas bill, the electricity bill, etc. A single individual, particularly a single mom, may be bearing all these costs alone.
Bachmann is also not the only GOP presidential hopeful to encourage "family formation." Earlier this month former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee criticized actress Natalie Portman for allegedly glorifying out-of-wedlock pregnancy.
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