Target: President Barack Obama
Goal: Reduce overpopulation and preserve our environment by ending tax incentives for having more than two children.
Choosing how many children to have is a personal choice, and one that many parents have thought about since their own childhood. However, with a global population of over 7 billion people, an American population of more than 315 million, and a national debt that is threatening to create economic collapse, it is time that the government stops providing tax breaks for having children after the first two, which is enough to sustain the current population without increasing it. Right now, the government provides tax credits for each child born without consideration for the limited resources in our environment and the impact that this policy has on the national debt. While the federal government has no say in how many children a family can or should have, it can stop creating monetary incentives for having more than two biological children.
Since time immemorial, having a large family has been advantageous for a number of reasons. Children were needed to help with farming or around the home, to increase the national or tribal populations, to provide additional income for needy families, and to provide fulfillment and love in family units. With high mortality rates for children until the creation of modern medicine, it made sense to have as many children as possible. However, since the early twentieth century, tax incentives have been another economic advantage of having children. The federal government wanted to encourage having large families after the devastating population losses from WWI and WWII. Most parents today receive a $1000-$3500 credit on their federal tax returns for each child that they claim as a dependent.
The impact on our environment from having such a massive population has been tremendous. Oil reserves, precious minerals, and natural habitats are all at risk of being depleted within the next few generations. Without making a change, our children and grandchildren might not have these resources available to them. Creating a dialogue about global population is necessary in this day and age, and it is a conversation many people do not want to have because they feel that family size is a personal choice that does not impact the world. However, in truth, an American is born every eight seconds while one dies every twelve seconds. When one accounts for American immigrant population increases as well, there is an additional person added to the U.S. population every 17 seconds. While other countries have even more unsustainable population growth than the United States, the U.S. should be setting a precedent for global change.
Considering that the national debt is over $16 trillion, we need to consider ending tax breaks in addition to reforming spending policies in our nation. One way to start reducing our national debt is stop providing tax credits for having more than two children. Please ask the president to protect our environment and reduce our national debt by ending tax incentives for children after the first two.
Dear Mr. President, Barack Obama,
Our global population is now exceeding 7 billion people, 315 million of whom are Americans. With an American child born every eight seconds, and when immigrants admitted into the country are considered as well, there is a net growth in the American population of one person every 17 seconds. This population is unsustainable, and in the generations to come, many of our oil reserves, minerals, and natural habitats will be entirely depleted by our current consumer habits. The United States currently provides tax credits for every child born in the United States, a policy which has contributed to our national debt and has incentivized having a large family. While the government has no say in how many children a family can or should have, it is time to stop providing tax breaks for having more than two biological children per family.
Since the early twentieth century, tax incentives have been provided for having children to encourage population growth after the devastation of the World Wars. These policies are no longer necessary to ensure a stable American population. Rather than incentivizing having innumerable children, the federal government should only provide tax breaks to the first two biological children per family, which is enough to sustain the current population without increasing it. While families can continue to decide how many children to have, they will not receive tax credits for more than two children (not including adopted children).
As you know, our current national debt is threatening to cause economic collapse and measures need to be taken to reduce spending and end certain tax breaks. Ending tax breaks for dependents exceeding the first two would help reduce the national debt in addition to preserving the environment and limited resources on this Earth. While many other countries have catastrophic population growth compared to the United States, the U.S. can set a precedent for global change. Please consider ending tax incentives for more than two children per family in the United States.
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Hospital-nursery via impactlab.net