Stimulating: More on the Relative Value of my Family

The stimulus bill hits the Senate today.

First, let me say that this is not my idea of economic fairness. They took extending unemployment benefits and expanding food stamp eligibility off the table right out of the gate, and pretty much lost my moral support right there.

That said, let's just suspend my outright lack of support for a minute and pretend I agreed with their premise that giving middle and upper-middle-class people money via tax rebates was a great idea.

We are the exact family the present plan is aimed at. We aren't out-of-work (against our will), we aren't anywhere near eligible for food stamps and we aren't fabulously wealthy.

We make well under the upper limit for a couple.

Cole makes just a hair above the upper limit for a single person.

I don't have enough tax liability to get anything back anyway.

If our marriage was recognized by the U.S. federal government, we'd be eligible for the couple rebate plus two kid bonuses.

As it is, Cole isn't eligible and the kids are her tax dependents.

I'm not making enough to get it, so I'm not eligible.

$0 money for us.

Now, if our "share" were going to extend someone's unemployment benefits or to get someone food stamps, I'd be 150% on board with that. But our share is presumably going, rather, to underwrite some straight family's share.

(No need to send a hand-written note, you can just email your thanks.)

"But that's crazy!" I said, when Cole told me about it. "We're a stay-at-home-mom family! We're the exact kind of family they want to help!"

"No we're not" said Cole.

Touche.

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Not that this in any way affects your general point, but under the House plan, Cole will get almost the entire rebate check as a single parent -- the rebate doesn't disappear at the $75k/$150k limits, but is slowly phased out as income increases.

[Jody]

The whole idea of this package stinks to high heaven. This is one of the stinkiest parts of it, though.

[Lisa]

Because sometimes I'm incredibly dense, it took me two times to read this before I got that, "Oh, they don't qualify because they aren't considered a 'family'." That sucks, although I agree with the overall consensus that the whole stimulus package sucks to begin with.

But your situation is just one of the many things people don't think about on the gay marriage issue. Gee, I hope they feel better knowing their heterosexual marriage is 'protected'.

[PhoenixRising]

Lisa, as a married lesbian who is paying more taxes than the family next door, I could not care less how they feel about their marriage. Or mine.

I'm furious that I'm expected to subsidize their lifestyle, which is their choice. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be allowed to have three bio kids with a SAHD caring for them...I just don't see why it has to come out of my pocket.

And no, we're also NOT getting a rebate, which we would if one of us could credibly write her name in the snow.

[Daisy]

Sad. Sad that our administration still doesn't get it. Sad that our so called progressive country still doesn't recognize gay marriage. Sad that so many biases still exist.

[shannon]

Elizabeth (and all)

I'm posting a little update here in the comments. Yesterday (4 February) Cole read the details on the Treasury Dept. website and in spite of her original thinking that she could shuffle money around between us/be a single parent/etc. and get SOMETHING out of this, she found that no such shuffling will work and whereas if we were married, we'd be eligible for $1800, as it is, we are eligible for $0.

I said "it's stupid anyway." And she said "yes, but if Person X [an acquaintance of hers who makes much more money than we do and has no kids] gets it, then we should too!"

I understand her point completely, but I'd just as soon no one get it.

[lorrie]

Well thanks! Name your cause and I shall make a donation with part of our rebate. Signed, guilty straight woman having Jesus and Moral Majority Approved Sex.

[lorrie]

p.s. Seriously, I will.