Anyway today's topic is less social and more economic. I am not going to give you a lesson on supply and demand or the global market price of the US dollar, because I really don't know too much about it, but what I do that is that gay marriage is good for our country, our economy, and transitively, everyone else.
The most important note I need to make is that while I personally believe that gay marriage should be a unquestionable basic human right that is available to everyone, some do not. It is seen as an abomination to many religious zealots and those random other people who aren't sure why they are so opposed to it, however adultery, divorce, cradle-robbing/gold-digging, among many other things are so called abominations and they are perfectly legal (not highly recommended though). Why can't people just look the other way when they see two men or women in a relationship like they do for adulterers? Would they if they knew there was an economic benefit if they did?
I am not saying 'the constitution secures equal rights for all citizens' or 'it is a basic right to be able to get married.' I am saying our economy is struggling, and needs all the help we can possibly give it. Legalizing gay marriage is an untapped economic power boost. The US Census Bureau in 2000 estimated that there are over 600,000 unmarried same-sex couples living in the United States (several private surveys estimate the number is much higher), most wanting to get married and celebrate their relationship like any heterosexual couple. Bride's Magazine estimates that the average wedding costs most that $19,000 dollars. A Congressional Budget Office study found that if same-sex marriages rights were extended across the US, the wedding industry would gain at least $1 billion. Some argue that that number is far too low, and the industry has the potential for a total of $16 billion annually in revenues from gay marriages. Is all this time and effort to protect the sanctity of marriage, something that was destroyed centuries ago, in exchange for a $16 billion dollar boost to the economy?
The benefit to the economy is not only in the wedding industry or to manufacturers of 'gay products,' but everyone! Who works in tourism here? You know the money that a wedding can bring into the industry. All the guests need hotels and rental cars and flights and of course they will want to see the sights! Tourism and tourism-related industries and activities spiked in many cities and states that recognized same-sex marriages. Couples in states and countries that had not begun recognizing these marriages flooded these area as well as wedding ceremony guests. What else do guests do when they come to a wedding? They bring expensive gifts bought at home. The good manufacturing industry stands to gain a lot from gay marriage. It doesn’t matter if you don’t sell wedding gear or gay-products. If your product has ever been bought for a wedding, you stand to make big bucks here!
I do not know how many times I have to reference the fact that marriage is no longer sacred. It is plagued with more problems and diseases than 16th century Europe. They estimate that 50% of couples get divorced now!! 50%!!!! Divorce is a constantly increasing aspect of marriage. Divorce is already a multi-billion dollar industry. Adding several hundred thousand married couples to the list of potential divorcees will open up hundreds of jobs for future divorce lawyers.
You don’t work in private industry? You work in the public sector? Well the government NEEDS to legalize gay marriage. The US government has no money. What is our national debt? What is the yearly budget deficit? In the article «Wedding Bell Blues: The Income Tax Consequences of Legalizing Same-Sex Marriages,» the authors showed precisely how the government stands to gain from recognizing gay marriage. As marriage taxes work, couples can qualify for a marriage subsidy if their combined income is low enough, or a marriage penalty if their combined income is high enough. This would work the same for gay couples. Taxes are paid based on the income bracket the individual or couple finds themselves. If both partners are earning a similar salary, it will likely push them together into a high-income bracket. Supporters of this framework argue the government stands to gain $0.3-$1.3 billion annually from married same-sex couples who file together. The government not fully supporting gay marriage is counterintuitive. They are wasting money on the Defense of Marriage Act when there is a potential to gain $1 billion dollars annually.
Animals are naturally selfish, they want to do what is best for their own. Humans are no exception. While some of us may recognize the need to help those who have been marginalized or discriminated against, we ultimately will do what is best for ourselves or our own. It’s fine if you don’t agree that gays deserve the same rights as everyone else, but look at the benefit that the government, the economy, and ultimately you will gain from legalizing gay marriage.
Have a Great Week Ya'll
Sean
Interesting take on the debate! Who said money is the root of all evils? ;-)
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