An abortion tax: Does it make sense?

A tax on abortions?  Why not?  In a time when we are strapped for revenue, why not levy a tax on a procedure that is infinitely more harmful than soda pop, candy bars, gasoline, or cigarettes?  It's something to think about.

Read more at the TaxProf Blog.

Alan Guttmacher institute (Planned Parenthood's research arm) reports this about Washington State's abortion numbers:

In 2008, 24,320 women obtained abortions in Washington, producing a rate of 18.3 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age. Some of these women were from other states, and some Washington residents had abortions in other states, so this rate may not reflect the abortion rate of state residents. The rate increased 5% since 2005, when it was 17.5 abortions per 1,000 women 15-44. Abortions in Washington represent 2% of all abortions in the United States.

How much does an abortion cost?  I checked with the Feminist Women's Health Care Center (Tacoma and Renton areas), where I learned that a first trimester abortion costs $500-$1,000, and a second trimester abortion costs $600 to $10,000.  Would the tax revenue be worth it?  Should the tax be based on the potential loss of revenue, since a potential tax-payer is lost in the procedure?

It's something to think about.

Economics and Free Ice Cream

On one level we're all experts on the economy, aren't we?  We know when it's going well (when we're comfortable) and we definitely know when it's going sour.


Government has lots of ideas to fix the economy: raise taxes, cut taxes; spend more money, save more money; raise interest rates, lower interest rates; support more social welfare, trim the welfare rolls; throw more money at education, cut the education budget. 


With so many conflicting ideas out there, how do you know which to support?


By getting savvy about economics, of course!


Enter the Freedom Foundation's Talk Back on Economics series.  

• It's free.  

• It's available online.  

• And any economics course that uses free ice cream and clips from the cult classic movie "Dr. Strangelove" automatically gets my attention.  

Take a look at the most recent installment, "What Really Works."  The 3-1/2 minutes you spend will be worth it!











Other videos in the series, each 3 to 5 minutes long, can be found by scrolling down the page at the Freedom Foundation's website.    


Get informed now!  You'll need this information in the days and months ahead, as our elected officials try to solve our state and national budget problems.  They need feedback from savvy citizens to help make the right decisions. 


Don't let elected officials in the "free ice cream" group gain any more ground!