> Thanks for the help on understanding the Republican call to repeal the
> so-called marriage tax. But what would one propose in place of
> this - an increase in wages for married wage earners, no repeal, an
> adjustment someplace else? Any ideas?
>
If you're asking me, I would support no change at all. Any repair of the so-called marriage penalty would exacerbate the disparity in tax liability between tax filing units with equal income. Both principles cannot coexist unless the tax is absolutely flat. I agree with others who have said couples can afford to pay a little more since they are able to share expenses to some extent (e.g., "two can live as cheaply as one" is true to some extent).
There are bigger fish to fry in tax reform, especially for progressives.
MBS