Taxes already reward or penalize activity or non-activity. Having a child is a choice, marriage is a choice, buying a home and paying a mortgage is a choice - all involve particular tax benefits or penalties.
Not that I agree - I think equal protection under the law means that we should all pay at the same rate - currently around 18% IIRC - no matter our particular circumstances. But I don't write our tax laws, or get to rule on their Constitutionality.
And under our system - someone has to PAY the tax before they have standing to challenge the tax. Not sure I agree with that either - but it is what it is.
“Taxes already reward or penalize activity or non-activity. Having a child is a choice, marriage is a choice, buying a home and paying a mortgage is a choice - all involve particular tax benefits or penalties”
Yes, and that’s a big plus in favor of the flat tax. But nevermind, there’s something else involved here. It’s not just that they tax married couples and mortgage payers different than single people and renters or outright homeowners. Now they’re explicitly ordering you to buy insurance and threatening you with a penalty if you don’t.
That’s different than different rates for different behavior.