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My take on it, from what I see around me:

1) In many areas, it's getting harder and harder to have a decent lifestyle on 1 income. I don't mean 8 SUVs and a McMansion, I mean a modest house, food, clothing, and transportation to get around (1 car if near public transport, 2 cars if not). I see my sister struggle mightily to live on my bro-in-laws salary, and he does ok. But it's all eaten up in taxes, mortgage payments (on a tiny 3 bedroom cape - about 1100 sq ft), property taxes, and insurance costs.

2) Because it's harder to do it on 1 income, many couples wait until they are in better shape. Better shape means their education is finished and career is established. This takes time, and by the time they are there they may be infertile or have split up.

3) Many people of childbearing age today have grown up in families wrecked by divorce. Because of this, they don't trust that it won't happen to them, so they live "defensively" - they don't take financial or personal risks such as having kids when not financially rock solid or well-established in a career, they don't get married until they are dead sure the person is ok (which may take them years), etc.
Living defensively doesn't encourage "personally risky" behavior such as chucking the career in favor of having a large family (which, to the defensive person, they'd be faced with supporting by themselves when the relationship falls apart as they expect it will).

By the way, I am damn sick of this being always being blamed on the women. I personally know several women who want kids but their husbands say "no". If these women leave these guys the odds of them finding someone else to start a family with before their eggs rot out is slim to none, so they've stayed.

Those griping about how bad the women are need to get out there and encourage the men to take some responsibility for their families, to be open to the idea of having kids, and to grow the hell up.

LQ

I mean a modest house, food, clothing, and transportation to get around . . .

In my opinion, any family that has difficulty making ends meet on one income has no obligation to pay any taxes and should feel free to use whatever, uh, "creative" means of tax evasion at their disposal. There are a few ways this can be done, provided have a good accountant, keep good records for the IRS, and can keep a straight face if you ever get audited.

"Those griping about how bad the women are need to get out there and encourage the men to take some responsibility for their families, to be open to the idea of having kids, and to grow the hell up. "

Well said. Committment is out, shacking up is in. But 'today's' man is conditioned to not buy the cow when milk is so readily available. TV you know.

"I see my sister struggle mightily to live on my bro-in-laws salary, and he does ok. But it's all eaten up in taxes, mortgage payments (on a tiny 3 bedroom cape - about 1100 sq ft), property taxes, and insurance costs. "

They should move to Alabama. Housing is MUCH cheaper there as is the rest of the costs of living. Most of Georgia is cheaper than average too I think. We have a 2 bedroom, 1200sq ft single level apartment for only $595/m. TN wasn't too bad either. We had a 2 bedroom, 1200sq ft townhouse for $440/m and renting a house was much cheaper. We could've bought a decent 3 bedroom house and had payments around $350/m if we had decent credit. Alabama was the cheapest. You could buy a decent 3 bedroom house for $50,000. We lived a bit in the country but it was nice to live out away from the city.

By the way, I am damn sick of this being always being blamed on the women. I personally know several women who want kids but their husbands say "no". If these women leave these guys the odds of them finding someone else to start a family with before their eggs rot out is slim to none, so they've stayed.

Well...this is the woman's fault. Maybe they should have discussed having children before saying "I DO". Too many women think that they'll be able to change men's minds. HINT: You can't change a man's mind -- especially when it comes to children.

it's getting harder and harder to have a decent lifestyle on 1 income

So true. When we decided to have children we also made the decision that one of us would stay home, raise, and be responsible for them. That ideal would work if it weren't for killer taxes. Our property taxes alone have more than tripled in the last 8 years and equal 1 2/3rd months income! That much tax on a small 3 bedroom 40 yr old home on a 60' lot in the country (no services)! We're frugal by necessity - no vacations, thrift store clothes (yes, you too can live in such luxury on a state employee's supervisor's salary). I know other families in the same shape, so my question is is that author going to pay for the extra kids I'm supposed to have? The teen birth rates are still staggering. That's 1 out of every 23 girls giving birth and then there's the ones who have abortions. Ok, we just had a good old fashioned heart to heart or else talk here.