How do you define same lifestyle, if you assume that you can have the same lifestyle with the same income with more people? If I have to share my food with two children I don't have the lifestyle I have, when I don't have to share it.

Food shouldn't be a major part of the budget for a two-income family. If it is, then there is something atrociously wrong with your society's income distribution.

But that's an aside. Of course I am not claiming that you will have as much money for yourself if you choose to have children. And I guess you've sold me on the idea of giving some kind of legs-up to families with children (I would argue, however, that single parents should be counted as families).

My remaining beef is more with the fact that you want to help the kids through tax credits. I don't know how the German tax system works in detail, but I would imagine that a tax credit simply reduces your taxable income, in which case a tax credit would be socially regressive compared to subsidised daycare, free public transportation for children and similar measures.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.