Financial whiz Suze Orman and Rhode
Island Governor Lincoln Chafee argue that legalizing gay marriage
will boost the economy.
Appearing on MSNBC, Orman and Chafee
told host Thomas Roberts that denying gay men and lesbians the right
to marry hurts the economy.
“The truth of the matter is we would
need an hour or two to talk about all the financial inequalities that
exist,” Orman said before giving the example that gay couples,
unlike straight couples, pay income tax on workplace benefits
extended to a spouse.
“There are estate tax implications,
again income tax implications, Social Security implications, all
kinds of ways where straight couples get breaks, homosexual couples
do not. Which in the long run costs the economy 'cause money that's
going into extra taxes, into these extra expenses, could be going
into the economy to benefit everybody.”
Chafee added that the financial
argument is resonating with lawmakers considering a marriage equality
bill in Rhode Island.
“We have to make that argument,” he
said. “Especially since our neighboring states – Connecticut,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, New York – all have
marriage equality. If we're going to be competitive, we've got to
get this passed.” (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
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