Here's 1 Pro-Gay Marriage Argument Anyone Can Get Behind

Here's 1 Pro-Gay Marriage Argument Anyone Can Get Behind
Daniel J. O'Donnell, democratic member of the New York State Assembly, left, kisses his husband John Banta, right, as supporters of same-sex marriage rally on Christopher Street after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and declined to rule on the California law Proposition 8 in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Democratic lawmakers said theyll seek further protections for gay couples after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of a federal law denying them benefits, as congressional Republicans signaled that further battles on marriage equality would shift to the states. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Daniel J. O'Donnell, democratic member of the New York State Assembly, left, kisses his husband John Banta, right, as supporters of same-sex marriage rally on Christopher Street after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and declined to rule on the California law Proposition 8 in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Democratic lawmakers said theyll seek further protections for gay couples after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of a federal law denying them benefits, as congressional Republicans signaled that further battles on marriage equality would shift to the states. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

There are many reasons to support gay marriage -- political reasons, legal reasons, moral reasons, etc. Here’s one we don’t consider enough: More marriage, whether gay or straight, is a good thing for an economy that could use the help.

A new Gallup poll finds that married Americans spend $35 more every day on average than their single counterparts:

marriage helps economy

Gallup notes that married Americans, on average, have higher incomes than single people. But it's not clear why. Partly, it could be that marriage makes Americans better off -- allowing couples to pool resources and spend more. There's also evidence that better-off Americans are more likely to get married.

Yet, we do know that marriage rates are declining. A larger share of Americans have opted against marriage over the last 50-some years:
marriage decline

But who does want to get married? A whole bunch of wonderfully in love gay people! In fact, a recent survey by Pew Research found more than half of the entire unmarried LGBT community hopes to put a ring on it at some point:

like to get married

And surprise, surprise, around two-fifths of those surveyed cited financial stability as a critical reason for their wanting to tie that knot down the line:

why get married

Bottom line: The economy would benefit from more marriage and the LGBT community is ready and willing should the moment come. With the percentage of married Americans as a whole decreasing, it’s a clear-cut way to give the economy a much-needed boost.

Before You Go

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