You're right re: fines

They should be proportionate to income.

Children are not entirely a burden though. We do benefit from other people having children. Taxpayers, future and future workers, soldiers. We can't do it all on our own. These are fellow Americans too. We don't need all from well off backgrounds. I think there's an argument they are not a burden.

The man in the story is unusual too. General rules should not be made for this situation.