However, there are two possibilities in the future: either American women start marrying down, or there is going to be a "birth crash" that will have to be experienced to be believed.
This is because in all but one state, women are receiving the majority of college degrees. (The exception is Utah, and women will be receiving the majority of college degrees in that state in 2003.) One study indicates that if present trends continue, the last BA will be awarded to a man in 2024 or thereabouts. Contrary to popular belief and BS'd studies, women THRIVE in today's academic environment. Education puts a ceiling on income expectations; women can therefore expect to earn more income than men do in the future. Either American women get wise to reality, or they can expect to be single.
Not necessarily; it's easy enough to make up the birth dearth in immigration. In Europe they are in the process of replacing one set of "peoples" with another; from the MidEast and elsewhere.
It's fascinating to me to see how all these newly ordained women lawyers and doctors and white collar types finally have it dawn on them how "unfulfilling" it is to achieve material success and not much else. Like that famous poster of the woman in a 1960's party dress, crying into her handkerchief..."Oops!! I forgot to have kids!!"
Just wait until they work out the kinks in the male version of the birth control pill (which is in clinical trials right now). Once they do, I bet that every guy making over minimum wage will be on them, and you'll see a really big "birth crash" then.