Posted on 12/17/2012 4:28:04 AM PST by Kaslin
You wrote:
“You do know that a lot of pregnancies abort naturally, without any intervention by humans, don’t you?”
Yes, and?
There is far more to declining birthrates than just money, the cultural factors I mentioned. At the same time as basic costs go up, so do cultural and government *expectations* of potential parents. And this can be both profound and discouraging.
Two generations ago, if children wanted to go to college, they would often as not work their way through, paying their own tuition. And importantly, tuition was paid up front. So when they graduated, they would be employable, but have little or no money to start with.
However, they also had no debt. What they earned, after taxes, was theirs, along with prospects for a long time job and promotions offering more money. They could timetable both marriage and children.
Today, to get through college, costs are so very high that most students assume very large debts, so when they graduate they do so “in the hole”. This translates to having to delay marriage *and children*, for years until they are “just broke”, “beginning their independent adult life” at 25 or even 30 years of age.
Since most people only have about a 20 year optimal window to have children, from 17 to 37, practically speaking only about 15 years, this tightens things up considerably.
Then other cultural and government factors come into play, such as demands on potential parents to provide a higher “quality of life” for their children. And this is not just money, but time and energy that is demanded of them.
Eventually it reached a point where having a child was a major burden, estimated cost a minimum of $100,000 for eighteen years, after both parents were debt free; having two children was much more difficult; having three or more almost out of the question.
Even with enough money, the demands of time and energy are such that “optimally” it would take four or five people to raise three or more children.
It is not only politics but the soft propaganda of popular culture.
It is not only politics but the soft propaganda of popular culture.
If the government on the federal, state and local levels didn’t take as much of our money, it would be an incentive to have more children and it would also mean more money floating around in the ecomony meaning more wealth and jobs which would encourage more people to have children. It might start a trend. Maybe people will begin in rebel against the sixties craziness and there will be a swing of the pendulum. I hope so.
I think we should push against the perverse liberal culture by putting in a good word for parenthood whenever possible. I am going to tell my granddaughters that twenty is a good age to start thinking about looking for a husband. I am not talking about pressuring them but giving them a timeline to work from. Starting to seriously think about finding a mate by twenty is a good time. They can start looking around and taking notes...what do I want in a spouse, what do I not want.
I don’t want my flesh and blood to be replaced. I want my line to survive.
First its college, then its the big wedding then the big house followed by big vacations. Somethings got to give. Americans have got into the lifestyles of the rich and famous.
What state do you live in?
Pets shall inherit the earth. LOL
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