The Underpopulation Problem [Frightening and Open]

CWR ^ | August/September 2008 | Michael J. Miller

[GovernmentShrinker]

It doesn’t need to be “deadly” to represent a declining standard of living and political pressure towards socialism. Parts of Georgia and California have serious water shortages. The whole country has already been subjected to laws requiring toilets that use very little water and as a result don’t flush very well. Obviously this will be a bigger problem as population increases.

The chronic food shortages in some third world countries certainly are deadly, and pose a huge obstacle to political change. People who are starving and whose children are starving don’t have the energy to fight oppressive political regimes and are easily convinced to back new and more oppressive regimes on the promise that the new regime will “give you land” so you’ll be able to grow plenty of food. Check Zimbabwe for a recent example of this scheme — ever wonder why such a huge portion of the Zimbabwean population was eager to put this guy in power? They were having trouble feeding their ever-increasing numbers of children, and desperately wanted to believe his crazy promises.

[redgolum]

Meant to comment yesterday.

We are heading to a very scary time. Look at what is going on in Japan right now. They are facing such a looming shortage of people that they are trying to build robots who will care for the elderly. They just don’t have enough to people to look after the old folks, let along much else in a few years.

[redgolum]

We met with a lady last night about daycare (we are having our first, and my wife needs to at least finish out the school year), whose daughter lives in San Francisco. She says that there are dog food bowls outside of every restaurant.

At first I thought “Cool!”. We have a Carin terrier, and really enjoy our dog. But, when I thought about it, I realized that most people in that town don't have kids, they have dogs. I love dogs, and hope to have at least one the rest of my life, but a dog is not a kid.

But to many people they are becoming their kids.

[redgolum]

The problem with water is simple. We have to many people living in a desert or semi arid areas.

We have the fresh water in the US to support a lot more (and I mean at full levels, not subsistence), but we don't have the population distribution to take advantage of that.

They have proposed piping water from half a continent away to California for goodness sake!

[Barnacle]

And yet the ‘poor’ in America are doing better today than in 1970, no?

I don't know about the poor. But, I will say as a member of the middle class, we're getting screwed. And, a big part of that is due to corporate greed and illegal immigration.

[anglian]

Rich/poor gap smaller than it appears: "The top fifth of American households earned an average of $149,963 a year in 2006. As shown in the first accompanying chart, they spent $69,863 on food, clothing, shelter, utilities, transportation, health care and other categories of consumption. The rest of their income went largely to taxes and savings. The bottom fifth earned just $9,974, but spent nearly twice that - an average of $18,153 a year. How is that possible? A look at the far right-hand column of the consumption chart, labeled "financial flows," shows why: those lower-income families have access to various sources of spending money that doesn't fall under taxable income. So, bearing this in mind, if we compare the incomes of the top and bottom fifths, we see a ratio of 15 to 1. If we turn to consumption, the gap declines to around 4 to 1... Let's take the adjustments one step further. Richer households are larger - an average of 3.1 people in the top fifth, compared with 2.5 people in the middle fifth and 1.7 in the bottom fifth. If we look at consumption per person, the difference between the richest and poorest households falls to just 2.1 to 1. The average person in the middle fifth consumes just 29 percent more than someone living in a bottom-fifth household."

[anglian]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/opinion/10cox.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[anglian]

From: ORIANA FALLACI, The Force of Reason, New York 2006, page 56:

“In 1974 Boumedienne [President of Algeria]…spoke before the general assembly of the United Nations. …he said: “ “One day millions of men will leave the southern hemisphere of this planet to burst into the northern one. But not as friends. Because they will burst in to conquer, and they will conquer by populating it with their children. Victory will come to us from the wombs of our women.””

Also on Page 57:

“That very same year… the Islamic Conference concluded its meeting in Lahore with a Resolution which included a plan to turn the then modest flow of immigrants towards Europe and penetrate the continent through “demographic preponderance”. A plan that is now a precept. … In every mosque of Europe the prayer is accompanied by the exhortation … “Bear at least five children each couple”

[narses]

“But, I will say as a member of the middle class, we’re getting screwed.”

‘k, how?

What was your net worth and income in 1987? 1997? Last year? This year?

[livius]

...but a dog is not a kid..

That's true. I like dogs, too, but they're - well, dogs! It especially freaks me out when I see people pushing dogs around in strollers or carrying them in backpacks like the backpack baby carriers. Not to mention the fact that there is an entire line of clothing for Jack Russells...

[GreyMountainReagan]

Eager to put in power?

If I am not mistaken Mugabe came to power in a coup, and runs the government as a military dictatorship. Food production only dropped off as he strangled the country with his policies based on a mixture of racism and socialism.

In the past 20 years or so starvation is almost always caused by corrupt governments not lack of food.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Nobody comes to power in a coup without significant popular support.