Alarm sounds on US population boom

The Boston Globe ^ | August 31, 2006 | John Donnelly

[AppleButter]

The fragile environment? Here we go again. I would like the author to tell us what America should do to stunt our growth. Should we:

1) Stop all legal and illegal immigration YES

2) Pass legislation that restricts reproduction via state issued birthing licenses Yes, for anyone who is a net consumer of taxes.

3) Drown female babies at birth NO

4) Offer government sponsered sterilization YES

5) Start deporting illegal immigrants by the millions YES

6) Move part of the American population to another planet Not yet technologically feasible. Needs more study.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS?

[reformedliberal]

We have infrastructure in the heartland.

We have good roads, bridges, electric utilities, locks, dams, rivers, coal mines,timber, natural gas plants, oil and gas wells,oil and gas storage, grain storage, railroads, airports, schools, banks, investment brokers, clean air, plentiful clean water, clean air, huge tracts, both public and private, used for recreation, productive crop land,world class hospitals, medical clinics,low crime rates, manufacturing.

The land isn't really *empty*. It is being used to feed the world, provide commodities, as investment, manufacturing and as spacious living areas. People here live in peace, quiet and healthful conditions.

There are other lifestyles than cookie cutter suburbs, high rise condos and high rise public housing.

Is that a gross population increase, or is it net deaths and emigrants?

[AppleButter]

America is sparsely populated.

Thank God. Let's keep it that way.

[RightWhale]

Need elbow room. I can see the smoke from my neighbor's chimney.
-- D Boon

[Tenacious 1]

Anyone who honestly believes that America (as a whole) is crowded needs to drive back and forth across the country three times. First along I-80 up north, then back across I-70, and finally wind your way through West Texas.

I would encourage them to never put more than a half a tank of gass in their SUV. That way they would get to see the wide open country and meet some of the folks that live in our overcrowded nation.

[unixfox]

Uhh, maybe you didn't note the sarcasm tag at the end of my post?

Nancy boy? c'mon you can do better than that.

[Vision]

We have good roads, bridges, electric utilities, locks, dams, rivers, coal mines,timber, natural gas plants, oil and gas wells,oil and gas storage, grain storage, railroads, airports, schools, banks, investment brokers, clean air, plentiful clean water, clean air, huge tracts, both public and private, used for recreation, productive crop land,world class hospitals, medical clinics,low crime rates, manufacturing.

So build another city. But until then, we're packed. It's about an hour drive from Baltimore city to the PA line. There are now developments for the entire span.

[Tenacious 1]

You know what else is nice about the heartland? A long drive (about 2-4 hours) get's you to a completely different part of the country. In the "densly populated" eastern and western parts of the country, 2-4 hours gets you home from work.

[Antoninus]

Sounds like the *Boston* Glob wants the rest of the nation to enjoy the miserable economic climate that exists in the north east right now...

Only misanthropes think that more people is a bad thing.

[Centurion2000]

There is PLENTY of room left in the world and especially the USA for more people. Everywhere that is green and gray is pretty much open for more settlement.

[Antoninus]

I've been sounding this alarm for years. No one cares.

Hey, the Shakers listened to you.

[RightWhale]

Seems like wherever you landed some years ago it was bucolic and now there are a dozen new houses right under your window and every house has a loud truck and a barking dog. Why is that? Is it that you located where there was infrastructure?

[Rummyfan]

Yes these days seems most families want the one-boy-one-girl family, not like when I grew up with families around the neighborhood of nine, ten, eleven, and twelve children.

[daybreakcoming]

Americans consume like no other nation -- using three times the amount of water per capita than the world average and nearly 25 percent of the world's energy, despite having 5 percent of the global population; and producing five times more daily waste than the average in poor countries.

Ahhh....I love being an American. This Boston Globe article is suppose to poke a stick in our eye because we are blessed and happy to be here but if you've ever been in a 3rd world country and imagined yourself and your family as citizens there...........well.

[John Jorsett]

The birth rate among non-immigrant Americans is below replacement levels. Any growth has been due to immigration and births to immigrants. Anyone who wants to curb growth and yet allow unlimited immigration is on both sides of the issue.

[AppleButter]

America's competitiveness is derived from its human capital.

This is one of those inane statements Big Business boosters like to toss around without having a clue what it actually means. "Competitiveness" has no meaning at all. Competitive in what? Total output? Per-capita output? Per-capita wealth? Quality of life? World Soccer Cup victories?

America's vibrant economy has nothing to do with the number of people. It has everything to do with the amount of capital we have to invest. Not that bogus "human capital" stuff but REAL capital. Technology. The more capital per worker, the more productive the worker and thus the more affluent the nation.

I am convinced that we need a population approaching 500 million by 2050 if we hope to remain the global economic superpower given the expected growth of China and India.

Now you have gone beyond inane into full-blown stupidity. Low population = higher wages = higher per-capita income = higher wealth = higher standard of living. It has been that way all throughout economic history.

[Antoninus]

Thank God. Let's keep it that way.

The Judeo-Christian God said, "Be fruitful and multiply." He did not say, "Let the land be sparsely populated."

You sound like a devotee of the Canaanite religion. Perhaps this is the "god" you're thanking?

[duckbutt]

Which begs the question, at least with me: "What are we supposed to do, ship our excess water to Africa? Water is rather a localized phenomena....People of Africa - - MOVE TO WHERE THE WATER IS!

[JasonC]

More proof that liberals simply want all of mankind to die off to leave more room for weeds.

Which Russians and Germans and Japanese are managing nicely. We'll pass, thank you very much.

[Antoninus]

Low population = higher wages = higher per-capita income = higher wealth = higher standard of living. It has been that way all throughout economic history.

It also = aging population = immense strain on social service systems = demand for "outside sources" of cheap labor = cultural change = civilizational collapse (at least in the case of Europe.)

Way to trade short-term luxury for long-term destruction. An ant and the grasshopper story if ever there was one.