Europe's Demographic Doom

The Economist ^ | 13 Nov 06 | Posted by: Economist.com

[Rummenigge]

sure we die. You'll, too. But we'll die in style.

[Rummenigge]

If it's our innovations it's hardly a freeride. And you pay for that with a currency that is hardly worth the paper.

[danamco]

Large welfare states keep the labour force small in another way: they make societies more reluctant to admit immigrants, who tend to be a net drain on the government, at least during the early years of their stay.

Seems to me that they are totally blind!

It is toooo late with the "new" immigrant policy!!

The muzzie's birth rate vs. the traditional present European birth rate will extinct them all totally in 50 years. The muzzies are very patient in their goal of conquering world domination by producing lots of children, including the U.S. where the pace is little slower!!!

[.cnI redruM]

>>>We could start with abolishing child penalty tax - ie with providing the same tax exemption for each child as for the grown ups. After all children are 100% human too!

Not a bad idea. I like it even more than abolishing the AMT. This helps everyone, not just Inside The Beltway Yuppie Scum.

[.cnI redruM]

"letting those foolish Americans take the bullet for the rest of the world."


Admittedly off the topic, I read that and realized I finally understood all those REFORGER exercises the US Army did with NATO.

[Sirloin]

Childless people should pay special taxes to compensate those who raise children.

Am I on the right forum? Did you just advocate social engineering by increasing taxes on a segment of the population?

Strange days indeed.

[Leisler]

Socialist parties and governments are now too strong. Classic Liberal sentiment is so rare in Europeans as to be unrecognized. So the trend will continue, only efforts must be redoubled. Forced work for those still working, financial shenanigans, protectionism, something akin to Fascism or Communism.

All of this slowly. Of course a complex society, needs vast maintenance of civil works. Europe doesn't have the babies, or the money to pay to Europeans to do hard, dirty, basic work. If you really work hard, you grab your Europeans tax paid technical education and leave for the US, Canada, Australia. Anyways, roads, pipe, sewers and old peoples arses need wiping, so bring in immigrants. The Eloi bring in the Morelocks.

[A. Pole]

>>>We could start with abolishing child penalty tax - ie with providing the same tax exemption for each child as for the grown ups. After all children are 100% human too!

Not a bad idea. I like it even more than abolishing the AMT. This helps everyone, not just Inside The Beltway Yuppie Scum.

Another item. Raising a child should be recognized as contributing toward Social Security!

[.cnI redruM]

>>>>>The Eloi bring in the Morelocks.

I noticed that a liberal Democrat from Mass. is already interested in "revisting" the 700 miles of border fence that our last Congress approved.

[RobRoy]

Coming from the Economist, this is really bad news for Europe. It is also not a surprise to anyone paying attention.

[.cnI redruM]

That, in fairness, would be problematic. They could, however, expand Coverdale IRAs and let parents invest in them for anything they want. That would end discrimination in favor of wealthy families who are, of course, sending little Junior to college.

[.cnI redruM]

No, it is predictable. Didn't Ayn Rand kinda' write a novel or two about this sort of thing?

[A. Pole]

Am I on the right forum? Did you just advocate social engineering by increasing taxes on a segment of the population?

Wait a minute! Do you support child penalty tax? Why children should be taxed at higher rate? They should be exempted the same way as other human beings. As it is now, it is parents and children who pay more than their share.

Also don't you see that raising a child is a more important contribution toward Social Security and viability of private retirement funds than paying money into it? Without future generation you savings will be a worthless piece of paper.

[A. Pole]

Classic Liberal sentiment is so rare in Europeans as to be unrecognized.

Classic Liberals/Libertarians are like dinosaurs - they die out. Ayn Rand did.

[A. Pole]

Didn't Ayn Rand kinda' write a novel or two about this sort of thing?

How many children Ayn Rand raised? What would be the survival chance of a society made from Ayn Rand clones?

[RobRoy]

Yup. I wish the meltdown didn't take so long though...

[Vicomte13]

The demographic future of the United States is to be a Hispanic Catholic country.

White American fertility rates are lower than the white fertility rates in parts of Europe (Ireland is higher, and France about matches the Americans).

Black American fertility rates are slightly higher than whites, but still below replacement level.

The only segmnent of the American population that is well above the replacement fertility rate are Hispanics, and they are the ones who pull the national total up to just shy of replacement rate.

This doesn't mean America is "doomed", unless one considers America becoming a Spanish-speaking Catholic part of Latin America is "doom".

It does mean that similar demographic patters are happening in the US as in Europe. In a sense, it IS because of the social welfare state, but only partly. Mostly, it's religious philosophy.

One of the most devout large groups in America are Latino Catholics, and their religion prohibits birth control and abortion. Unsurprisingly, they're the only major sector of the American population that is well above replacement rate.

Same thing in Europe, where religious minorities (of the Muslim and devout Catholic varieties) are the ones having the kids.

[.cnI redruM]

Vastly better than the survival chance of a society led by Clement Atley or Gerhard Schroeder.

[Rummenigge]

To ensure that we don't have to bother setting up a real army on our own ?

[.cnI redruM]

In Germany's case, absolutely. The last three times the Germans were allowed to do that, millions suffered as a direct consequence.