Persistent Drop in Fertility Reshapes Europe's Future [The Death of the West]

NY Times ^ | 12/26 | FRANK BRUNI

[Coleus]

Abortion and Contraception are contributing factors as well as an anti-family, anti-church, self-centered mindset. I blame the UN and liberals.

[Salvation]

**4) I was at a Christmas party yesterday with 6 other couples aged 35-45....all highly educated professionals. Other than my two kids, one couple had one child and the other 4 couples had none. Twelve adults and only three kids....not a good sign for the future.**

Indeed, not a good sign for the future!

[Stavka2]

Contraception and abortion are more readily available. Divorce is more common. Moreover, decades of prosperity have altered people's assumptions and expectations. Older people once poised to look after grandchildren now pursue other activities and travel more. As for would-be parents, their attachments to leisure time, conveniences and indulgences do not easily accommodate multiple children — or sometimes, for that matter, any children at all.

And there folks is the jist of the problem, a post Christian W. Europe. Funny, in Russia, with the economy recovering, the birth rate has started to go up and the abortion rate to drop. While the churchs are bursting at the seams.

[Stavka2]

A crazy notion is also doing your duty for your nation and for your people, creating a new generation strong enough to defend itself.

[Stavka2]

- My older sister (age 47, never married, Hollywood mentality) has had four -- like Russian women, she uses them as a birth control technique

This was/is only the case because under the soviets there was no birth control. As is, the numbers are steadily dropping and with the improved economy of the past 3 years, the birth rates are nudging up. In the end, Russia will be the only hope of Europe against the Islamics...well, with Serbia included.

[Stavka2]

My wife and I are working on a second and if I have my way, we'll give the Russian race a third a forth and a fifth, while we are at it. My sons will learn to how to soldier and to serve and defend their God's people and their lands. The islamics want our Icons, come and get them, the bullets will be primed.

[PLK]

I tend to think in medical terminology:

"fertile - Capable of reproduction" (Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary)

See post #15, too. Anyway, thanks for the reply and the info.

[stuartcr]

If you lower taxes, how will the defense industry expand?

[stuartcr]

Did you pose the question to any of them, as to why they have small or no families? If so, what was the general answer?

[FITZ]

They don't need to cut defense, they need to eliminate all government handout programs ---so away with all welfare.

[TomSmedley]

In the end, Russia will be the only hope of Europe against the Islamics...well, with Serbia included.

God gave Latin America to the most warlike of the western European Christian peoples, the Iberians (Spanish and Portuguese) who'd just completed a 700-year battle of reclamation. I am grateful to the Russians who drew the assignment of protecting blithe, unaware western europe from the ravaging muslim hoards. (My mother's people were Ukrainains -- the freedom-loving pioneers and pirates who made life miserable for the Sultan!)

[stuartcr]

Who then, takes care of the needy?

[americanbychoice]

totally agree.It has nothing to do with fertility. The Europeans have, since the 60's , become too lazy to breed.

[tom h]

Thanks for the information, Stavka2. Sounds to me like you're Russian yourself, or perhaps had some significant "connection" (marriage, intel, military) during your career.

As regards the comment on my sister, I wasn't professing to know much of anything about abortion but I was commenting on my general disgust at her casual approach to extinguishing the lives that she so carelessly created. I know that she has increased her risk of breast cancer significantly. She has squandered her youth and is now an extremely unhappy old maid (who still fantasizes about her youth and her looks).

As for the Russians, I often believe as do you that they are the only hope left in Europe. I do this for a curious reason -- because they are the only nation left that is not fully prosperous and fat/dumb/happy like Germany, Denmark, France, Italy. They have room to grow and, hopefully sometime soon, motivated citizens who will homestead and innovate and through their industriousness create an economic and social powerhouse.

What do you think?

[ninenot]

Lemmeeesee, heah,

We need more TV's, more SUV's, more kitchen appliances, more software and hardware. Can't possibly afford children.

Those of you who are still asking "what's the problem with the Japanese economy" might take a look at their birthrate (not that it's the ONLY problem) and find that THERE ARE NO CHILDREN IN JAPAN. So all the middle-agers are saving for retirement, not spending on kids; and the 'not spending on kids' means that there's damn little demand, even though there's lotsa cash-in-the-banks.

The REAL crunch, as in Italy, will arrive when all those old folks expect Gummint help to stay alive in nursing homes. Who can pay THOSE taxes if there are no younger earners?

THIS is the problem that PJBuchanan has not addressed. While he carries on about "immigration problems" (meaning there are too many immigrants,) he has not yet proposed exactly how the Gummint will provide the promised SOcial Security/Medicaid bennies with NO TAXPAYERS REMAINING...

[ninenot]

I read in today's news (NewsMax? WorldNetDaily?) that the Russkies will now give a FREE HOME to any mother who has three children or more.

France has been throwing money at women who are mothers for about 5 years.

But in the USA, where indexing the personal exemption for children (1950-present) would produce about a $9,000.00/child exemption, we are still humming along at about $3,000.00/child.

One wonders WHY there are no Anglo children?

[ninenot]

Over-population was a LIE then, and now.

Only the Rockefellers believed it--and they managed to buy Notre Dame's President, so HE believed it. Fortunately, Paul VI could not be bought, nor could RevHesburgh convince him of a lie.

[ninenot]

A large population is a kings glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined.

Neat post.

So you think that the Bush One/Kissinger/Rockefeller/Ford NSSM 2000 was really stupid?

You are RIGHT.

The most difficult obstacle for Bush Two to overcome will be his father's legacy of BlueBlood Republicanism.

[ninenot]

With modern times in the west, comes the need for both parents to work full-time. I believe it's mostly economic.

Actually, it's mostly Gummint greed.

Look at ANY chart describing the percentage of individual income stolen by Gummints (USA) from 1945-present and you will find out WHY mothers "have to work."

When I was a young'un, (the fifties, smartass) the combined Gummint bloodsucking was only around 15% of my father's income.

Now it's more like 40%, and some say it's 50%.

So THAT'S where the disposable income went--and don't try to tell me that "investing in Gummint" is productive investment, with the exception being defense...

[ninenot]

Overpopulation is a localized problem more than a global problem, but it's very serious in the areas where it's a problem, creating breeding grounds for brands of violent extremism which can appeal only to ignorant and desperate people, but which can so easily spread terror and cultural/political destruction into other parts of the world.

Like, for example, in Hong Kong, or Taiwan?

Better re-examine your premises more closely. They are straigt out of the Rockefeller handbook.