Comments on: Celebs Weigh In On Family Size http://blogs.babiesonline.com/celebrities/celebs-weigh-in-on-family-size/ News & Information about parenting, pregnancy, and Babies Online's services Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:40:33 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Science-mom http://blogs.babiesonline.com/celebrities/celebs-weigh-in-on-family-size/comment-page-1/#comment-11488 Science-mom Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:43:34 +0000 http://blogs.babiesonline.com/?p=6440#comment-11488 The problem with our population is the huge differences in birthrates between countries. I have 2 kids and I am proud that I have exceeded the average birthrate of the European Union. However, in other countries (including the US), 2 is rather on the low side. It is also sad that the highest birth rates are seen in low-income countries where people do not have enough resources to support their ever-increasing population. The problem with our population is the huge differences in birthrates between countries. I have 2 kids and I am proud that I have exceeded the average birthrate of the European Union. However, in other countries (including the US), 2 is rather on the low side.
It is also sad that the highest birth rates are seen in low-income countries where people do not have enough resources to support their ever-increasing population.

]]> By: Michelle http://blogs.babiesonline.com/celebrities/celebs-weigh-in-on-family-size/comment-page-1/#comment-11487 Michelle Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:19:18 +0000 http://blogs.babiesonline.com/?p=6440#comment-11487 I have 5 children and I have learned to expect critical remarks from others when we are out in public. I feel that family size is a personal matter and that it's rude for others to make comments about this. That's just me though. I have 5 children and I have learned to expect critical remarks from others when we are out in public.

I feel that family size is a personal matter and that it’s rude for others to make comments about this. That’s just me though.

]]> By: Pete Murphy http://blogs.babiesonline.com/celebrities/celebs-weigh-in-on-family-size/comment-page-1/#comment-11480 Pete Murphy Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:37:38 +0000 http://blogs.babiesonline.com/?p=6440#comment-11480 I think that those of us who are concerned about overpopulation and advocate stabilizing our population through some kind of populaion management policies will never get much traction with suggestions of limiting family size or criticizing anyone's decisions about how large or small their family should be. Instead, our focus should be on the overall birth rate or fertility rate and we should adopt policies that provide economic incentives for people to choose smaller families. We don't need to limit everyone to two children or one child. We need for those who would otherwise have ten children to choose only nine, those who would have five to choose to have only four instead, and so on. After all, here in the U.S., we only need to reduce our fertility rate slightly, from the current rate of about 2.1 to about 1.78. Why less than 2.0? Because of our steadily increaing life expectancy. As long as it increases, replacing each generation with one that lives longer will still produce population growth. Consider the extreme: if no one ever died, the fertility rate would have to fall to zero to reach a stable population. The birth rate is only a small part of the problem. When it comes to population growth in the U.S., immigration is a much larger issue. Every year we import over a million people through legal immigration, and more through illegal immigration. You may find my book interesting. It links population growth to our economic problems in a way that no other economist has. If you?re interested in learning more about this important new economic theory, then I invite you to visit my web site at OpenWindowPublishingCo.com where you can read the preface, join in the blog discussion and, of course, buy the book if you like. (It's also available at Amazon.com.) Please forgive me for the somewhat spammish nature of the previous paragraph, but I don't know how else to inject this new theory into the debate about population growth without drawing attention to the book that explains the theory. Pete Murphy Author, "Five Short Blasts" Pete Murphys last blog post..<a href="http://petemurphy.wordpress.com/2008/10/31/real-per-capita-gdp-falls-12/">Real Per Capita GDP Falls 1.2%</a> I think that those of us who are concerned about overpopulation and advocate stabilizing our population through some kind of populaion management policies will never get much traction with suggestions of limiting family size or criticizing anyone’s decisions about how large or small their family should be. Instead, our focus should be on the overall birth rate or fertility rate and we should adopt policies that provide economic incentives for people to choose smaller families. We don’t need to limit everyone to two children or one child. We need for those who would otherwise have ten children to choose only nine, those who would have five to choose to have only four instead, and so on. After all, here in the U.S., we only need to reduce our fertility rate slightly, from the current rate of about 2.1 to about 1.78. Why less than 2.0? Because of our steadily increaing life expectancy. As long as it increases, replacing each generation with one that lives longer will still produce population growth. Consider the extreme: if no one ever died, the fertility rate would have to fall to zero to reach a stable population.

The birth rate is only a small part of the problem. When it comes to population growth in the U.S., immigration is a much larger issue. Every year we import over a million people through legal immigration, and more through illegal immigration.

You may find my book interesting. It links population growth to our economic problems in a way that no other economist has. If you?re interested in learning more about this important new economic theory, then I invite you to visit my web site at OpenWindowPublishingCo.com where you can read the preface, join in the blog discussion and, of course, buy the book if you like. (It’s also available at Amazon.com.)

Please forgive me for the somewhat spammish nature of the previous paragraph, but I don’t know how else to inject this new theory into the debate about population growth without drawing attention to the book that explains the theory.

Pete Murphy
Author, “Five Short Blasts”

Pete Murphys last blog post..Real Per Capita GDP Falls 1.2%

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