Dire facts Americans should know
Many Americans are only concerned about worldwide population growth although the U.S. population situation is also very dire.
Despite China's draconian one-child policy adopted in 1979 and the negative international migration it has experienced, some 350 million people have since been added to its population. Even though China's fertility rate is 1.55, far below that of the United States and replacement level of 2.1, its population is projected to grow until 2030!
Conversely, according to CIA.gov, estimated total fertility rate for the U.S. in 2013 is 2.06, including 400,000 teen births. Additionally, since Congress adopted "Immigration Reform and Control Act" (IRCA) in 1986, our illegal immigrant population has quadrupled. Furthermore, one million legal immigrants on average add to our population yearly, without counting hundreds of thousands of "guest-workers" or illegal migrants, or U.S.-born children of these newcomers.
Based on the above trends and considering half of our residents are 35 or under, our population of 315 million will continue to swell even if our fertility rate were to drop drastically to China's and immigration reduced to near zero. The U.S. population has doubled since 1950. Another doubling of 315 million equals half of India's current population. (Try to imagine 326 million cars lined up at a gas station!). Is this what we want to leave to today's children?
Presently, over 100 developing nations have fertility rates well above 2.1. Forty of them exceed 4! According to projections, 3 billion people will be added to the world's population by 2050. Currently, over 50 million Americans live in poverty and our infrastructure is overburdened. Is doubling our population mostly due to immigration the responsible way to address problems here and abroad?
China symbolized poverty 3 decades ago. It is now our largest foreign creditor and will dominate the world in a matter of time. Now hundreds of billionaires, including Mexican citizen Carlos Slim, the world's richest person, live in developing nations. Why not urge these countries to work on improving life for their own citizens, as China has done,but without promoting forced abortions?
This March, some top-level Chinese leaders called for continued adherence to its basic population policy to curb impact of population growth on its resources and environment. The U.S. is already overwhelmed with myriad problems caused by many factors and policies.
Although many white and non-white people have good qualities, our continued rapid population expansion essentially means more users of water, energy and other natural resources, in addition to more jobseekers, students, patients, drivers and polluters. A very crowded, polluted and impoverished United States is not in the interest of any American citizen.
Therefore, while Americans should not promote forced abortions, we must urge elected officials in Washington, D.C. to immediately take serious and sensible steps to stabilize our population. Americans of diverse backgrounds should work together to educate individuals of child-bearing age about the consequences of having children they cannot afford. The President and Congress should seriously advocate reducing legal and illegal immigration for the benefit of all American citizens, native and foreign-born.