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 * Why Population?
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POPULATION AND THE ECONOMY


LOWER U.S. FERTILITY PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCING EQUALITY

The recent slowdown in the U.S. birth rate has resulted in much hand-wringing
about our nation’s future (e.g. here, here, and here). Instead of yielding to
these dark prognostications, let’s take advantage of this situation, which could
be more optimistically viewed as an opportunity. There are some clear advantages
to the decline in U.S. births—which is occurring in all age groups of women
15–44 but is most pronounced among teens. And the challenges that slower
population growth may pose can be successfully addressed by disrupting the
status quo when it comes to our investment in future generations of workers and
tax-payers.

Indeed, if the question is where the productive workforce needed for our
nation’s future will come from, let’s focus on lifting up the millions of
children here in the U.S. who live in poverty—children who disproportionately
represent communities of color.

President Biden took a major step in this direction by promoting and signing the
$1.9 billion coronavirus relief legislation, which included a dramatic increase
in child tax credits. This removed barriers that often block kids from having
the kind of lives we all want for our children. Unfortunately, Congress let the
relief package expire, without renewing it.

Here in the U.S., one in ten of us live in poverty. Expansion of child tax
credits could prove a great benefit for society by dramatically reducing the
poverty rate. When you live in a state of constant worry about accessing quality
health care, avoiding eviction, hunger, or food insecurity, when you can’t pay
the bills, or barely earn enough money to get by even with two jobs, it’s hard
to see the future clearly and make confident decisions about anything.

Consider the more than 10 million U.S. children who are trapped in poverty—71%
of them children of color. Often, they suffer from poor health due to lack of
adequate nutrition and medical care. Even before they begin school, too many lag
behind other students in terms of developmental and intellectual milestones.
Their parents are often so stressed out from working long hours that they can’t
give their children needed care and attention. As teenagers, kids who grow up in
poverty drop out of school at a higher rate than those in middle- or high-income
households. This is a formula for generational social inequality at every level,
especially when more financially fortunate adolescents are playing sports and
preparing for college.

Even setting aside the deep personal toll here, this represents an extraordinary
waste of potential for a society that needs sophisticated, productive workers to
compete in the Information Age.

The legislation signed by President Biden will slash the poverty rate for
children in the United States by about 50%. This will mean healthier children.
It will mean they’ll advance farther in school. And it will also mean the next
generation will be far better equipped to succeed in tomorrow’s complex society
where America needs more highly skilled workers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Seager, President and CEO of Population Connection, has been interviewed by
radio stations around the country this summer on the topic of lower fertility
and slower population growth in the United States. The complete list of his
interviews is below (with more interviews happening all the time), along with
clips where available—click the buttons to hear the audio. If you’re interested
in interviewing John, please email us at info@popconnect.org!

John Seager

President and CEO


JOHN SEAGER


PRESIDENT AND CEO

john@popconnect.org 202-974-7700

John has been a guest lecturer at more than 80 colleges and has spoken to
numerous environmental, religious, and community groups all across the U.S. on
the environmental and human costs of rapid population growth. He was appointed
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by the Clinton Administration and
also served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Peter H. Kostmayer (D-PA),
a senior member of the House Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee. A veteran
of more than 50 political campaigns, John has authored numerous op-eds and
articles on various aspects of population growth. He holds a bachelor’s degree
in political science from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.

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12/8/21: “The John Williams Show,” WGN-AM, Chicago, IL

11/30/21: Dan McCargar, KTOE-AM, KTOE-FM, Mankato, MN

11/22/21: “The Tom Sumner Program,” WFOV-FM, Flint, MI

11/9/21: Sean Sweeney, WPKZ-FM, WPKZ-AM, Fitchburg, MA, Boston, MA, Central
Massachusetts, Regional

11/1/21: David Lile, “A Columbia Morning,” KFRU-AM/KFRU-FM, Columbia, MO

10/19/21: Mike Crute, “The Devil’s Advocates Radio,” 92.7FM/1580 AM, Madison,
WI, Eureka, CA, Chicago, IL, Minneapolis, MN

10/18/21: Russ Heltman, “Healthscope,” WMKV-FM, Cincinnati, OH

10/5/21: Patti Vasquez, Chicago, IL, WCPT-AM

9/27/21: Jim Beach, National School for Start-Ups Radio

9/21/21: Brett Johnson, The Progressive Voice of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN,
AM950

9/20/21: Mary Jane Popp, Sacramento, CA, KAHI-AM/KAHI-FM

9/13/21: WPHM-AM, Paul Miller, Port Huron, MI, and Detroit, MI

9/2/21: KTRC-AM/KTRC-FM, “The Richard Eeds Show,” Santa Fe, NM

8/20/21: (NPR) “The Measure of Everyday Life” with Dr. Brain Southwell,
Raleigh/Durham, NC

8/12/21: (NPR) “The WGVU Morning Show” with Shelly Irwin, Grand Rapids, MI

8/10/21: WGTD-FM with Greg Berg, (Wisconsin Public Radio affiliate),
Kenosha/Racine, WI

8/9/21: KGO-AM with Mark Thompson, San Francisco, CA (Interview starts at minute
19!)

8/9/21: Delmarva Public Radio with Don Rush, Salisbury/Eastern Shore, MD,
Maryland Regional

7/19/21: “The Laura Coates Show,” SiriusXM Radio, P.O.T.U.S. Channel 124

7/9/21: John Liddle, NewsRadio 1080 KRLD, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

7/8/21: Tony Marino, News 96.5 WDBO, Orlando, FL

6/30/21: Roy Burnette, WRGC, Sylva, NC, and WBHN, Bryson City, NC

6/30/21: Bob Gourley, “Issues Today,” nationally syndicated to 80 + radio
stations


WE’VE ALSO BEEN PITCHING OPINION PIECES TO NEWSPAPERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. HERE’S
A LIST OF THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED SO FAR:

John Seager, “Modern contraception is the answer to the overpopulation problem,”
The Washington Post, December 2, 2021

Marianne Gabel and John Seager, “Smaller families could be a ‘breath of fresh
air’ the world needs,” The Columbus Dispatch, November 16, 2021

JoAnn Sivley Ruppert (Population Connection President’s Circle member), “Smaller
families can benefit N.M. and the world,” Santa Fe New Mexican, October 16, 2021

Elaine Gorman and John Seager, “Smaller families could help Modesto and
California cope with crises,” The Modesto Bee, Modesto, CA, August 27, 2021

John Seager, “How smaller families can benefit our country,” The Morning Call,
Allentown, PA, July 26, 2021

Marian Starkey, “Let’s fully fund international family planning on World
Population Day,” The Hill, Washington, DC, July 11, 2021

Marian Starkey, “Let’s Celebrate a Lower Birthrate, Not Lament It,” The New York
Times, June 5, 2021


THE GOOD CRISIS: HOW POPULATION STABILIZATION CAN FOSTER A HEALTHY U.S. ECONOMY
(POPULATION CONNECTION, 2016) 


In many developed countries—Japan, South Korea, Italy, Spain, Germany, Canada,
and the United States among them—fertility rates are below replacement rate.
It’s far from cause for alarm despite claims by “birth dearthers” that we face
social and economic catastrophe due to lower birth rates. With global population
still growing annually at a rate of nearly 1%, the world continues to add some
70 million people a year.

Offering insights and guidance from prominent academics and journalists, The
Good Crisis: How Population Stabilization Can Foster a Healthy U.S. Economy
takes on one of today’s most pressing challenges: keeping our aging population
healthy, productive, and prepared for today’s technologically-focused jobs. At
the same time, today’s youth must be prepared for productive futures through
education, skills training, and delayed parenthood.

Dispelling anxieties about the impact of slowing population growth on Social
Security, commerce, and society, this collection of essays presents innovative
and practical solutions to issues from labor shortages to fossil fuel
dependence. Backed by extensive research and real-world examples, The Good
Crisis presents a path to a more productive, sustainable world.

 

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