dagblog - Comments for "U.S. Birth Rate Falls to a Record Low; Decline Is Greatest Among Immigrants"

The whole thing? Hats off in

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 21:29:05 +0000

In reply to Yes, my mileage varies but

The whole thing? Hats off in admiration. I kept looking for the Cliff Notes link.

Yes, my mileage varies but

EmmaZahn — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 21:24:54 +0000

In reply to Interesting though, but debt,

Yes, my mileage varies but then I actually read the whole thing. :D

Debt, i.e., credit can be either good or bad depending on how it is used i.e. who benefits and who suffers. It is best when all parties benefit but that is not what is happening just now. We seem to be fast approaching the point predicted by Twark Main in his Archimedes essay if we are not already there.

Our politicians made a deal with the devil when they chose to use Primary Dealers (est. 1960) as purveyors (market makers) of sovereign debt to make up shortfalls in revenues resulting from tax cuts. That is when the balance of power began to shift from citizens (democratic government) to creditors (financial markets).

It sounded like a good idea at the time. A win/win/win for the wealthy / banks / politicians. The wealthy see their highest marginal tax rate drop and actually get paid interest by the government instead on the taxes saved IF they invest in sovereign debt. Politicians were able cut taxes and spend on pork for decades without ever having to justify either to their constituents. And the banks who became the FRB's Primary Dealers, its exclusive counterparties and market-makers of sovereign debt, became masters of the financial universe when they went global with it.

It really was not a bad idea. If only it had not been kept in the shadows and its chiefs benefits restricted to those three groups.

Interesting though, but debt,

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 20:42:19 +0000

In reply to #3 was not a direct response

Interesting though, but debt, i.e. credit, is good. If we waited for savings to fund growth, we would have waited a long time, and grown at a fraction of our rate. The US kicks the rest of the world's ass in terms of access to venture funding, speculation on startup, ability to fund new ideas.

And think about how little influence China's had on our politics or economic decisions despite holding more and more of our debt. At one point in the 70's, it was worried that Arabs would buy up the US and have undue influence, but instead they just bought a big piece of bubble. China investment in the US may be safer than bubbles in China, but it doesn't buy them a seat at the table. My insta-reaction, YMMV.

While not thrilled with

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 20:35:31 +0000

In reply to Thanks; good catch.

While not thrilled with tourist birthing, this is ridiculous - a few dozen Chinese births doesn't compare to 1 million Mexican immigrants a year, and it's pretty unlikely thousands will be sneaking across the US-China border or that we'll change US law to codify escalated Chinese immigration.

#3 was not a direct response

EmmaZahn — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 20:20:40 +0000

In reply to Forbes fails to note that

#3 was not a direct response to the Pew study. Just one on the same subject I encountered around the same time from someone who often has awesome links like the one I just shared here:

Prison of Debt Paralyzes West

Forbes fails to note that

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 20:09:04 +0000

In reply to Ross Douthat is concerned:

Forbes fails to note that Mexican birthrate is lower than Mexican-American (US) birthrate. Cute paradox.

Don't understand #3. I'm afraid liberals have wandered into GOP logic-land. Cutting taxes always increases revenues? Massive immigration always leads to assimilation and economic growth? Wish reality was so compliant - open the gates and drop all taxes, land of paradise and what not.

Ross Douthat is concerned:

EmmaZahn — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 19:35:20 +0000

In reply to U.S. Birth Rate Falls to a Record Low; Decline Is Greatest Among Immigrants

Ross Douthat is concerned: The Birthrate and America’s Future - NYTimes.com

Others, not so much:

The Case for Natalism is the Case for Immigration - Forbes

The Aleph Blog » Blog Archive » On Human Fertility, Part 2

Thanks; good catch.

artappraiser — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 10:28:11 +0000

In reply to U.S. Birth Rate Falls to a Record Low; Decline Is Greatest Among Immigrants

Thanks; good catch. Meanwhile, guess who is starting to look like the new "Mexicans"?

Dozens in Chino Hills protest ‘maternity hotel’ for mothers from China, LA Times, Dec 1