The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has revised its 30-year population projection downward to 372 million, an 11 million decrease from last year’s estimate. This reduction reflects declining birth rates (1.60 births per woman, down from 1.70) and lower-than-anticipated immigration, partially due to a June executive order impacting asylum processing. The projected yearly growth rate will average 0.4% for the next decade, slowing to 0.1% between 2036 and 2055. Without immigration, the U.S. population is projected to begin shrinking in 2033.
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Emmanuel Macron’s recent announcement to offer fertility checks to France’s young people in an attempt to combat falling birth rates has sparked a wave of mixed reactions. As a citizen observing these developments, it’s challenging to ignore the disconnect between the proposed solution and the underlying issues at play. The declining birth rates in France, as in many other developed nations, are not solely attributed to fertility problems. Instead, they reflect a more profound societal concern that requires a holistic approach.
The idea of providing fertility checks as a solution to address the falling birth rates seems shortsighted. It fails to address the root causes that deter young people from starting families.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker