Solution of Over Population in the United States - Essay Example

Solution of over population problem in U.S. – an unification of US, Canada and Mexico The vision of United s, Canada, and Mexico integrated intoone has been explored by many philosophers to address challenges of optimum use of population, immigration, and better use of natural and human resources faced by this region.  Over the last decade, North Atlantic Free Trade Association (NAFTA) has built a platform over which it is expected that future integration of this region looks promising. As the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) observes:  “NAFTA is one of the most successful trade agreements in history and has contributed to significant increases in agricultural trade and investment between the United States, Canada and Mexico and has benefited farmers, ranchers and consumers throughout North America.”  (FACT SHEET)   All these have significant implications for overpopulation in USA.  However, unifying USA with Mexico is quite different from integrating USA with Canada in terms of dimensions and benefits.  When one explores the concept of unifying USA with Mexico, the stress is on finding a solution to immigration problem and allied issues associated with it.  In case of Canada, the stress is on better use of its large expanse of natural resources.  This is not to contradict that Mexico has one of the largest oil reserves in the world.   The unification process will also address the problem of overpopulation through various other indirect and subtle ways, which can be quite significant in their impact.   When it comes to USA and Mexico, the problem of overpopulation and immigration is closely linked. It is believed that over four million illegal immigrants crossed the border and entered illegally in 2002.  (McCain) It is not just the number of people that is added to a country that makes it overpopulated; it is rather their productivity, difference between what they produce and what they consume, that counts.  Mexicans comprise of a sizeable portion of the total immigrants and most of them are employed in jobs such as farming and construction workers.  Mexico today is a violent country and is known for its drug mafias.  For an ordinary Mexicans, there are little economic opportunities there. They are naturally attracted towards their US neighbor, which they see as a land of opportunities.  However, many Mexicans fall short of skills required to be employed in the booming high-end industries such as technology or financial services.  As a result, many of them who have succeeded in crossing the border, legally or illegally, end up as a second-class citizen.  Both countries have had tough time dealing with illegal immigration and criminal activities for several decades now, especially along their 2000 miles stretched border.  (Turbiville)    It is estimated that around 11 billion dollar is the nation’s cost of use of healthcare services for illegal immigrants.  (Cover).  The ongoing debate on healthcare reform which aims at providing good health and medical services for all its citizens faces a serious hurdle because of scarcity of resources and problem of including hundreds and thousands of migrants, a large part of them from Mexico, under this reform.   Mexico is the 12th largest economy in the world and is endowed with huge oil reserves.  But it has huge income inequality among the urban and rural people as well as its northern and southern region.  It is an example of bad governance.  The country has indeed failed to utilize its huge natural resources to target poverty, making many Mexicans desperate to cross border.  The integration of USA and Mexico will help the Mexican region utilize a more of its natural resources construtively, thereby reducing the urge of Mexicans to move away from their native land. It will thus help reduce the immigration of native Mexicans to USA and at the same time lead to better management of natural resources for mutual benefit (Mexico’s Profile).   When it comes to USA and Canada, the subject revolves around how the abundant natural resources of Canada and its corresponding low population can be tuned in for optimal economic gain.  Canada over the years has encouraged hiring of trained manpower around the globe because of its small-educated population and huge capacity in terms of natural resources.  Though there has been transfer of people and technology from USA to Canada, complete unification will serve the purpose most in the interest of the region.  The unification will make the movement of labor and capital from USA to Canada fast without any bureaucratic hurdle, and thus hasten the whole process.  The results will be instant and affect people directly.  (Green)   According to the Green, who studied it in context of labour market outcomes, one of the critical benefits of greater economic integration for Canadians [with the US] is reaping of economies of scale arising out of the waves of globalization.  (Green) By bringing down the hindrances at the Canada-US border, this consequently would lead to increased trade, which once again would benefit producers and consumers, employers and employees- “The main benefactors of borders, by contrast, are those who either profit from lack of competition or those who collect duties, tariffs and other expenses – primarily the governments of Canada and the United States” (Why A United North America?).  Also, an end to all redundant bureaucratic hurdles will streamline the growth engine of this American region.    It is believed that the unification of USA, Mexico, and Canada will lead to better synchronization of man and natural resources throughout this American region. It can be quite effective in addressing the challenges that USA faces because of overpopulation and immigration.  It is expected to lead to a more socio-economically stable environment where equality of all people of this multicultural region can find its fulfillment.  It will be effective in putting an end to myriad challenges that USA and Mexico faces because of illegal immigration.  Immigration then will be for economic benefit, matching demand and supply.  This will be in contrast to forced immigration that we are seeing now for decades.  The whole area will benefit from better use of large Mexican and Canadian natural resources.  It will make healthcare reforms more transparent for the people in USA.  Once the status of all Mexicans gets defined, many of the confusion regarding the implementation of good healthcare reform will be removed.   With better use of abundant resources throughout the region and with better functioning of systems such as healthcare, optimum population estimate for this whole region will be revised upward in terms of increased per capita income and better delivery of qualitative satisfaction of its population.  That perhaps will be the best solution for overpopulation. Though there is political skepticism on full-scale implementation of integrating these three large countries; yet progress in increased trade through NAFTA shows that indeed there is a consensus on need to move forward.  (FACT SHEET) Works Cited 1. Cover, Matt.  Illegal Immigrants Account for $ 10.7 Billion of Nation’s Health Care Costs, Data Show. CNS News, 30 July, 2009.  Retrieved on 6 November, 2009 from http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/51751 2. FACT SHEET: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  United States Department of Agriculture.  USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service.  January 2008.  retrieved on 5 November, 2009 from http://www.fas.usda.gov/info/factsheets/NAFTA.asp 3. Green, David. A.  “Canada-US Integration and Labour Market Outcomes; A perspective within the general context of globalization”, in North American Linkages: Opportunities and Challenges for Canada, Richard Harris Editor, University of Calgary Press, 2003, pp 253-280. 4. Mexico’s profile.  PROMEXICO Investment and Trade. Retrieved on 4 November, 2009 from http://www.pro-mexico.com/mexico-profile 5. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Letter from Sen. John McCain to citizen (February 10, 2004).  United States Senate.  2004.  Retrieved on 6 November, 2009 from http://www.theamericanresistance.com/ref/letter_mccain_2004feb10.html 6. Turbiville, Graham. H. Jr.  US-Mexican Border Security: Civil-Military Cooperation.  Foreign Military Studies Office, Fort Leavenworth, KS.  July-August 1999.  Retrieved on 4 November, 2009 from: http://elenemigocomun.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/us-mexican-border-security.pdf 7. Why A United North America?,    The Dark Side Of Illegal Immigration Facts, Figures And Statistics On Illegal Immigration United North America. 2009.  Accessed on 4 November 2009 from http://www.unitednorthamerica.org/why.htm Read More