Why the Falling U.S. Birth Rates Are So Troubling - Essay Example

Why the Falling U.S. Birth Rates Are So Troubling This is an analysis of the first part of the video which examines the decline of birth rates and how this decline affects different societies. In the first part of the video, the news reported said that these declines are currently controlling the demographic and social economic variables of the United States and other countries. Only a few demographic programs have looked at the attitudes of people and ways to correct the lack of children born into the society. As an example, in the United States, despite planning and the creation of a specific pot of money for retirement, there are many people who are not going to have the money they need when they retire because the money is going to the older workers. These older workers are not retiring at the age of 65 like they did in the past. Also, women are not having as many children as they once did, by choice. According to the video, the country’s overall birthrate fell by 2 % from 2007 to 2008, when 4.2 million babies were born. These differences in birthrates were an indication of the low fertility rate. The video states that only about women are having only about 2.1 % children, and this means that Americans are no longer giving birth to enough children, which will not provide enough workers over time to take future jobs. There were 41.5% births per 1000 teens aged 15 to 19 years in 2008, which reduced by 2 % the previous years (Montgomery 198). The previous years there was an increase in teen births, which prompted concern that one of the nation’s most successful public and health and social efforts was faltering, 2008 marked the return of the decline in which the rate fell by 34% over many years. The factors, which account for the raise in the number of births in the recent years, a decrease in the number of woman of childbearing age and decreases in infertility rates. It is possible to estimate the increase of birth depending on fertility and infertility rate in the country. The U.S birth rates fall every year the government reported with the experts calling it a proof that the weak economy has continued to reduce enthusiasm for having children. The drop in the preceding year was just by 1 %, not as a big drop as to 3% drop which was seen in the recent years. It may be an effect of the fertility rate and the aging population. The falling birth is a new phenomenon in this state; they had been on since the late 1990s. In the last year, fewer than four million births were reckoned last year the lowermost number since 1998. They theory behind the drop of the birth rate is couples who work hardly get time being together, feeling that they are no need of having children because of the their busy schedules. Across the U.S, the birth rates are falling, and family are shrinking. The fertility rate is less than two children a woman. As a result, U.S populations are growing extremely slowly and are beginning to decrease. Mark R. Montgomery states that the demographic trends portend that there are difficult times ahead for the United States economy because there are not enough people for jobs (206). A workforce that does not have enough workers can decrease productivity over time for any workforce. At the same time, the growing population of the elderly individuals threatens the solvency of social insurance and pension systems (Montgomery 206). As the household decreases, because people move away or some people die, the ability to care for the elderly diminishes. Also, a change in nutrition can affect the birth rate because the food women are consuming will affect their fertility and will have a relationship to whether their baby is born healthy or not (Montgomery 206). Also, with part of the population continuing to age, and not enough people being born, eventually the United States will have a problem fulfilling the workplace. Some people may think that having more workers may be up to the younger generation. This would mean that people who are under the age of 18 now, would have more children than their parents did. This would increase the population if these new parents raised their children with a good work ethic so that they would be willing to work. Joel Kotkin states that there are different ways to fix the problem of the lack of children. One way is to raise taxes which can be done to meet the government budget. There will, be a change in the economic sector, the government may spend more on retirement homes, and there will could be fewer requests for schools and educational expenditures. This will make the government have more expenditure more than the investments and savings. Another way to increase the population could be to offer incentives for people who want to have children. Some families already receive an earned income credit, but they may need to have incentives (other than welfare) to increase the number of children in their families. There is money provided for foster care children and maybe this is one way to help people want to have more children by providing them with the money to have them. Cutting down pensions will only make people more angry and this action may not resolve the problem of not enough children being born. In many respects, the United States may follow what France is doing. According to Valdis Walsh, writer of Allianz blog, France has allowed immigrants to come into the country more freely than in the past. The immigrants must be able to speak French and show that they are willing to work within France’s economy. This has increased the amount of workers that are available. Works Cited “Decline in Fertility Rates, Recession Cause Global Social Security Problems.” Voice of America. 24 August 2010. YouTube. Web. 12 December 2012. Kotkin, Joel. “Americas Baby Bust: How The Great Recession Has Jeopardized Our Demographic Health.” Forbes Magazine. 21 August 2012. Web. 15 December 2012. Montgomery, Mark R. From Death to Birth: Mortality Decline and Reproductive Change. Washington, DC: National Acad. Press, 2009. Print. Walsh, Valdis. “Pension and immigration policies in France.” Allianz Blog. 18 June 2010. Web. 15 December 2012. Read More