State of the Union Address: Touting More Growth with More People

• David Simcox
• February 11, 2015
• Forum Papers
• Forum Paper
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State of the Union Address:  Touting More Growth with More People
An NPG Forum Paper
by David Simcox
February 2015

INTRODUCTION

The President’s annual laundry-listing State of the Union address on January 20, 2015 has already been parsed and probed for advantages and potential traps by major media, political think tanks, interest groups and lobbies.

But what might the current and prospective government programs broad-brushed by the President mean for those interested in population reduction as an urgent need to preserve the nation’s resources and the environment for future generations?

Not surprisingly, the pursuit of economic growth was the holy grail of the State of the Union. The President hailed the post-recession resumption of growth and employment – and the rosy prospects for more of it, if only Congress will cooperate. Congress itself is no less addicted to growth – both demographic and economic – though often favors different means of advancing it than the Executive branch.

But citizens who favor population reduction and ending America’s ravenous depletion of its own natural capital (and that of much of the world) will see a number of the President’s boasted plans and achievements as setbacks on the road to a sustainable future. Just as troubling are the nation’s grave social, demographic and environmental problems that were ignored altogether or glossed over in the report.

First, consider these priorities highlighted in the report and their implications for population size and environmental health.

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