COMMENTARY: by NPG President Donald Mann

            Listening to the radio the other day, I heard a commentator sum up our nation’s current dilemma in trying to confront and resolve our immigration crisis in one sentence.  He stated:   “They have taken a legal issue and turned it into a racial issue.”
            The “they” he referred to are people, including many of our nation’s leaders, who have shown no willingness to approach immigration problems in a rational, or any, manner…who refuse to use the term “illegal immigrant” in describing the millions of people who broke the law to get into our country…who find all immigration laws to be discriminatory.  And who seek to win the everlasting allegiance of Hispanic voters, no matter what the costs to our nation.
            As long as “they” play the race card – and are not condemned by the national media for doing so – our nation may never be able to move beyond today’s immigration chaos.
            This didn’t all start with Arizona passing its controversial legislation in April.  It has been inherent in discussions about illegal immigration for years.  What’s happened most recently is that with America’s economy in the doldrums, the American public has finally awakened to the critical need to address and resolve the immigration issue.  And finding themselves on the losing side of this issue, the pro-immigration, open-border advocates decided to change the dynamics of the national debate.
            Where do we go from here?  Unfortunately, that question can’t and won’t be answered in today’s volatile climate.  The issue of immigration reform has been pulled from the Congressional calendar.  We will supposedly now have to wait until 2011 to hopefully move forward – not backward – on this important issue.
            As I write this, President Obama has ordered 1,200 National Guard troops to the Mexican border and announced a willingness to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on new border security initiatives.  The additional troops are to be shared by the four border states of CA, AZ, NM and TX.  Both of Arizona’s U.S. Senators, John McCain and John Kyl, say 6,000 troops are needed – 3,000 for Arizona alone.  For now, most Americans welcome this long overdue move.  Again, the power of public opinion can work wonders in American politics.  Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testified in front of a Senate committee a month ago and said, “The U.S.- Mexico border is as safe as it has ever been.”  NPG finds this statement ludicrous.
            Finally, I can’t let this issue of the NPG Journal be distributed without commenting on Mexican President Calderon’s visit to our country.  Like most Americans, I was outraged that as head of the country which is home to the vast majority of individuals who are creating so much havoc with our nation’s immigration system, Mexico’s president took the occasion of a state visit to chastise our nation for trying to protect our borders.  Certainly, he is well aware of the need for a nation to enact and enforce strong immigration statutes.  Indeed, Mexico has a list of immigration laws that most Americans would embrace in a minute.  Those interested in reviewing them can find them on our website: Click here
            Perhaps one of the worst parts of the Mexican president’s visit came when, during his address to a Joint Session of Congress, he continued to scold our country and earned the standing applause of hundreds of lawmakers as well as Secretary Napolitano and Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General.
            The bottom line is that at some point the American people are no longer going to tolerate millions of illegal aliens streaming across our borders and having our nation’s leaders play politically-correct politics.  There is a famous quote that reads:  “A nation that shows little interest in protecting its future will not have one.”  Let’s not become that nation.

 

IS POPULATION GROWTH A PONZI SCHEME?

            There has been a rush of new books and articles lately that try to debunk the arguments against population growth and put forth the rosy scenario that our nation and world has nothing to worry about as population numbers soar.  
            Thankfully, we can count on specialists such as demographer Joseph Chamie, whose 12 years as director of the United Nation’s Population Division give him some credence on this issue, to step forward and help set the record straight.
            Mr. Chamie’s recent article in theGlobalist is titled “Is Population Growth a Ponzi Scheme?” and goes into a full discussion of “Ponzi Demography” which he describes as “essentially a pyramid scheme that attempts to make more money for some by adding on more and more people through population growth.”
            The author notes:  “The basic pitch of those promoting Ponzi demography is straightforward and intoxicating in its pro-population growth appeal:  ‘more is better.’”
            Mr. Chamie goes on to say that:  “According to Ponzi demography, population growth – through natural increase and immigration – means more people leading to increased demands for goods and services, more material consumption, more borrowing, more on credit and of course more profits.  Everything seems fantastic for a while – but like all Ponzi schemes, Ponzi demography is unsustainable.”
            “When the bubble eventually bursts and the economy sours, the scheme spirals downward with higher unemployment, depressed wages, falling incomes, more people sinking into debt, more homeless families – and more men, women and children on public assistance.”
            Sound familiar?
            The article goes on to discuss mounting government-related social costs and other results of population growth, along with how increased fertility rates and immigration are encouraged to keep the scheme afloat.  Mr. Chamie is very much on target in stating:  “Another basic tactic of Ponzi demography is a pervasive and unrelenting public relations campaign promoting the advantages and necessity of an increasing population for continued economic growth.  Every effort is made to equate population growth with economic prosperity and national progress.”
            It is precisely such a public relations campaign that has hurt NPG over the years in getting more and more American citizens to heed our message.
            He echoes our arguments here at NPG when he takes political leaders to task for tacitly supporting Ponzi demography’s goals.  And we cannot agree with him more when he writes:  “Many environmental groups are also reluctant to take up or even touch the volatile subject of population growth, especially those that have been burned on this issue in the past.  Such groups fear possibly offending some members and donors, which might undercut their organizations and efforts.”
            Mr. Chamie concludes:  “The sooner nations reject Ponzi demography and make the needed gradual transition from ever-increasing population growth to population stabilization, the better the prospects for all of humanity and other life on this planet.” Click here to view the article.
           

SHOULD THE U.S. STOP DRILLING OFFSHORE?
           
            As Americans fret over the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and pray that it can be contained, the debate about future drilling offshore here in the U.S. goes on.  Does the BP disaster signal the end of efforts to make our nation more energy independent by tapping into oil resources off our coasts or will our ever-growing population demand that we move forward?
            The simple answer is that with oil and gas supplying 62% of all U.S. energy, and options to increase our reliance on nuclear, wind, and solar alternatives still years away, offshore drilling will most likely play a critical role in America’s future.
            Those in favor of proceeding with construction of new oil platforms in and near our Atlantic and Pacific shores often dismiss the risks by noting that we are not going to be drilling a mile deep, that the Deepwater Horizon disaster is a rare occurrence, and that risk taking regarding oil spills is something we deal with every day – not only with drilling but with thousands of huge oil tankers moving up and down our coasts.  They also argue that Russia, China and other nations are setting up drilling operations off the coast of Cuba and we have no way to control them.
            Those who argue for an outright ban on offshore drilling seem to ignore the vital need to tap into future oil supplies so that Americans can continue to drive, fly, raise crops, heat our homes and factories and do everything else that requires petroleum.  They may win a temporary victory but in the end, the quest to find new oil will probably prevail.
            The answer as to what to do next lies in our nation and its leaders working with oil experts to take lessons from this tragedy and find solutions.  There are surely ways to improve technology and training.  And we definitely must improve oil spill cleanup and response.  However, no one can totally predict or prevent future disasters.
            In a recent interview with The Washington Post John Hofmeister, the former president of Shell Oil, who now runs the advocacy group Citizens for Affordable Energy, noted:  “No hydrocarbon activity can ever be completely fail-safe because things happen you don’t know about – whether a methane leak in a coal mine, a poorly cemented tight gas well in Pennsylvania or a blowout in the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.  There are risks associated with hydrocarbon extraction in the same way there are risks in every industrial pursuit, whether aircraft, marine or food processing.  In the case of hydrocarbons, when things go wrong, they go spectacularly wrong.  But not having a sound energy policy is what has pushed us into deeper waters.”
            In the long term, however, we must realize that we can greatly lessen our demand for oil by taking critical steps now to reduce our population numbers.  We surely cannot permit our nation to get to the point where our population soars to 438 million people in the next 40 years and we find America’s coasts dominated by huge oil platforms and our beaches and wetlands in constant peril because of our never-ending appetite for the “liquid gold” that lies beneath earth’s surface. Click here to view full article

 

POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION NEWS

WILL WE HAVE AN INTERNET CENSUS NEXT TIME AROUND?

            A recent article in The Washington Post focusing on the 2020 census asked the question, “Will we still have snail mail?”
            The current Census Bureau Director, Robert Groves, believes the answer is yes.  However, he also notes that even before we are done with taking the 2010 Census, his bureau is looking ahead to how it can save money next time around.
            Ed O’Keefe, author of the news story, emphasizes that decision-making time about the structure of the 2020 Census is still years away by writing:  “Groves and his colleagues think they should wait until 2017 or 2018 to finalize plans on the Internet option to avoid making a technologically obsolete decision.”
            The budget for the 2010 Census is $14.7 billion and earlier reports this year said the national count ten years from now could cost as much as $30 billion – thus, the fixation on what can be done differently.
            “We won’t go to 100 percent Internet, because it won’t work,” Groves is reported as saying.  The need to reach various segments of people such as those in rural areas and those without access to computers will still require paper questionnaires, in-person interviews and perhaps telephone calls. Click here to view full article

                 

AGING BOOMERS

            A press release from the U.S. Census Bureau last week reported that the dependency ratio, or the number of people 65 and older to every 100 people of traditional working ages, is projected to climb rapidly from 22 in 2010 to 35 in 2030.  This time period coincides with baby boomers moving into the 65 and older age category.  The Bureau noted that after 2030, however, the ratio of the aging population to the work-age population (ages 20 to 64) will rise more slowly, to 37 in 2050.  The higher the old-age dependency ratio the greater the potential burden. Click here to view full article

 

PROTECTING THE RIGHT WHALES/WORLD OCEANS DAY

            For the past 30 years the North Atlantic right whale has been listed among the world’s most endangered species.  Today, its population still numbers only around 350 individual animals.  Such stark figures led to a lawsuit filed last week in federal court by the Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity and Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
            The lawsuit challenges the National Marine Fisheries Service to take action in 90 days to expand the “critical habitat” for the species under the Endangered Species Act.  Sharon Young, marine issues field director for HSUS, underscored the need for such action in stating:  “Each year, more whales are found wrapped in fishing gear or mortally wounded by ships.  Every whale – and every square mile of protected habitat – counts when the population is so low.”
            The groups’ petition seeks expanded protection for calving grounds off of Georgia and northern Florida, protection for critical feeding habitat off the Northeast, and protections for the migratory route between calving and feeding grounds.  The press release announcing the lawsuit noted:  “In areas designated as critical habitat, the federal government must take special precautions to ensure that activities such as oil drilling, commercial fishing, military training, and vessel traffic will not diminish the value of the habitat in a way that will impair the recovery of the species.”
            A related story worth noting is that World Oceans Day will be celebrated this year on June 8th.  It is being billed as “a chance to celebrate our world’s oceans and our personal connection to the sea.”  The Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Oceans Project, who are teaming up to sponsor events nationwide, note that:  “By being aware of the ocean in their daily lives, people can improve their impact on the ocean and make a real difference.”  Tied into this year’s observance is the 50-year celebration of Dr. Suess’ beloved children’s book, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, first published by Random House in 1960.

 

ILLEGALS IN THE STATES

            Arizona may have been the one to finally act aggressively in dealing with the growing crises brought on the by the rising numbers of illegal immigrants living within its borders, but it shares its problem with many other states.
            According to a Pew Hispanic Center/U.S. Census Bureau map of “Unauthorized immigrants as a percentage of state population 2008,” published in The Washington Post on April 30th, some of the numbers include:

Nevada            8.8%
Arizona           7.9%
California        7.3%
New Jersey      6.4%
Texas               6.0%
Florida             5.7%

            The study found that a range of 3.5 to 5.4 percent can be found in an additional eleven states, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, along with the District of Columbia.

 

NPG NOTES

PETITIONS TO CONGRESS

            Rarely a month goes by without the 535 members of Congress receiving information from NPG to keep them apprised of the critical issue of population growth.  Quarterly packets sent to Capitol Hill traditionally include our NPG Newsletter, Population Perspectives, our latest NPG Forum Papers, copies of our most recent ads and other educational material. 
            Other times, the envelopes arriving in the offices of our Senators and Representatives are filled with personal citizen petitions signed by their constituents related to specific issues.  Many diligent elected leaders take the time to personally respond to our members and supporters so we know our message is getting through. 
            In June, we will forward hundreds more petitions to Capitol Hill from new NPG members who affixed their signatures to our Citizens’ Petitions calling for “No Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants.”  Let’s hope their message has an impact!

 

NPG’S DONALD MANN CONTACTS CENSUS DIRECTOR
         
            As part of our 2010 Project Census, NPG made it clear that we are going to do our best to use every avenue possible to inform the American public about today’s rising population numbers.  As part of that effort we noted that we would request cooperation from the U.S. Census Bureau to highlight the impact of our nation’s population growth when revealing the final 2010 Census numbers.  Below, we present the text of a recent letter NPG President Donald Mann recently sent to Dr. Robert M. Groves:

Dear Dr. Groves:

            Having spent many decades tracking our country’s population and working to guide America’s leaders toward responsible population policies, I congratulate you and your bureau on what seems to thus far be an effective Census free of major problems.

             It is vitally important that we get a straightforward count as to the enormous numbers of people already crowding our nation and competing for our limited resources.

            Today, as the U.S. Census Bureau prepares to sort through data gathered in recent months, many individuals, businesses and government entities await the final results as they will have a huge impact on shaping the future of our nation and its people.

            Right now, I am sure you are already preparing for how you will release the 2010 Census figures and explain the value and meaning of the information you’ve compiled. 

            With that activity in mind, I am making a special plea today for the Census Bureau to use that occasion to emphasize how adding tens of millions of new people to our population each decade is not sustainable over the long term.  In addition it is very important that you also release future population projections at the same time so that all Americans, especially today’s young people, will be more aware of the vast numbers of people that will contribute to our country’s future social, economic and environmental challenges – and dramatically change our quality of life – if America’s population continues to grow at such a devastating pace.

            By using the power of your office to address this important subject you can effectively expose today’s population crisis and make all Americans much more aware of the vital need for our country to take critical steps now to slow, halt, and eventually reverse our immigration-driven population growth before it is too late.

            Thank you for your thorough consideration of this important request.

Sincerely,
Donald Mann
NPG President

QUOTES

            “I am pleased that President Obama has now, apparently, agreed that our nation must secure the border to address rampant border violence and illegal immigration without other preconditions, such as passage of “comprehensive immigration reform.”
                                   
                              Jan Brewer
                              Arizona Governor

 

            “It is part of the human comedy that we sense what’s coming but do not take action.  The truly devastating shocks aren’t the ones that sneak up on us but those that we see approaching, inexorably, yet can’t summon the political will to address.”

                              David Ignatius
                              National Columnist

 

            “What we don’t know is how to prevent such a spill, how to stop using oil.  We’ve been living on the hope that the accidents would be small and wouldn’t affect us, so that we could go on without changing the way we live and work.
            The only way to prevent the destruction of ecosystems is to make major changes in how we live and persuade others to do the same.  Is there any chance we will do that?  If not, we are all to blame for the destruction that results.”
                                   
                              Rebecca LaFave                                
                              Letter to the Editor,
                              The Washington Post

 

WHY THE NPG JOURNAL?

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            The NPG Journal (offered free to all recipients) exists to give more widespread distribution to timely news stories and articles related to population, immigration, environmental and political issues that currently affect our daily life – or have the potential to seriously impact our future. 

            We realize not all news stories covering population issues will reflect NPG policies and goals.  One of our main purposes in creating the NPG Journal is to expose these items to a wider audience, and to draw attention to the fact that so many articles speak to immigration and population issues but often fail to address the central cause of many problems – TOO MANY PEOPLE. 

            Ultimately, NPG would like to see writers at all levels make the obvious (to us, at least) connection between environmental and resource problems and the growing number of people in both the United States and the world.  Unfortunately, most do not.  To that end, we comment as necessary to help our readers see those links in hopes they will continue to speak out on what we deem to be the most pressing issue of our time – population size and growth and its negative impacts on our environment, resources and quality of life.

            NPG President Donald Mann offers his personal insight and commentary on individual stories, especially those that challenge, confirm and/or complement our NPG Research and Forum Papers.  The goal of the NPG Journal is to greatly expand NPG’s educational programs.  NPG’s activities continue to emphasize the need for Americans to speak up on population issues and keep our nation – especially our elected leaders on the national, state and local level – focused on taking action to help resolve today’s immigration crisis and work to halt, and eventually reverse America’s out-of-control population growth.

            We welcome your feedback to articles posted on the NPG Journal and urge you to forward to us the e-mail address of friends you think would like to receive a complimentary copy of the NPG Journal on a monthly basis.  Contact us at www.npg.org.  

 

ABOUT NPG:

            Negative Population Growth, Inc. (NPG) is a national nonprofit membership organization with over 30,000 members nationwide.  It was founded in 1972 to educate the American public and political leaders about the devastating effects of overpopulation on our environment, resources, and standard of living.  We believe that our nation is already vastly overpopulated in terms of the long-range carrying capacity of its resources and environment.

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