Raegan Melfe – $1,000 Winner
- NPG
- July 15, 2015
- scholarship 2015
- 0 Comments
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By Raegan Melfe, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA
Should the United States’ government pursue population policies to protect our quality of life for future generations?
I live in California, which has the largest population in the United States at 38.8 million people, and no legitimate Population Growth Policy. California has experienced significant population growth over the past 6 years, due largely to the open door policy of Governor Brown, along with President Obama’s amnesty bill.
The United States is experiencing population growth in excess of the resources available to maintain, at least at a lifestyle Americans have been accustomed. California is “dying on the vine”, due to a lack of water and a lack of resources to sustain our current population. How can we not ask ourselves, is this a result of our lack of a “POPULATION POLICY”?
California has been placed in a state of emergency, due to a lack of water. California used to be #1 in the World in agricultural production; however, due to the lack of water and/or current policies, it is fading fast. We are at a point that property owners are being limited on the amount of land they are able to grow crops. Farmers are being forced to produce less for an increasing population, which will ultimately result in an increase in food costs.
California’s problem is only a view of the overall picture of the United States and the eventual problems that will result from the lack of a Population Policy. Too many people and not enough resources.
The United States is on a path to over population. We must eliminate illegal immigration, and not by granting amnesty to all illegal aliens. ENFORCE our current laws, including the deportation of those that have come here illegally, along with increasing their penalties. I completely understand the desire of foreigners wanting to come to the United States to improve the quality of their life, and the lives of their families, but this MUST be achieved legally and within the boundaries of a Population Policy.
We must establish a deterrence of illegal immigration. This is possible under existing laws, as long as our currently elected officials, consider the views of existing citizens. We must also focus on limiting legal immigration. Recent voting of the citizens of the United States have indicated their desire for smaller families, conservation of current resources, and a slower rate of population growth. However, politicians, including the current President of the United States continue to make decisions regarding immigration in direct contradiction with the desires of the people that elected them. NPG continues to educate the American public and elected officials regarding the damaging effects of overpopulation on our nation’s environment, resources, and quality of life.
In addition to immigration issues, we must also look at current incentives that are provided to low-income families having large families. However, I do not believe the government should have a role in regards to how many children are allowed per family, nor would I ever want to mirror China’s policies on population control. But, much like the ideas mentioned above, if a family cannot afford to take care of additional children, they should not have them. Even though we are not going to look into the practice of government control of family size, we can eliminate governmental incentives, subsidies, and/or tax benefits for having large families. As long as our government provides rewards for additional children, it will be difficult to address population control in this area.
The United States should establish a Population Policy which limits growth to a level which is sustainable with the resources we have. In establishing a policy limiting population growth, it must also incorporate a policy for conservation of resources, insuring a sustainable America for future generations. Leaders must act now, because if we wait any longer, it may be too late to roll back the clock. We cannot continue to establish policies, based upon a reactionary form of leadership. In regards to getting stronger, my dad always says, NO PAIN, NO GAIN.
If the United States is going to continue to be the Strongest Nation in the World, our leaders are going to have to make tough decisions and implement a Population Policy that looks to the overall well being of our Nation. Strengthen the boarders, preserve our resources, work hard in the short term, but always plan for the future. We live in the greatest Country in the World, so let’s keep it that way
