Tuesday, February 22, 2011

1 in 4 Counties Dying Off

What, population and births matter?!? -
Hit by an aging population and a poor economy, a near-record number of U.S. counties are experiencing more deaths than births in their communities, a phenomenon demographers call "natural decrease." Years in the making, the problem is spreading amid a prolonged job slump and a push by Republicans in Congress to downsize government and federal spending. 
In all, roughly 760 of the nation's 3,142 counties are fading away, stretching from industrial areas near Pittsburgh and Cleveland to the vineyards outside San Francisco to the rural areas of east Texas and the Great Plains. Once-booming housing areas, such as retirement communities in Florida, have not been immune. West Virginia was the first to experience natural decrease statewide over the last decade, with Maine, Pennsylvania and Vermont close to following suit, according to the latest census figures. As a nation, the U.S. population grew by just 9.7 percent since 2000, the lowest decennial rate since the Great Depression.
The Real Effect 
I find it very entertaining talking to those who would decry those like the Duggars of the world as being "selfish". When viewed at a micro level, many of these individuals lead lives of sacrifice, personal responsibility and teach their children to do the same. True, there are some mooches in the system, but when you really start parsing the numbers even the mooches are taking far less then some of the bureaucrats are pilfering from us.

Even more revealing is the short sighted nature of these individuals and absolute inability to use a calculator to comprehend where the "wealth redistribution" and "great society" programs will end. heaven forbid someone actually looks inside of where the bulk of the "green movement" will land the human race as a whole. Dead.

One only needs to look at Japan's economy over the last 20 years to get a real good idea of what's in store for the United States. Especially if you remove the immigrant population from the numbers.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Psalm 127:3-5 ESV

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