US Population Tops 300 Million

[peejay 327]

USA TODAY

Opposing view: No cause for celebration

Immigration-fueled population growth threatens U.S. way of life.

By Dan Stein

Overcrowded schools, congested highways, environmental stresses: We are a nation paving over its wildernesses while depending on our enemies for vital resources.

Why?

Because Americans have been blindsided by a government-mandated mass immigration program that's fueling this nation's runaway population growth. This growth was neither planned nor expected, but we feel the consequences every day.

The population of the USA will reach 300 million this week on a relentless march to half a billion before 2050. That's because about 80% of the current population growth in the USA is due to immigration policies — immigrants legally admitted, illegal immigrants, and births to immigrants after entering. Only a dramatic rollback in overall immigration can reverse these trends. The time to act is now. (Read USA TODAY's view.)

Thirty years ago, the Rockefeller Commission could find no benefit from further increases in the size of the U.S. population. In 2006, it is hard to see how the massive government-mandated population growth of the past 30 years has improved life for most Americans. The addition of a staggering 100 million people since the late 1960s has accelerated virtually every environmental problem, exacerbated resource depletion, contributed to sprawl and congestion, and strained nearly all public services.

Many of our nation's opinion elite now seem intent on further acceleration. The Senate recently approved an illegal alien amnesty and immigration increase that would have resulted in at least 66 million new immigrants arriving in the USA in the next 20 years — and we'd hit a billion people before 2100. This is insane, and only a massive public outcry and strong opposition in the House prevented this from occurring.

Our population future is entirely within our power to determine. Just as the government has mandated soaring overcrowding and congestion in the past several decades, it has the power to slow population growth by curtailing immigration and enforcing laws against illegal immigration.

It's time to talk about the purposes of immigration and its role in our national future. As responsible stewards for future generations, there is an urgency to consider how our decisions today will affect the nation they will inherit — before it's too late.

Dan Stein is president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

[Mags 112]

Well, to be honest, I think much of the western world has the same problem. Some more than others. The UK has pretty lax policies too...and we're much smaller than the USA.

[Arazia 0]

I think people fail to realize that the WORLD population has almost doubled since 1965...

So... seeing the US go from 200 million to 300 million is not that drastic of a change when you look at global population.

Just my 2 cents.

[mawilson 2,133]

I think people fail to realize that the WORLD population has almost doubled since 1965...

That's the WORLD's problem, not ours. Doesn't mean it's a good thing, and it

doesn't mean we should double our population.

[pedroh 21]

so what's the next step? no more immigration to USA?

mhh actually the FAIR reforms aren't that crazy...

FAIR 7 Principles

7 principles

[Peikko 1,575]

So, in your book the "WORLD" and the USA are seperate entities?

And your policy on preventing population growth would be what? Limiting births to one per family? Or how about culling?

Some people...

I think people fail to realize that the WORLD population has almost doubled since 1965...

That's the WORLD's problem, not ours. Doesn't mean it's a good thing, and it

doesn't mean we should double our population.

Immigration issues aren't the main contributing factor to population expansion, infact statistically, it's more or less insignificant...but I don't expect anyone is interested in that fact.

[mawilson 2,133]

so what's the next step? no more immigration to USA?

Of course not -- immigration's a good thing.

Let it grow. 300 million's ok for a country the size of the US.

[almaty 19]

so what's the next step? no more immigration to USA?

Of course not -- immigration's a good thing.

Let it grow. 300 million's ok for a country the size of the US.

yes indeed..or none of us be here.

[mawilson 2,133]

So, in your book the "WORLD" and the USA are seperate entities?

Definitely.

And your policy on preventing population growth would be what? Limiting births to one per family? Or how about culling?

Child licenses, as I suggested here.

Culling sounds good too.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Immigration issues aren't the main contributing factor to population expansion, infact statistically, it's more or less insignificant...but I don't expect anyone is interested in that fact.

Not exactly an "insignificant" factor. According to this article, immigration accounts for about 40 % of U.S. population growth.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=37431

But I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing.

[pedroh 21]

the thing that i always wonder... why the kids of these immigrants are never counted as US citizens?

lets say, 1 million immigrants come in, everyone has 2 kids, and the kids are counted as immigrants, so they count 3 million immigrants.. shouldn't it be 1 million immigrants and 2 millions of new americans?

so after the 1st generation.. these immigrants shouldn't be counted as immigrant growth, but rather national

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

[Mirorgate 0]

YAY!

let them have cake!

[peejay 327]

Sorry I forgot to supply the link with the original post. Actually it was the posted comments that followed the article / commentary that I found most interesting. USA Today is not some lonely outpost of the lunatic neo-con right or the lunatic fringe left. It is mainstream and, as such, I found the comments posted after the article to be the most telling. I think most mainstream Americans don't like the direction our government has allowed our country to take in regards to immigration (legal & illegal). IMO

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2006/10/post_19.html#more