There's no doubt that California is a leader when it comes to setting trends for the rest of the country. But there is one devastating trend rampant in the Golden State that consistently rings alarm bells here at NPG -- its ongoing, unchecked population growth.
A recent story in the Los Angeles Times reported on how the Southern California Association of Governments is facing a major hurdle in trying to get the political leaders of each of the 183 cities and six counties in the region to put aside local interests and work together to plan for the future. The primary focus of their efforts is to balance the needs for open space, new housing units, job centers and transportation systems.
The catalyst for this exercise in cooperation is a projected population increase of 6 million people -- over and above the current 17 million -- who will flood into the area by the year 2030. That's the equivalent of adding the population of Los Angeles - twice!
Typical for California, much of the focus for long-range planning is related to building new roads. However, another major concern is that the additional millions of people will exacerbate the region's current housing crisis which is expected to get worse despite the fact that vast stretches of open space are already targeted for development.
What NPG finds surprising in the news reports about this cooperative effort is that the long-range planning is so narrowly focused. While paying attention to some areas of concern, the local leaders are not concurrently examining how the area will cope with the increased medical, energy, and water needs and the extensive environmental damage that will result from an additional 6 million people.
But regardless of the issues of cooperation or preparedness, is NPG the only national organization willing to ask "What's wrong with this picture?" Isn't California only planning to adjust to their problems rather than solving them?
What is so unfortunate about this story is that it contains no reports of local leaders working together to stop this regional population crisis from developing in the first place. And as Don Mann, NPG's President noted: "Immigration is the driving force behind Southern California's devastating population growth. Pressure must be brought on our federal government to halt illegal immigration and drastically reduce legal immigration."
If you're scanning your radio channels and happen across an enlightening and intelligent discussion of immigration and population issues, it's very possible that you are listening to the well-informed voice of David Simcox, one of NPG's Senior Advisors. In recent months, as more Americans focus on immigration and population issues, Dave has become a very sought-after expert guest on talk radio.
As an advocate espousing the critical need for immigration reform and a national population policy, he reinforces NPG's mission to hundreds of thousands of citizens nationwide via the airwaves. During December and January, Dave was the guest on one-hour call-in radio shows in such diverse locations as Cheyenne, WY; Tucson, AZ; Orchard Grove, MO; Fayetteville, AR; Abiline KS; Keene, NH; Newburg, NY; Harrogate, TN; New Orleans, LA and Las Vegas, NV. As he prepares to take on an even more active media schedule in the coming months, NPG wishes to extend a special thanks to Dave for his ongoing efforts to get our message out.
In order to move population policy to the forefront of debate, NPG recognizes that we can't do it alone -- we must have help. That is why we have recently called on America's Governors to lead the charge.
We know that our Governors, rather than our leaders in Washington, DC, are closest to the problems of traffic gridlock, urban sprawl, overcrowded schools, overwhelmed social services, and damage to our environment. Governors can best see firsthand how runaway population growth and out-of-control immigration are having a severe impact on our everyday life, and ultimately on future generations to come.
With that in mind, NPG has launched a new initiative to increase our interaction with the Governors of all 50 states and is reaffirming our long-standing effort to work closely with them and their agencies and staffs in providing expert advice and research in areas of immigration, population, and environmental policy.
NPG's most recent contact with our states top executives came in the form of a letter from President Don Mann urging them to make a commitment to establishing long term, no-nonsense population growth policies for their respective states. To demonstrate their willingness to assume a leadership role in the battle to bring immigration and population under control, the Governors have been asked to put special emphasis on these issues as they shape their legislative agendas and especially as they prepare to issue their individual Earth Day Proclamations for 2003.
| April 10, 2003
Honorable Jeb Bush Dear Governor Bush: As you tackle the increasing critical problems in your state related to education, medical care, transportation, delivery of social services, and environmental damage, I know that you realize that America’s runaway population growth is working against your most valiant efforts. Without immediate solutions, these problems are only going to get worse, rather than better. That is why on behalf of Negative Population Growth’s tens of thousands of members nationwide – including our members who call Florida home – I am appealing to you today to step forward and take a major leadership role in confronting the growing pressures and effects of overpopulation on both our nation and states. I especially hope that you will use this years Earth Day activities to raise your voice on this issue and use the power of your office to promote policies and legislation explicitly designed to create programs that can halt and eventually reverse our current population growth. We especially need you on our side as we work to halt the massive influx of more than a million legal and illegal immigrants who enter our country each year and put ever-increasing pressure on the limited budgets of our nation and your state. Please know that NPG stands ready to assist your staff and other policymakers in your administration with valuable research that can further your efforts in addressing the population and immigration issues. We sincerely hope that you will make a special effort to work with NPG – on Earth Day and beyond – as we fight to enact an immigration and population policy that will ensure a sound future for current and future residents of both Florida and America. Thank you for making your voice heard on this critical issue. Sincerely, Don Mann President P.S. If you or your staff need any assistance in researching this issue or formulating population policy, please do not hesitate to contact NPG at 202-667-8950 or visit our website at www.npg.org. Thank you. |
Earth Day (April 22) is the designated day for all Americans to focus on the future of our nation and our planet. A syncronized call from our Governors to slow, halt and eventually reverse our country's escalating population growth will hopefully increase the pressure on Congress to stop ignoring this critical issue and take long overdue action -- especially when it comes to halting massive illegal immigration and drastically reducing legal immigration.
Concurrent with our initial letter to the Governors, NPG is also planning a powerful grassroots effort. Toward that end, all NPG members have recently received a personalized petition to the Governor of their state which they are urged to sign and return to us so we can deliver hundreds or thousands to each statehouse. If you have yet to return your signed petition, please do so immediately. In order to reach way beyond our membership, we will also post a copy of the petition on our website (www.npg.org) for easy access by the concerned general public.
The question must be asked: Why is the Mexican government being allowed to get away with freely issuing Matriculas Consulares (Mexican consular ID cards) to illegal immigrants currently in the United States without the State Department or Treasury Department stepping into put an immediate halt to the practice?
Current estimates are that more than a million cards have been issued by the 48 Mexican consulates scattered across the U.S. through a very aggressive program on the part of the Mexican government which is also heavily lobbying states and other local jurisdictions to accept them as "legitimate" documentation. According to a Washington Post article in late December, the issuance of the cards are, in essence, "a form of stealth policymaking" and the Mexican government hopes the cards will lead to a de facto "amnesty" for Mexicans already in this country. By late 2002 their efforts were already paying off handsomely as more than 66 national banks, 801 police agencies, and countless social service agencies here in the U.S. were accepting the cards for identification purposes. At present, the cards are accepted as legitimate ID's in at least 40 cities including Denver, San Francisco and Chicago.
Recent reports show that the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have increased their efforts to follow the Mexican lead in providing similar "legal" cover for the hundreds of thousands of their citizens who are also in the U.S. illegally.
This alarming situation is now out of control and is beginning to pose serious legal and national security concerns. Yet our elected officials appear to be purposely ignoring what amounts to an enormous security risk to our citizens -- the blanket issuance of ID cards to illegal immigrants by foreign governments.
Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, is leading the charge against Mexico's alarming actions which he considers a breach of international protocol deserving of serious response by our government. Working with 11 other Members of Congress, Congressman Tancredo has called on Secretary of State Colin Powell to bring an immediate halt to the program. In addition, in late January, the Congressman introduced Secure I.D. Legislation in Congress which would ensure the security and validity of I.D. cards accepted by the federal government and effectively negate the value of the Mexican-issued Matricula Consulars here in the U.S.
Invisible Walls:
Why We Ignore the Damage We Inflict on the Planet...and Ourselves
by Peter Seidel, with forewards by Lester Brown and Ervin Laszlo
Today we are faced with perilous problems such as global warming, nuclear proliferation, and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. We know what many of these problems are, we know what to do about them, but too often our responses are far from adequate. We continue to examine problems and search for solutions, but fail to confront the causes of our failure to take adequate action. We are stuck and this is dangerous.
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“Invisible Walls is a must read for everyone who would like us to become unstuck at resolving the most threatening problems we face today. This well written book is filled with fascinating facts and ideas that make it hard to put down. It confronts our disregard for the world’s rapid population growth and our preoccupation with unending economic expansion. Seidel intelligently discusses the reasons why we avoid considering the ultimate consequences of this and suggests some possible remedies.”
Donald Mann, “Wonderful book! I sat right down and read it. Seidel is to be congratulated for doing some important thinking.” Richard Lamm, “Many (books) cross my desk, but rarely are they invested with the insight of Invisible Walls. Peter Seidel has not only diagnosed the intrinsic challenge facing humanity, but he has prescribed a remedy.” Lester Brown, author, |
Invisible Walls goes beyond attempts at pat answers to explore the complex convergence of political, economic, social, and psychological factors that brought these problems to light. If we are to take responsible action and save the earth and ourselves, we must look at how we evolved as a species, our concepts of the world and how we fit into it, the beliefs we hold, the social structures we create, and the ethical views that divide us from each other and the natural world.
Peter Seidel is an environmental architect and planner who studied with the world-renowned Mies Van Der Rohe and Ludwig Hilberseimer, both of the Bauhaus in Germany.
Invisible Walls is available in bookstores, online, and from:
Prometheus Books, 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1-800-421-0351
All of us at NPG join in mourning the loss of a good friend and true humanitarian, Dr. B. Meredith Burke this past December. For more than seven years, Dr. Burke served as a Senior Fellow of NPG. She was an invaluable ally and noted contributor of important educational and groundbreaking articles that appeared in academic journals and national publications strongly endorsing NPG's mission to achieve and maintain an optimum population. Many of her population-related commentaries can be found today on NPG's website, www.npg.org.
A native of California, Dr. Burke fought tirelessly against the over-urbanization of her state and made it her life's work to educate others about the true causes of environmental decline. In addition to promoting positive social change, Dr. Burke fearlessly championed such hot-button topics as over-consumption, U.S. immigration policies, labor issues, women's rights and excess fertility. She used her extensive education and expertise in her work as a consultant to the World Bank, U.S.A.I.D. and the U.N. Development Program. Her sharp wit, fierce dedication, and heartfelt compassion will be deeply missed by all of us who had the honor to call her our colleague.
Next to the power corridors of downtown Washington, D.C, no city is home to more trade associations and non-profit organizations than Alexandria, VA., which lies just across the Potomac. And while NPG has rented space on Embassy Row in the heart of the nation's capital for many years, we recently decided to make the move across the river to a brand new townhouse office. Please note our new address: NPG, 2861 Duke Street, Suite 36, Alexandria, VA 22314.