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U.S. Gets Poor Marks on Environment
Toothless Immigration Laws?


COMMENTARY: by NPG President Donald Mann

A recent story in the Washington Post reported on Japan's declining population numbers and the implications for the future of that country. Sadly, it was a very one-sided story, written from the perspective of a looming economic crisis, whereby Japan is "slipping backward as an economic force."

Those of us who advocate economic sustainability rather than constant economic growth look at this story from a very different viewpoint. In the coming decades, the declining population will actually make it possible for the Japanese people to live more comfortable lifestyles. And for those who are crying "the sky is falling" because Japan will possibly lose its status as a "first-class" economy, it is important to note that there are real benefits in taking a break from constantly being in the race with other nations for more, more, more.

Simply put, Japan is an island nation and is already overpopulated when it comes to sustainability. Its present population of approximately 127 million is squeezed into tiny apartments in overcrowded cities across the nation. We've all seen pictures over the years of the "pushers" employed in large cities to squeeze more people into the already jammed train cars simply to accommodate the hordes who use mass transit.

The real questions that must be asked and answered in Japan are the same that face the U.S: Just what is the optimal population? And how do we achieve it?

Certainly, it is far better to be looking at statistics that show a population decline (some say that Japan's population could drop to 89 million by 2050) than face skyrocketing, uncontrolled population numbers that would create giant social and environmental crises.

The social factor that is constantly called into play with such statistics - and one that is very important to any nation's future economy - is that of an aging population. An aging population creates more dependents for every productive worker. Yet, those same statistics about an aging population that are used to scare people could be very outdated in forty years. Today, in Japan, as in America, more "seniors" who once retired at age 65 are still very active in the workforce. And with new innovations - including more and more robots in manufacturing jobs - there is no reason that a major industrial nation such as Japan will not be as productive and dynamic in the future as it is today
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It is impossible to compare Japan and the U.S. when it comes to population growth because of so many different factors - especially immigration. Japan has been very restrictive in permitting large numbers of immigrants into its closed society while in the U.S., immigration is totally out of control and the largest force driving population growth.

The fact is that back in the mid-1950's, when Japan had a population of 100 million people and was still recovering from WWII, it unleashed an economic miracle. And while Japan's economy has had its ups and downs in recent years, it has endured as a major economic force.

When writing about this issue a few years ago in the Washington Post, columnist Fred Hiatt quoted Naohiro Ogawa, a population expert at Nihon University, who summed up the present population situation by saying, "there will be some adjustment. Japan's not going to fall apart."

In the same op-ed piece Hiatt also quotes Toru Suzuki, a demographer at the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, who states: "It brings you to a very tough question. What is happiness? Can we be happy without economic growth?"

Here at NPG, we answer with a resounding, YES!

Note: For additional information about the issue of economic sustainability we refer you to two NPG Position Papers, A No Growth, Steady-State Economy Must Be Our Goal, and An Essay on a Sustainable Economy, both by NPG President Donald Mann, as well as an NPG Forum paper, The Steady-State Economy: What It Is, Why We Need It, by the late Dr. John Attarian.


U.S. GETS BAD MARKS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

The World Economic Forum that convened in Davos, Switzerland was not only focused on money.

A story in The New York Times by Felicity Barringer explains how the U.S. is working to improve its standing in a new international ranking of environmental performance.

The U.S. now ranks near the bottom of the list which evaluates sanitation, greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural policies, air pollution and 20 other measures. Our nation, is listed as 39^th among the 149 countries evaluated. It seems we have a long way to go to move into the top 10 scoring countries, dominated by European nations but also including Costa Rica, Colombia and New Zealand.

The dilemma for the U.S. is that it does not score well when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions and smog
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The article quotes John Connaughton, Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, as saying the Bush administration has new rules that "in the next 10 years is going to address this in a really big way."

NPG applauds all efforts to reduce these harmful emissions which are so greatly contributing to global warming. While new advances in technology are enabling us to get a greater handle on this severe problem, we cannot lose sight of the fact that increased population levels will consistently erode many of those advances. Click on the link above for the full story.


TOOTHLESS IMMIGRATION LAWS

The story is the same all across the nation. The politicians finally get up the courage to pass legislation to help control illegal immigration and then the system falls flat when it comes to enforcement
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A recent story in the Memphis, Tennessee Commercial Appeal gives an overview of the forces at work that seem to create a system where little or no real headway is made toward the goal of controlling illegal immigration.

Key to the story, of course, is the fact that it is up to the federal government, not the states, to take the prime lead on this issue. With Congress still feeling the sting of the citizen backlash it took last summer when it tried to pass an amnesty bill for the 12-20 million illegal immigrants now in our country, few people expect it to touch the immigration issue during this election year
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However, voter pressure to get the government to do something remains strong. NPG applauds the activist legislators in all states who are working to find any solutions - especially ones that target employers who knowingly hire illegals. As the Tennessee story relates, an original bill that would have imposed a $10,000 fine on someone who knowingly hired an illegal immigrant had to be watered down to a civil sanction whereby the state could potentially suspend business licenses. With constant "give and take" lobbying from powerful business groups and immigrant advocates, it is a wonder that any legislation ever gets through. And even when tough legislation does get the blessing of the legislators, there is often little or no money available for enforcement.

At NPG, we encourage all states (as well as many counties and cities that are taking action against illegals) to continue to push ahead and make it clear to illegal immigrants that American citizens are not going to continue to tolerate them breaking our laws, driving up our tax bills and overwhelming our nation's schools and social services. The current economic setback, especially in the real estate industry, has helped to temporarily slow the flow of illegals into our country. But real border enforcement and "get tough" laws at all levels that will put a halt to today's illegal immigration invasion are long overdue. Click on the link above for the full story.


POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION NEWS NOTES

DUNCAN HUNTER FIGHTS FOR FULL BORDER FENCE

Congressman Duncan Hunter (R, CA) may have given up on his quest for the Republican presidential nomination but he is still fighting to make America's borders secure.

As one of his first acts in the Second Session of the 110^th Congress, the Congressman introduced a bill to return the U.S.-Mexico border fence to its original version of a 700-mile double-tiered structure that was approved by large votes when the Senate and House passed the Secure Border Fence Act of 2006
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In the jockeying to get the massive omnibus spending bill through Congress in mid-December last year, few Members of Congress were pleased with the fact that it contained language dropping the two-tier requirement and deleting specific locations where the fence was to be built.

In introducing his new legislation, Congressman Hunter stated, "The omnibus spending bill dismantles the only legislative advancement made in recent years towards securing our border with Mexico, and represents a prescription for failure that directly threatens the safety, security and prosperity of the American people."

It will remain to be seen whether the legislation will advance this year as immigration may be a "hands-off issue" with the elections looming in November.


CANADIANS IN THE U.S. (2006)

We constantly hear about the estimates for the illegal immigrants (a good majority of them from Mexico) who currently live in the U.S. The numbers below give us a perspective on how many neighbors from our north currently reside among us. Please note that the DHS seems to be very exact in their numbers when it comes to our neighbors to the north while they seem to have no idea as to any count regarding the hordes of immigrants who are flooding across our southern border.

Temporary workers: 151,369 Tourists and business travelers (I-94 only): 49,960 Students and exchange visitors: 36,274 Canadians who obtained legal permanent residence: 18,207 Naturalized Canadians: 9,607 Diplomats and other representatives: 4,817 Deportable aliens: 1,199

Source: US Department of Homeland Security, Office of Immigration Statistics


TEXAS TOWN TRIES NEW IMMIGRATION RESTRICTIONS

In late 2006, the residents Farmers Branch, Texas, (a Dallas suburb) sparked a movement, since taken by many municipalities, to act on the growing influx of illegal immigrants into their town.

The Farmers Branch City Council passed an ordinance banning landlords from renting to illegal immigrants. Their independent action was delivered a setback when a federal judge stepped in to block it, using the logic that city officials had tried to regulate immigration differently than the federal government.

This year, the Farmers Branch City Council is trying a new tactic they hope will stand up to court challenges. The new proposal will require adults wanting to lease a house or apartment to get an occupancy license from the city and provide information about their citizenship or legal status. This information will be checked against a federal database to determine whether the applicants are in the country legally. If federal authorities cannot confirm a person has permission to live in this country, the license holder and the landlord will be notified and the renter will have 60 days to provide proof of legal status.

According to the Associated Press, more than 100 cities or counties have proposed, passed or rejected laws prohibiting landlords from leasing to illegal immigrants, penalizing businesses that hire undocumented workers or training police to enforce immigration laws.


CENSUS BUREAU PRODUCES NEW COMPREHENSIVE ATLAS – FIRST IN MORE THAN 80 YEARS!

Those who love to delve deep into population statistics and enjoy maps are sure to spend quite a bit of time absorbing all of the information in the new Census Atlas of the United States recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The atlas has more than 700 full-color maps and is touted as the first general and statistical atlas published by the Census Bureau since 1925.

The data contained in this new publication runs the gamut of a wide variety of topics and is very informative about the characteristics of our country. The Census Bureau notes that it is grouped into three general themes - who we are, where we come from and what we do. It also provides key information as to where we are located.

The full book has more than 300 pages and weighs in at approximately 7 pounds. A print copy of the atlas is available from the Government Printing Office. It can also be accessed at http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/censususatlas/

A snippet of information: The center of population in the U.S. in 2000 was in Phelps County, MO, 2.8 miles east of the rural community of Edgar Springs. The new center in 2000 was 12.1 miles south and 32.5 miles west of the 1990 site.


THE VOTING AGE POPULATION IN THE U.S.

As America goes to the polls to choose a new president this year, the Census Bureau notes that the voting age population in the U.S., those 18-years and older comes in at 227.7 million residents, comprising 76.5% of the total population.

California has the largest voting age population at 27.2 million. Vermont has the highest percentage of those of voting age at 78.9%.


NPG NOTES

THIRD ANNUAL NPG SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST LAUNCHED

NPG is preparing to send out letters to schools as well as a national press release notifying America's students of our Third Annual NPG Scholarship Contest. The contest is open to all high school seniors and undergraduate college students. Students are requested to write an essay on a set topic related to population issues. This year's topic is:

Many people believe that our nation is already greatly overpopulated with regards to our limited natural resources and fragile environment. Do you agree that Congress should create a National Population Policy to address this problem? If so, what would you recommend as its chief goals? If not, how do you propose we solve this problem?

Three scholarship prizes in the amount of $2,000, $1,000 and $500 are awarded.

Essays will be judged on quality of writing, originality, and evidence of critical thinking. The deadline for NPG to receive student essays this year is April 18, 2008.

Go to NPG's website at www.npg.org for additional information


QUOTABLE

"The negative impact of human population growth and overpopulation must be addressed at all levels and insistently. This is not a problem we can isolate and then ignore."

Hon. Kyle Richmond
Dane County Supervisor
Madison, Wisconsin


"We cannot generate electricity with hot air from politicians eager to create tax breaks...We cannot afford to trash the energy we have and substitute energy that exists only in campaign speeches."

Roy Innis -from testimony presented to Congress in December 2007


"The number of Hispanic illegals, mostly Mexicans, crossing the border into the United States is down sharply from a year ago. This is in part because the feds are trying harder to enforce immigration law and in part because the decline of construction jobs makes the United States less attractive to illegals."

Wesley Pruden, Editor
The Washington Times


"It's costing those of us who work and pay taxes millions and millions of dollars to support these people who shouldn't be here in the first place. They're getting free health care, they're getting schooling for their children. Yes, they're working, but they're not paying taxes. They're here, and being a drain more than they're producing."

JoAnn Sherman, New Boston, NH Primary voter


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WHY THE NPG JOURNAL"

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 umber 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

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 mission. As NPG celebrates its 35th Anniversary we 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 us the e-mail address of friends you think would like to receive a complimentary copy of the NPG Journal on a bi-weekly 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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