Funding Future Roads…

COMMENTARY: by NPG President Donald Mann

April 21, 2009
News and Commentary: A recent New York Times article lacks the key component…

Our nation is already vastly overpopulated in terms of the long-range carrying capacity of our resources and environment, yet we continue to grow rapidly.  Our population, now 306 million, for the last few decades has been growing by over 30 million each decade.  It is projected to reach 450 million by mid-century, and still be growing rapidly.  That growth is a prescription for disaster.

Our population growth is driven by mass immigration, both legal (well over one million a year) and illegal immigration (over 600,000 a year).  If legal immigration were limited to not more than 200,000 a year (including all relatives and refugees) and illegal immigration halted, our population would soon stop growing and begin a slow decline in numbers.

We believe that in order to create a sustainable economy for the long term, and maximize per capita income, we need to first halt our population growth and then, after an interim period of negative growth, stabilize our population.

By far the most important consequence of immigration is its impact on our population growth.  A national immigration policy (which does not exist as of now) should be an integral part of a national population policy designed to halt and eventually reverse the disastrous growth of our population, which is rapidly destroying our economy and our environment along with it.

The most important task confronting our nation is to decide at what size we should seek to stabilize our U.S. population, yet, the urgent need to do so is hardly recognized by our opinion leaders and decision makers both in and out of government.

Here is one example:

A lengthy article on the front page of The New York Times, Sunday, March 15th was titled, “Where Education and Assimilation Collide.”  Some of the points brought out:

1.      The United States has experienced the greatest surge in immigration since the early 20th century, with one in five residents now a recent immigrant or a close relative of one.

2.      About a third of the country’s foreign-born residents, an estimated 11.9 million people, are here illegally. (Note: we believe the number is between 15 and 20 million.)

3.      For the first time in at least a century, one country and one language have dominated the influx since the early 1990s.  Mexico accounts for 31 percent of the foreign-born, while, over all, Spanish-speaking Latin Americans make up about half of the total.

There is not one word in the article about the most important consequence of mass immigration – its impact on our population size and growth.  Amazingly, that concept seems to have almost disappeared from our national radar screen.

There has recently been a great deal of concern that the proposed fiscal stimulus will leave a legacy of overwhelming public debt for our children and grandchildren.  What about the impact on their environment, resources and standard of living if we leave them with a nation of a half billion or a billion people?

           

FUNDING FUTURE ROADS…

            It is well known that without working today to put the brakes on America’s population growth our nation is going to face insurmountable problems.

Two of the key issues that will greatly haunt our nation in the coming decades will be taxes and transportation.  The Dallas Morning News last week ran a story on the growing argument that is already developing as to who will make the decisions about future roads and where the money will come from to pay for them.  Being from a high-growth state desperately in need of flexibility to meet future transportation demands, Texas politicians are in the forefront of what is sure to become a national debate.

Texas U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has introduced legislation in Congress to allow Texas and other major states to “opt out” of the federal highway trust fund, a revenue sharing program funded by federal fuel taxes that sends more per-capita highway dollars to low population states.  The news article noted, “By proposing that states like Texas be able to opt out of the federal system, Hutchison is endorsing a view she has long advocated:  Now that the interstate system has been built out, let Washington’s role be scaled back to manage maintenance of federal highways and bridges and let states play a bigger role in deciding (and funding) which new projects to build.”

The chances for Hutchison’s legislation making progress in today’s Congress are slim.  While states like Texas get back only $.96 for every dollar they send to Washington in fuel taxes, many rural, less populated states receive over $2 for each $1 they contribute. 

The big debate here is really where are future transportation dollars going to come from?  Construction costs – especially for roads – are soaring at the same time people are cutting back on their driving, thus reducing the amount of money going into the Federal Highway Trust Fund.  Pressure is on Congress and the state legislatures to sharply raise fuel taxes by as much as 40 cents a gallon but that would be political suicide in today’s harsh economic climate.  And as today’s soaring population growth greatly increases demands for new highways, it is concurrently placing greater demands on old highways, roads and bridges that are in great need of repaving and replacement. 

In all, we are talking about the need to invest trillions and trillions of dollars in major new transportation projects by mid-century to support a nation that is growing by 30-40 million people per decade.  And that comes on top of the dollars needed for increased health care and paying down an ever-increasing national debt.  It’s time for our political leaders to face reality and understand that this is an unsustainable system and that major debate on halting and reversing population growth must rise to the top of our nation’s agenda. Click here to read more.

           

POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION NEWS NOTES

 GET THE FACT STRAIGHT, SECRETARY NAPOLITANO

             In an interview on CNN on April 22^nd Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano appeared a bit confused as to enforcing the law regarding illegal immigrants.  In responding to a question regarding the get-tough tactics of Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, AZ she stated:

            “Sheriff Joe…knows that there aren’t enough law enforcement officers, courtrooms or jail cells in the world to do what he is saying.

            What we have to do is target the real evil-doers in this business, the employers who consistently hire illegal labor, the human traffickers who are exploiting human misery.

            And yes, when we find illegal workers, yes, appropriate action, some of which is criminal, most of that is civil, because crossing the border is not a crime per se.  It is civil.  But anyway, going after those as well.”

            The Secretary needs to get out her old law books and double check.  The fact is, crossing the border without authorization is a crime, punishable by fines or imprisonment – or both.

  

U.S. CENSUS – ONE YEAR OUT 

The U.S. Census Bureau is moving forward with efforts to spend the $1 billion it received earlier this year as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as it prepares for the giant task of counting America’s population next April-May. 

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke noted that “The Census Bureau’s proposed investments will improve our ability to conduct an accurate census and create thousands of good-paying jobs.  A successful census is critical for ensuring that communities have proper representation and the resources needed for health care, law enforcement and education.”  Under a proposal submitted to Congress, the Census Bureau will invest $250 million in partnership and outreach efforts to minority communities and hard-to-reach populations.  This effort is intended to promote participation in the census, which will improve accuracy and facilitate enumeration operations in 2010.  The remaining $750 million will be committed to support early 2010 Census operations that will reduce operational and programmatic risks at a critical stage of the census project.  More than $300 billion federal dollars are distributed to states, cities, counties and communities across America based on census results.

Among the programs that will take place before the formal count begins next spring are:  Address Canvassing where efforts will be made to cover most neighborhoods to identify each residential address; Partnership Recruitment which will link up with for-profit and non-profit organizations to raise awareness of and increase participation in the census; and Census in Schools which will encourage principals and teachers to join in a K-12 program.

 

AARP HELPS GET THE MESSAGE OUT

             AARP, the powerful voice of tens of millions of Americans 50, and older is gearing up to take a key role in the nation’s forthcoming health care debate.  In an open letter to Congress printed in their March Bulletin they underscored the need for responsible legislation to address health care for a growing and aging population by noting,  “According to the Congressional Budget Office, total spending for health care will rise from 16 percent of GDP in 2007 to 25 percent in 2020 and 49 percent in 2082.  That’s a price tag we can’t afford.” 

            NPG Note:  Certainly, when you consider that by 2082 America’s population could be hovering around 600-700 million people if nothing is done to get it under control, you have to question whether America’s once-thriving economy will have already collapsed under the weight of unsustainable numbers of people.

  

FORD FOUNDATION’S IMMIGRATION COMMITMENT

             Next to the Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation stands as America’s second largest philanthropic institution.  So the announcement a few weeks ago that it will commit “upwards of $30 million” to immigration over the next 18 months raised a bit of a stir in certain circles, especially with Congress preparing to tackle immigration reform during that same time period. 

Questions being asked in our nation’s capital these days focus on just where this money will be targeted as the Ford Foundation has a long-established relationship with two of the biggest proponents for full amnesty for the 12 to 20 million illegal aliens now in our country.  MALDEF, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, owes its existence to the Foundation and LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens, has been a big beneficiary of its largesse.  NPG will counter-act this ramping up of their spending as we get closer to Congressional debate on this critical issue.  Watch your mail for ways to become involved.

  

THE UNIONS VS. THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

             In mid-April, two of the nation’s major labor groups joined forces to support major immigration reform that endorses legalizing the status of illegal immigrants already in the United States and opposes any large new program for employers to bring in temporary immigrant workers.  In joining forces, the AFL-CIO and the rival Change to Win federation healed a rift that found them on opposite sides in the 2007 immigration battle.  Then, the AFL-CIO would not embrace legislation put forth by President Bush which contained provisions for an expanded guest-worker program.  However, the new labor coalition puts them square-up against the power of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce which represents business interests and has refused to support any legislation that did not include an expansion of the temporary worker program.  With the Obama administration virtually pledged to take up immigration reform this year, look for much jockeying for position and behind-the-scenes activity on the part of both entities to gain a special edge even before Congressional debate begins.

 

 BUT WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

             Senator David Vitter, (R-LA) has introduced S. 95, a bill to deny Community Oriented Policing Services funding to cities with sanctuary policies.  His intent is to add some teeth to the current provisions of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 which provides that a federal, state or local government may not restrict officials from exchanging information regarding an individual’s immigration status with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Sadly, far too many major cities face no repercussions at all from blatantly defying the current law.

 

 ONE SMALL VICTORY

             The Wall Street Journal’s online Political Diary reported on April 7^th that Democrats in Colorado were shocked when the Democratic-controlled State Senate “unexpectedly rejected” legislation to permit illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public universities.  The problem came when five Democrats went against the proposal at the last minute.  According to Brendan Miniter (who wrote the article), Sen. Morgan Carroll explained her vote by pointing out that “any students granted in-state tuition still would be ineligible to work and subject to deportation under federal law.”  Others noted they changed positions because they “were ‘listening to constituents’ or didn’t want a distraction from more pressing budget matters or by pointing to a pending federal bill that would allow illegals enrolled in college to become legal residents.”  The key phase of “listening to constituents” stands as a solid reminder to all NPG friends and supporters that quite often your message and concerns do get through to elected officials and make a real difference.

 

 NPG NOTES

 NPG ANTI-AMNESTY BATTLE FUND

             The NPG Emergency Immigration Action Gram mailed in mid-April started arriving in members’ mailboxes at the same time President Obama was in Mexico City talking about how our governments have to work together to solve shared problems – including immigration.  The timing could not have been more fortuitous.  Our letter was a call to action to help us build an NPG Anti-Amnesty Battle Fund in preparation for the major legislative clash that will develop in the next few months as the Obama administration pushes for passage of a bill that grants citizenship to the 10-12 million illegal immigrants now living in our country. 

Thus far, our members’ responses have been encouraging but we still need thousands of dollars to make this project a success and make sure our anti-amnesty message reaches far and wide beyond our membership ranks.  The good news is that our NPG members are committed to making sure that NPG will be able to play a key role in the fight against any legislation that would set wrongheaded and destructive immigration policies.  We will use our Battle Fund resources to activate tens of thousands of NPG members to pressure their Senators and Congressman to stand firm and protect the value of American citizenship.  In addition, we’ll drive thousands of phone calls and e-mails to Capitol Hill, ignite major “Letters to the Editor” campaigns to hometown newspapers, run ads in targeted newspapers, and put our NPG spokesman on radio nationwide.  Our goal is to make it clear to all Americans that they have a tremendous stake in the outcome of this battle and that if Congress goes down the wrong path on amnesty today it will trigger a series of devastating population-related crises that will hurt our country for decades to come.  

Remember, we’ve created our Anti-Amnesty Battle Fund to ensure that we do not have to heavily divert critical money from our important educational mission that covers all aspects of the population issue.  If you have not yet made a special contribution please do so today.  Send a check to NPG, 2861 Duke Street #36, Alexandria, VA 22314.  For additional information call 703-370-9510.

  

NEW NPG FORUM PAPER

             Last Month, we released a new Forum Paper by Dave Simcox titled:  “President and Congress Should Equip Government to Address Domestic Population Growth.” 

            This insightful and informative 4-page paper lays out an effective challenge to President Obama and the 111^th Congress to “develop new permanent machinery to ensure domestic population gets due consideration in national policymaking and to raise the consciousness of Americans about the need to balance population size with resources.”  It is a very interesting read and will hopefully spark positive action when both the White House and the entire U.S. Congress receive their copies in the next few weeks.  Look for your copy of this paper to arrive with your spring edition of Population Perspectives later this month.  Or, if you wish to read it now, go to our website at www.npg.org.

          

NPG STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP LETTERS  

The final deadline for our 2009 NPG Scholarships has now passed and we are sorting through thousands of entries to see who will be rewarded with a $2,000, $1,000 and $500 scholarship to help with their college tuition this fall. 

This year we altered the format of our contest by asking students to write a letter addressed to their Member of Congress outlining the need for them to address the critical issue of population growth before it is too late.  Thus far, the vast majority of students have put forth very persuasive arguments.  To make sure they did not work in vain, we will send all original letters along to their respective legislators on Capitol Hill once the judging is over.  Scholarship winners will be announced in July. 

 

QUOTABLE

             “In our current economic crisis, Americans cannot afford to lose more jobs to illegal workers.  American workers are depending on President Obama to protect their jobs from those in America illegally.”

Congressman Steve King (R-IA)

            “If, as it appears, illegal immigration has slowed, it is largely because of an unemployment rate in the United States that is at 8.5 percent and growing.  It is not as likely that someone crossing into the U.S. will be able to find a job in 2009 as it was in 2006, so the poverty-to-wealth movement has slowed.”

Political Commentator Rich Galen
“Econ-Dynamics”

“The Bush administration didn’t get serious about cracking down on illegal immigration and illegal workers until the last two years.  The laxness of those early years proved that when the feds mostly shrug at border breaches and undocumented workers, it only gives aliens a larger incentive to enter the country.

            After all, once they’re across the border, there’s virtually no chance they’ll be caught and deported.  In fact, roughly a third of the illegal immigrants in the U.S. are people who came here with temporary visas but never left.  Interior enforcement is the only way to remove them.”    

Ed Feulner
Heritage Foundation

“…With or without [immigration reform] legislation, the administration is sending unmistakable strong signals to illegal aliens that they will not vigorously enforce laws against illegal immigration.  Just as increased worksite enforcement during the past two years was beginning to show a positive effect, and illegal aliens were starting to return home, the actions of the new administration are likely to undo that progress.”

FAIR Press Release  4/10/09 

            

WHY THE NPG JOURNAL?

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 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 number 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. NPG’s activities 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 monthly 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.