On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 09:58:01 -0600, Gilligan wrote:


Affluence lowers the birth rates. In countries such as Germany and Japan the
birth rates aRE LOW ENOUGH to decrease the population unless there is
immigration. I beleieve it is true for the US but immigration is increasing
the population.

With the declining birth rates, if you want a growing economy, you need
immigration.

Why is it that our best and brightest breed the least? Pay the most taxes?

Uh, because our best and brightest also have better access to health care,
providing a longer life span. That longer life span results in a smaller
proportion of women of child bearing age, hence, a declining birth rate.
It's, in effect, a Ponzi Scheme.