Workers needed for economy

The replacement fertility rate for the United States is an average of 2.1 children born per woman. This is important, because a decline in the birthrate of a society causes political strain. The retired, non-working share of the population will grow, and the share of workers supporting those retirees will shrink.

In addition, a country’s regular economy is impacted. A growing population is good when rising productivity reduces the amount of resources required to produce a given amount of output. Rising productivity means a larger population generates more wealth per person than a smaller one. For example, Manhattan, one of the most densely populated places in America, also is one of the wealthiest, whereas rural states such as Mississippi are sparsely populated and much poorer.

In 1950, the natural fertility rate was about 3.0. At the present time, the natural fertility rate for woman born in the United States is 1.8 or 0.3 below the replacement rate.

However, because we have averaged 1 million immigrants per year, the United States has not experienced many of the problems associated with a declining birth rate. To keep this positive situation, actions such as the following ones need to be taken:

• Reduce the cost of post secondary training
• Increase the tax deductions allowed for each child
• Establish a system of low-cost prenatal and postnatal care for parents and children
• Reform the immigration system so the country attracts more people who will be capable of contributing to our country’s economy.

JOHN PIEPHO, Cape Girardeau