4 ms·

Why do we need to continue to increase or maintain the population?

DanBC 14y ago
To pay and care for the current population. People live longer; diseases of old age are not cured yet and are considerably expensive and labour intensive. You need lots of people earning money and paying taxes to provide for that older generation. You also need lots of people to do the physical care of that population.
- hype7 14y ago
  You are promoting the economic equivalent of a Ponzi scheme that by its very definition is not sustainable.
  - DanBC 14y ago
    People pay small amounts of money into their pension (401k?) schemes throughout their life. The growth of those schemes requires people to continue to pay money into them. This ponzi scheme is either my poor communicating, or is a feature of many pension systems around the world. (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/a-look-at-pensions-plans-worldwide-517579.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/a-look-at-p...) I agree it's not sustainable. What do you suggest? How should people fund their old age? Prisoners are already being used to care for other old age prisoners. This moving NY Times article is fascinating. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/health/dealing-with-dementia-among-aging-criminals.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/health/dealing-with-dement...) Fun sci-fi noodling would have criminals being sub-contracted into institutions that care for poverty stricken old people. The prison / elderly care industrial complex grows to a huge evil empire. (Throw in a bit about making and selling coffins and it's complete.)
- prostoalex 14y ago
  This works in some kind of flat tax system, which isn't really how it works in the US. Fresh college graduates end up with significant education debt, and interest payments on student loans are deductible. For the rest the system of credits allows for zero net tax obligation as far as federal budget is concerned http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2011/0728/Why-do-half-of-Americans-pay-no-federal-income-tax http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2011/0728/Wh... US economy is dependent on high income earners, which might or might not be younger people.

DanBC 14y ago

To pay and care for the current population. People live longer; diseases of old age are not cured yet and are considerably expensive and labour intensive. You need lots of people earning money and paying taxes to provide for that older generation. You also need lots of people to do the physical care of that population.

hype7 14y ago
You are promoting the economic equivalent of a Ponzi scheme that by its very definition is not sustainable.
- DanBC 14y ago
  People pay small amounts of money into their pension (401k?) schemes throughout their life. The growth of those schemes requires people to continue to pay money into them. This ponzi scheme is either my poor communicating, or is a feature of many pension systems around the world. (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/a-look-at-pensions-plans-worldwide-517579.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/a-look-at-p...) I agree it's not sustainable. What do you suggest? How should people fund their old age? Prisoners are already being used to care for other old age prisoners. This moving NY Times article is fascinating. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/health/dealing-with-dementia-among-aging-criminals.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/health/dealing-with-dement...) Fun sci-fi noodling would have criminals being sub-contracted into institutions that care for poverty stricken old people. The prison / elderly care industrial complex grows to a huge evil empire. (Throw in a bit about making and selling coffins and it's complete.)
prostoalex 14y ago
This works in some kind of flat tax system, which isn't really how it works in the US. Fresh college graduates end up with significant education debt, and interest payments on student loans are deductible. For the rest the system of credits allows for zero net tax obligation as far as federal budget is concerned http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2011/0728/Why-do-half-of-Americans-pay-no-federal-income-tax http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Donald-Marron/2011/0728/Wh... US economy is dependent on high income earners, which might or might not be younger people.