Re: The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050 by Joel Kotkin

Penguin Group, ISBN#978 1 59420 244 5

Part 1: FALSE HOPE, SUBLIME DECEPTION

Joel Kotkin wrote a book celebrating America’s projected 100 million population growth by 2050.  From our current 310 million to 400 million! Other reports (“US Population Projections” by Fogel/Martin) show 100 million added within 25 years and 138 million in 40 years. 

Kotkin promotes false hope and sublime deception. 

The book jacket reads, “The extra 100 million, [mostly immigration driven], will make the United States more diverse and more competitive than any nation on earth.  Kotkin made no mention of environmental consequences, quality of life issues, accelerating species extinction, toxic air pollution, medical care, educational decline, cultural suicide, infrastructure degradation and another dozen consequences already facing other overpopulated countries!”

Today in America, according to Katie Couric at CBS, 13.4 million American children live in severe poverty.  According to Reuters, “Nearly 40 million Americans received food stamps in January 2010.”  Another 15 million Americans cannot obtain jobs.  At the same time, water shortages in California, Arizona, Georgia and Florida erupt with brutal regularity.  Toss in species extinction, Peak Oil, climate destabilization, overcrowded and gridlocked cities seething with toxic air pollution—and Americans can expect a not so “Happy Days” future.

At www.amazon.com , a reviewer named Jackzvt said, “Joel's blithe and jolly romp through America's and the world's current, and future huge problems facing us is fascinating in its utter and complete shortsightedness and lack of comprehension of how devastating our current and future problems are. Let’s just look at world hunger and starvation to see how trite and superfluous this book glosses over it. The UN and WHO estimate that between 8-11 Million people die of starvation each year and that over 800 million are severely malnourished and yet this book stresses that "food" will be available in the future because of our large scale farm operations. To that I say, BS!

“If we can't feed people now and if the population increases by 1-2 billions, we will magically be suddenly able to feed them? Please!  People have been starving for many decades and an increased population is not going to help things. Population and resources do have a balance point which we are already beyond.
I don't know what planet Joel inhabits--but it sure is not Earth. I can't recommend such a simplistic inaccurate book to anyone.”

Kotkin writes, “Nothing better illustrates the basic vitality of the United States than the essential factor that drives our analysis: the addition of another hundred million Americans by 2050.  America boasts the highest fertility rate: 50 percent higher than Russia, Germany or Japan…well above that of China, Italy, Singapore, Korea and virtually all of eastern Europe. To these fertility numbers one must add the even greater impact of continued large-scale immigration from around the world.”

Kotkin failed to mention that those immigrants flee like rats from a sinking ship from those already overcrowded, overpopulated and unsustainable countries.  Ironically, the U.S. female averaged 2.03 children since 1970—thus Americans chose a demographically sustainable future.  What changed it?  The U.S. Congress forced mass immigration on America in 1965.

“Population growth projections made around the time of The Population Bomb by Paul Ehrlich’s widely acclaimed 1968 Malthusian tract, still shape public perceptions, but those forecasts have turned out to be well off the mark,” said Kotkin.

Reality check: since Ehrlich wrote his epic book, over 300 million humans suffered starvation since 1968. Humans average 18 million starvation deaths annually.  (Source: World Health Organization)  Of that number, 15 million children under 12 and three to eight million adults die of starvation annually.

Kotkin appears to take leave of his senses or his fact or both.  He fails to comprehend or understand accelerating environmental dramas such as massive species extinctions, climate destabilization, and acidified oceans. He glosses over them or ignores them all together.  Being an employee of Forbes Magazine, he celebrates continued growth under the ‘capitalism paradigm’ that requires constant growth, production, consumption and pollution—as if the planet can absorb the damage endlessly.  He draws from our successes in the past, but refuses to deal with present day realities.

One of the world’s foremost demographic experts, University of Colorado, Dr. Albert Bartlett, www.albartlett.org , negates everything Kotkin professes in the book. Dr. Bartlett said, “Can you think of any problem in any area of human endeavor on any scale, from microscopic to global, whose long-term solution is in any demonstrable way aided, assisted, or advanced by further increases of population, locally, nationally, or globally?”

Can’t think of any? You stand tall with reality!

Another compelling world authority suggests Kotkin needs to return to school to learn what he forgot: “We must alert and organize the world's people to pressure world leaders to take specific steps to solve the two root causes of our environmental crises - exploding population growth and wasteful consumption of irreplaceable resources. Over-consumption and overpopulation underlie every environmental problem we face today.”   Jacques-Yves Cousteau

One of the many shortfalls of Kotkin’s book resides in his inability to deal with Peak Oil. However, another Forbes writer, Chris Steiner wrote: $20 Per Gallon, whereby once gasoline hits $10 per gallon, ultimately to $20 per gallon, everything changes.  All commercial air traffic ceases!  Airports will become the graveyards for airplanes.  Food costs surge out of sight.  We’ll cover those realities in parts two and three of Kotkin’s false hope and sublime deception.  He reminds me of the Trojan Horse left on the steps of Troy! Big mistake for the people of Troy.  Also reminds me of Captain Edward John Smith of the Titanic—much too fast, much too arrogant and, well, you know the rest of that story!

Finally, lemmings can’t help themselves as they instinctively commit suicide!  We can and we can change course for a viable future!

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If any of us, no matter what our race, creed or color might be, refuse to engage our U.S. Congress as we have not for 30 years as to the population/immigration equation-our children will find themselves living in a terribly degraded America where the American Dream will be described by the history books as a 'fleeting fantasy' from the era of 1950 to 2010.

These are several of the top organizations where you can take collective action to change the course of American history as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Take collective action at www.numbersusa.com ; www.fairus.org ; www.capsweb.org ; www.thesocialcontract.com ; www.populationmedia.org ; www.worldpopulationbalance.org ; www.populationconnection.org ; www.quinacrine.com ; www.familyplanning.org/ , www.skil.org ; www.growthbusters.com ; www.populationpress.org ; www.thinkpopulation.org ; www.carryingcapacity.org ; www.balance.org ; www.controlgrowth.org ; in Canada www.immigrationwatchcanada.org ; in Australia www.population.org.au andPublicPopForum@yahoogroups.com; in Great Britain www.optimumpopulation.org ; and dozens of other sites accessed at www.frostywooldridge.com.

Must see DVD: "Blind Spot" http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/blind_spot/ , This movie illustrates America's future without oil, water and other resources to keep this civilization functioning. It's a brilliant educational movie! www.blindspotdoc.com 

Must see: Rapid Population Decline, seven minute video by Dr. Jack Alpert-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTWduFB_RX0 

Must see and funny: www.growthbusters.org ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXSTrW_dARc
Dave Gardner's Polar Bear in Bedroom: http://growthbusters.org/2010/03/save-the-polar-bear-in-your-bedroom ; Dave Gardner, President, Citizen-Powered Media ; Producing the Documentary, GROWTH BUSTERS; presents Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity, Join the cause at www.growthbusters.org ;760 Wycliffe Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 USA; +1 719-576-5565

Check out this link with Wooldridge on bicycle and Lester Brown and panel discussion:

http://www.upnorthmedia.org/watchupnorthtv.asp?SDBFid=1631 

Tomorrow's Americaproject on www.youtube.com/contemporarylearning.

Producer: GEORGE A. COLBURNwww.tomorrowsamerica.com 

DC: 202-258-4887; Email: gac@starbrightmc.com 

Link to www.tomorrowsamerica.com for more discussions on America's predicament.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.starbrightmediacorp.com ; www.tomorrowsamerica.com

Dear fellow Americans, Canadians, Australians, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and planetary citizens: 

Re: The USA about to add 100 million people within 25 years—world to add 3 billion people in 40 years, and what actions citizens must take in order to change course toward viable and sustainable societies--interview with Frosty Wooldridge 

If you have time, you may enjoy a one hour interview in California as I address overpopulation/immigration, not only in that state, but nationwide and worldwide.  I attempted to cover all aspects of what our civilization faces if we continue on our overpopulation path toward adding 100 million people within 25 years here in the USA.  While we may become emotional around the immigration issue--in the end--it’s about too many people, too little water, too little resources, vanishing carrying capacity, species extinction, acidified oceans and dwindling energy reserves that will render this civilization and all ‘oil-dependent’ civilizations unsustainable. Away from the ‘emotional’ responses, we find ourselves in a great deal of trouble on multiple levels. I attempt to bring that reality to the forefront.  Additionally, below, you may read from other top world minds and writers as to the long term consequences of continued human overpopulation.  

Interview with Frosty Wooldridge--Posted on the archive of the Stark Truth:  http://reasonradionetwork.com/?p=8893

Thank you for appearing for an excellent & informative show!
Regards, Mike Conner
Voice of Reason Broadcast Network
http://reasonradionetwork.com

For further information, please contact me at www.frostywooldridge.com , frostyw@juno.com. Also, view  “Blind Spot” with Aldopho Doring and Amanda Zackem at www.blindspotdoc.com  at http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/blind_spot/ ; watch the 14 minute video by Roy Beck “ Immigration by the Numbers” at www.numbersusa.com ; also join www.TheSocialContract.com for the finest in updates and information as to what our civilization faces; also www.fairus.org for top notch information on immigration and population; additionally  www.cis.org with Mark Krikorian and Dr. Steve Camarota for up to date info on population and immigration; please visit www.albartlett.org for exceptional program on population and energy by Dr. Bartlett; www.populationmedia.org with William Ryerson and Joe Bish; www.worldpopulationbalance.org with David Paxson, www.populationpress.org with Marilyn Hempel; www.skil.org with Dr. Jack Alpert, PRODUCER: GEORGE A. COLBURN ,www.starbrightmediacorp.com; www.innovationcourse.org ;  Dave Gardner, President, Citizen-Powered Media ; www.growthbusters.org ;  in Canada www.immigrationwatchcanada.org ; in Australia www.population.org.au andPublicPopForum@yahoogroups.com; in Great Britain www.optimumpopulation.org ;  and many other top organizations at my website.

Kindest regards, Frosty Wooldridge, Golden, CO 

 SERIOUS REALITIES WE FACE AS A CIVILIZATION    

                               by Frosty Wooldridge   

 “Can you think of any problem in any area of human endeavor on any scale, from microscopic to global, whose long-term solution is in any demonstrable way aided, assisted, or advanced by further increases of population, locally, nationally, or globally.”  Dr. Albert Bartlett www.albartlett.org

 “A simple look at the upward path of global greenhouse emissions indicates we will continue to squeeze the trigger on the gun we have put to our own head.”  Eugene Linden, The Winds of Change: Climate, Weather and the Destruction of Civilization 

 “The ship is already starting to spin out of control.  We may soon lose all chance of grabbing the wheel. Humanity faces a genuinely new situation.  It is not an environmental crisis in the accepted sense. It is a crisis for the entire life-support system for our civilization and our species.”  Fred Pearce, The Last Generation: How Nature Will take Her Revenge for Climate Change 

 “At this point, it’s almost certainly too late to manage a transition to sustainability on a global or national scale, even if the political will to attempt it existed, which it clearly does not. Our civilization is in the early stages of the same curve of decline and fall as so many others have followed before it.  What likely lies in wait for us is a long, uneven decline into a new Dark Age  from which, centuries from now, the civilizations of the future will gradually emerge.”  John Michael Greer, The Long Descent 

 “We are strong and adaptable animals and can certainly make a new life on the hotter Earth, but there will only be a fraction of inhabitable land left. Soon we face the appalling question of who m can we let aboard the lifeboats?  And who must we reject?  There will be great clamor from climate refugees seeking a safe haven in those few parts where the climate is tolerable and food available. We will need a new set of rules for limiting the population in climate oases.”  James Lovelock, The Vanishing Face of Gaia: A final Warning 

 “Imagine we live on a planet. Not our cozy, taken for granted planet, but a planet, a real one, with melting poles and dying forests and a heaving, corrosive sea, raked by winds, strafed by storms, scorched by heat. And inhospitable place.  It needs a new name, Eaarth.”  Bill McKibben, Eaarth: Making a life on a Tough new Planet 

 "The cheap oil age created an artificial bubble of plentitude for a period not much longer than a human lifetime....so I hazard to assert that as oil ceases to be cheap and the world reserves move toward depletion, we will be left with an enormous population...that the ecology of the earth will not support. The journey back toward non-oil population homeostasis will not be pretty.  We will discover the hard way that population hyper growth was simply a side-effect of the oil age.  It was a condition, not a problem with a solution. That is what happened and we are stuck with it."  James Howard Kunstler  

 “We must alert and organize the world's people to pressure world leaders to take specific steps to solve the two root causes of our environmental crises - exploding population growth and wasteful consumption of irreplaceable resources. Over-consumption and overpopulation underlie every environmental problem we face today.”   Jacques-Yves Cousteau 

 “As we go from this happy hydrocarbon bubble we have reached now to a renewable energy resource economy, which we do this century, will the “civil” part of civilization survive?  As we both know there is no way that alternative energy sources can supply the amount of per capita energy we enjoy now, much less for the 9 billion expected by 2050. And energy is what keeps this game going. We are involved in a Faustian bargain—selling our economic souls for the luxurious life of the moment, but sooner or later the price has to be paid.”  Walter Youngquist  

 “The U.S. will set a record in the rate of rise—and fall of an empire.  Between wide open borders and fall of the dollar and growing population against a declining resource base, the US will be defeated from within. Mobs will rule the streets in the nation that is now the third largest in the world and unable to support its population except by taking resources from other countries.”  Arnold Toynbee 

 “If present growth trends in population, industrialization, pollution, food production and resource depletion continue unchanged, the limits to growth will be reached sometime in the next 100 years.”  The Club of Rome 1972 

 “The power of population is so superior to the power of earth to produce subsistence to humanity that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race.” Thomas Malthus 1798 

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Frosty Wooldridge has bicycled across six continents - from the Arctic to the South Pole - as well as six times across the USA, coast to coast and border to border. In 2005, he bicycled from the Arctic Circle, Norway to Athens, Greece. He presents "The Coming Population Crisis in America: and what you can do about it" to civic clubs, church groups, high schools and colleges. He works to bring about sensible world population balance at www.frostywooldridge.com He is the author of: America on the Brink: The Next Added 100 Million Americans. Copies available: 1 888 280 7715