Whites Account for under 1/2 of US births

[Deleted]

www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/us/whites-account-for-under-half-of-births-in-us.html?hp

first paragraph



WASHINGTON — After years of speculation, estimates and projections, the Census Bureau has made it official: White births are no longer a majority in the United States.


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Non-Hispanic whites accounted for 49.6 percent of all births in the 12-month period that ended last July, according to Census Bureau data made public on Thursday, while minorities — including Hispanics, blacks, Asians and those of mixed race — reached 50.4 percent, representing a majority for the first time in the country’s history.

[chicken]

Sounds like Michelle Duggar has a new goal.

[IIOY]

This is good for the economy because we need *somebody* to squeeze out the next generation. Look at a place like Japan, where the birthdate has dropped and it's becoming nation of old people. Economically it's unsustainable because older folks are a net drain on resources.

We can't survive in a perpetual state of Baby Boomer retirement.

[Deleted]

May 17, 2012 5:45:13 GMT -5 IIOY said:

This is good for the economy because we need *somebody* to squeeze out the next generation. Look at a place like Japan, where the birthdate has dropped and it's becoming nation of old people. Economically it's unsustainable because older folks are a net drain on resources.

We can't survive in a perpetual state of Baby Boomer retirement.

I love the tie to old people hate

The article goes on to question what is going to happen given that as a country we have an abysmal history of educating minority children and will old white baby boomers be willing to pay to educate minority children.

[IIOY]

I didn't read the article, but the last point you mention is part and parcel of my anger with older folks. They want everything for themselves, future generations be damned. Throw in a different skin color for the younger folks, and it's a perfect storm for bad policy that puts us on the road to economic disaster.

I joke a lot about this, but my anger at the olds is only partly TIC and actually is grounded in genuine concern. The AARP is a massive threat to economic success in this nation.

[Deleted]

May 17, 2012 5:56:08 GMT -5 IIOY said:

I didn't read the article, but the last point you mention is part and parcel of my anger with older folks. They want everything for themselves, future generations be damned. Throw in a different skin color for the younger folks, and it's a perfect storm for bad policy that puts us on the road to economic disaster.

I joke a lot about this, but my anger at the olds is only partly TIC and actually is grounded in genuine concern. The AARP is a massive threat to economic success in this nation.

We agree... I'm just not as vocal.

It drives me bonkers that they refuse to vote for mil increases for the schools etc... even though in most areas once you hit 65 you can have your property taxes frozen.

The baby boomers are the real "me" generation. Not Gen Y

[marie427]

May 17, 2012 5:56:08 GMT -5 IIOY said:

I didn't read the article, but the last point you mention is part and parcel of my anger with older folks. They want everything for themselves, future generations be damned. Throw in a different skin color for the younger folks, and it's a perfect storm for bad policy that puts us on the road to economic disaster.

I joke a lot about this, but my anger at the olds is only partly TIC and actually is grounded in genuine concern. The AARP is a massive threat to economic success in this nation.

I was just thinking about this as I was reading my FB feed and saw how many parents were pissed off that their town's school budget vote had failed (multiple towns). As always, old people still living in these communities don't want to pay for anyone else's kids' educations. And scary point about anyone else's MINORITY kids' educations.

[locarb]

I think there are a lot of bi-racial children now and they need to start including that as a check box next to race.

[ChillyMcFreeze]

May 17, 2012 7:51:05 GMT -5 locarb said:

I think there are a lot of bi-racial children now and they need to start including that as a check box next to race.

I agree that demographic surveys are too restrictive, and they never really capture a true picture of the sample. But would you recommend just a "bi-racial" box, or more breakdowns like "Hispanic and Black" or "Pacific Islander and White"? It seems like "bi-racial" would tell us very little, but trying to include every combination would become way too cumbersome.

[ringstrue]

Ditto Marie - I was so glad all our budgets passed but it seemed like all around us they didn't - in the smaller towns that really need it. I know too many out of work teachers .

Whatever tho - if old people wanna live in a ghost town with no economic or community support then that's what they will eventually get.

[ttt]

May 17, 2012 8:22:10 GMT -5 ChillyMcFreeze said:

May 17, 2012 7:51:05 GMT -5 locarb said:

I think there are a lot of bi-racial children now and they need to start including that as a check box next to race.

I agree that demographic surveys are too restrictive, and they never really capture a true picture of the sample. But would you recommend just a "bi-racial" box, or more breakdowns like "Hispanic and Black" or "Pacific Islander and White"? It seems like "bi-racial" would tell us very little, but trying to include every combination would become way too cumbersome.

Can't you just check multiple boxes?

[Deleted]

The mochaccino babies are taking over the world, bitches!!

We're cuter anyway.

YWIA!

Also, a biracial box is stupid. Just check black, white, hispanic, multiracial, and all the others that apply.

[Deleted]

Also, I know a ridiculous amount of old white folks who are finding themselves with little biracial/multiracial grandbabies. I suspect as the country becomes decidedly less white, the olds will get on the boat.

Or die off.

Either or.

[Deleted]

May 17, 2012 8:30:56 GMT -5 ttt said:

Can't you just check multiple boxes?

I did when I registered my kids for school... partly because I think it is ridiculous we have to check boxes... but since DH's grandfather was born in pakistan I checked White and Asian

[Deleted]

May 17, 2012 8:37:44 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

Also, I know a ridiculous amount of old white folks who are finding themselves with little biracial/multiracial grandbabies. I suspect as the country becomes decidedly less white, the olds will get on the boat.

Or die off.

Either or.

I suppose the same can be said for gay marriage too... unfortunately it may not happen soon enough with the old fogies.

[meshaliuknits]

May 17, 2012 7:51:05 GMT -5 locarb said:

I think there are a lot of bi-racial children now and they need to start including that as a check box next to race.

I've filled in a lot of forms that have an option for "mixed" or allow you to check all that apply and I'm old, yo. Not all of them, but a lot.

[meshaliuknits]

May 17, 2012 8:35:11 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

The mochaccino babies are taking over the world, bitches!!

We're cuter anyway.

YWIA!

Also, a biracial box is stupid. Just check black, white, hispanic, multiracial, and all the others that apply.

Truth!

Hey, if you were filling out a form for pinky and it only allowed you to check one, what would you check?

[sunny]

May 17, 2012 8:37:44 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

Also, I know a ridiculous amount of old white folks who are finding themselves with little biracial/multiracial grandbabies. I suspect as the country becomes decidedly less white, the olds will get on the boat.

actually I agree - we have seen this happening in my husband's family.

so while I understand the pessimism and I agree that older folks do tend to vote selfishly, as more of them have their own family members who represent the "other" in their minds, I would hope that some barriers come down.

[Deleted]

May 17, 2012 9:45:26 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Hey, if you were filling out a form for pinky and it only allowed you to check one, what would you check?

Other. Pinky has already been warned that if she tries to claim she is white and white only, her black grandma will come beat her ass.

[meshaliuknits]

May 17, 2012 9:58:28 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

May 17, 2012 9:45:26 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Hey, if you were filling out a form for pinky and it only allowed you to check one, what would you check?

Other. Pinky has already been warned that if she tries to claim she is white and white only, her black grandma will come beat her ass.

I think I like her black grandmother.

Daycare gave me a form to fill out for the county yesterday and I got to the race section and I had no idea what to do. I think I skipped it. lol

[knittable]

May 17, 2012 5:48:12 GMT -5 @septimus said:

May 17, 2012 5:45:13 GMT -5 IIOY said:

This is good for the economy because we need *somebody* to squeeze out the next generation. Look at a place like Japan, where the birthdate has dropped and it's becoming nation of old people. Economically it's unsustainable because older folks are a net drain on resources.

We can't survive in a perpetual state of Baby Boomer retirement.

I love the tie to old people hate

The article goes on to question what is going to happen given that as a country we have an abysmal history of educating minority children and will old white baby boomers be willing to pay to educate minority children.

Unless those births are coerced by lack of access to education and health care. Every woman should be able to choose when and if she has a baby, not be used as a baby factory to produce future workers by denying her appropriate education and contraception and termination.

[IIOY]

May 17, 2012 12:51:35 GMT -5 @knittable said:

May 17, 2012 5:48:12 GMT -5 @septimus said:

I love the tie to old people hate

The article goes on to question what is going to happen given that as a country we have an abysmal history of educating minority children and will old white baby boomers be willing to pay to educate minority children.

Unless those births are coerced by lack of access to education and health care. Every woman should be able to choose when and if she has a baby, not be used as a baby factory to produce future workers by denying her appropriate education and contraception and termination.

The fuck?

[heyjude]

May 17, 2012 5:48:12 GMT -5 @septimus said:

May 17, 2012 5:45:13 GMT -5 IIOY said:

This is good for the economy because we need *somebody* to squeeze out the next generation. Look at a place like Japan, where the birthdate has dropped and it's becoming nation of old people. Economically it's unsustainable because older folks are a net drain on resources.

We can't survive in a perpetual state of Baby Boomer retirement.

I love the tie to old people hate

The article goes on to question what is going to happen given that as a country we have an abysmal history of educating minority children and will old white baby boomers be willing to pay to educate minority children.

Using California as an example: the answer is no.

[heyjude]

And seriously. We need to seriously come to grips with the fact that more and more children are not one thing or another. Neither "non Hispanic white" or "Hispanic" capture my daughter.

[basilosaurus]

May 17, 2012 5:45:13 GMT -5 IIOY said:

This is good for the economy because we need *somebody* to squeeze out the next generation. Look at a place like Japan, where the birthdate has dropped and it's becoming nation of old people. Economically it's unsustainable because older folks are a net drain on resources.

We can't survive in a perpetual state of Baby Boomer retirement.

And it's unsustainable to have a perpetual state of population growth. We're fucked either way, so I'd prefer to at least keep my drinking water.