Cash for Kids: A Global Crisis Awaits Us

You have heard of Cash for Clunkers...now in a strange Orwellian twist, Japan has just joined Russia in what I like to call, the Cash for Kids program.

Yes, it is true, if Japanese married couples have a child, they will receive a monthly stipend equivalent to about 300 US dollars until the child completes Jr. High. The Russian government pays equivalent to 9 thousand US dollars a year to couples who have more than one child. So far, the Cash for Kids program is not working.

Low birth rates around the world, especially in Europe and Japan are already having a negative effect on their status in the world, their economy; social life and their future. While the US is at replacement birth rate 2.13 (the number represents the number of children a woman has during her lifetime and includes immigrant births), Japan and Russia and all of Western Europe are well below the replacement birth rate. The US is only a few decades behind.

The loss of workers in all sectors of the economy means loss of revenue, higher costs of health care and social services and less significant military power - in short a collapse of world economies like never before. If you think the economy is bad now...we ain't seen nothin' yet.

Other nations including India, China, Mexico, African nations and some middle eastern nations have higher than needed birth rates. However, they are decreasing rapidly and some like India and China find themselves in a situation where there is a huge imbalance between baby girls and baby boys. This is also very unsettling. By 2030, China is expected to have 20 million more men than women.

The reason for the demographic changes are two-fold: high rate of baby boomers (1950s and 60s) and fewer couples marrying and having babies (1970s through today); and people living longer lives. Other factors should be considered as well. Some others include high divorce rates, increases in abortions, social pressure from population control and environment issues.

In Russia, there are more abortions each year than live births.

By 2050 36% of the population in Europe will be over 65.

Since 1990, there are 6 million fewer children worldwide.

If trends continue, by 2030, the UN estimates that there will be 250 million fewer children in the world then there are today.

As the baby boomers age, there are not enough people to replace them and cover their costs of living. This is the first time in the history of humanity that the graying population is growing while other populations decline.

Please learn more about this impending catastrophe. Let's hope it is not too late. Go to www.demographicwinter.com to learn more.