300-million milestone proof U.S. still vibrant

Editorials

October 18, 2006

Anonymous The Daily Southerner Wed Oct 18, 2006, 12:38 PM EDT

America's population odometer rolled over to 300 million Tuesday.

Unlike in 1915, when the United States recorded 100 million residents with great celebration, or in 1967, when Robert Woo Jr. was named America's 200 millionth resident with much fanfare when he was born in Atlanta, this next population milestone is being met with subdued reaction by many Americans. In some cases, it is being met with trepidation.

The vigorous population growth in the United States is being driven, largely, by immigration and the high birth rates of many new immigrant groups.

But this is at a time when some Americans are getting increasingly nervous about the babble of foreign tongues here at home. And there are huddled masses of foreigners wanting entrance to this country, either by waiting in line for scarce entrance visas or by slipping across the border in the dark of night. Immigrants make up about 12 percent of the population and account for about 40 percent of the population growth in this country.

If Americans feel their nation is under siege by the flood of immigrants, it's not the first time. Waves of Irish, Jewish, Chinese and Eastern European immigrants made native-born Americans worry that these new groups would never assimilate and would forever change American culture.

They did assimilate and they did forever change American culture – for the better.

The current wave of immigrants will do the same. They will assimilate and they will change American culture – for the better.

And, as important, they will help rescue the United States from the demographic problems that an aging population will bring to bear on the country.

Those problems will lie heavily on Social Security.

In 1950, there were 16 workers supporting every retiree on Social Security. Today, there are 3.3 workers per Social Security recipient. By 2040, it is estimated there will be only two workers to support each beneficiary.

A flow of relatively young immigrants into this country should be welcomed. Instead of thinking of ways to toss illegal immigrants out of the United States and keep them out, immigration reformers should be making it easier for willing workers to stay here legally so they can pay taxes, especially into Social Security.

If not, the United States is apt to go the way of Europe or Japan, where the population is aging rapidly, the economy is stagnant, and there's little hope for an infusion of young workers.

The population in the United States is growing by one person – births and immigration minus deaths – each 11 seconds. So the U.S. Census Bureau, in announcing the 300 millionth person, really will have no idea of who, where or when it actually is.

But the fact that the population continues to grow at a fantastic clip tells us that, despite the tarnished reputation the United States may have in parts of the world, it still has a vibrant economy and unrivaled freedoms.

America is the place millions of people living elsewhere in the world would rather be. And that's the way we'd like it to continue.

— Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette

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Editorials

Happening a special event
My first Happening on the Common was one to remember, perhaps in part because it included a wide variety of music, arts and crafts and food.
And while you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking if someone liked either music or arts and crafts, there is no such uncertainty when it comes to food.
My favorite of the day was from the Hispanic Youth Group from Tarboro’s First Baptist Church. Their tamales were, as the Campbell Soup Kids used to say, “umm, umm. good!”

May 21, 2012
Did you ever lose your vehicle?
Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a parking lot, knowing in yiour heart that you remembered where you parked but faced with the realization that you didn’t?
I think many of us have been down that path, sheepishly realizing that the reason your automatic door opener isn’t working is because it’s not your vehicle.
Then, sheepishly, we walk away and begin our wandering and wondering as we try to find our wheels.

May 14, 2012
Who looks after our parks?
To the Editor:
There are so many wonderful aspects of living in a small town like Tarboro; we have opportunities to participate in improvement programs in gardening, home restoration courses, weight loss, summer recreation, wholesome weekend events, some of which are free, and many more that meet the interests of our residents, such as the upcoming free concert on our Town Common by the North Carolina Symphony. There’s a “Trap, Neuter, Return” organization to keep the feline population in-check. Check out the calendar page of the Daily Southerner and you will be informed of opportunities for all ages.

May 14, 2012
Thanks from United Way
To the Editor:
A remarkable group of more than 175 citizens came together recently to celebrate a major accomplishment for the communities in Edgecombe and Nash Counties. The joy was palpable at the Champions’ Luncheon as the United Way Tar River Region affirmed that the ambitious goal of raising more than $1.26 million has been reached! There was a collective sigh of relief in knowing that funds will be available to continue support for the growing number of needs in our local neighborhoods.

May 14, 2012
Economic growth a must
I give credit to Rich Karlgaard, a regular contributor to Forbes magazine, for many of the statistics I use in this column.
As we all know our economy is extremely sluggish to put it mildly. It’s just growing at somewhere between 1 percent and 2 percent and at this rate the economy can only get worse. In comparison, our economy has grown, on average, at a rate of 3.3 percent since the end of World War II. And even during this time frame we had two big recessions.

May 9, 2012
Rest of week just gets busier here in Tarboro
Just the other day, as the community was making final preparations for Relay for Life, we heard someone complaining about how there is “never anything to do around here.”
We beg to differ.

May 9, 2012
And we continue to walk ...
As a cancer survivor — and on behalf of other cancer survivors — thank you to everyone who has taken even the most minute role in the Relay for Life effort.
That effort continues this week when the Rocky Hock Opry rolls into town for a couple of Saturday performances at Edgecombe Community College.
Please, continue your support.

May 7, 2012
Early voting over; Go to the polls and vote Tuesday
Tuesday is election day.
It is a time when we, as Americans, go to the polls and make decisions that affect the course our communities, our counties, our states and, ultimately, our nation, will take.
But while many will spend time discussing their “right” to vote, we would like to point out that it is also the responsibility of a citizen of this great land to participate in the electoral process.

May 7, 2012
Your Views
May 7, 2012
Do you remember where you were?
I would be willing to bet there won’t be a person at the Tarboro High School football field and track today and tonight who can’t tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when they learned they had cancer.

May 4, 2012
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