Amid President Donald Trump's economic growth — if it can be sustained as the administration suggests — the United States might be on the verge of another baby boom, according to the New York Post's Michael Barone.
"During the sluggish 2008-2013 economy, young Americans stayed put in tiny child-unfriendly apartments in hip central-coastal cities like New York and San Francisco, and paid high rents resulting from stringent environmental restrictions," Barone wrote. ". . . Since growth returned, young people have been heading to child-friendly suburbs and exurbs, ditching subway cards for SUV fobs.
"All of which raises the possibility of current stubbornly low birth rates being on the verge of a rise, away from the economically and culturally divided low-birth-rate society."
Historically, rising birth rates coincide with economic confidence and growth, while downturns have reacted inversely, according to Barone, who cited Gallup polling and fertility-rate data. Growth has yet to kick in, as American fertility rate — the number of children per woman age 15 to 44 — has hit a post-1970s low.
"Birth rates typically drop during recessions and rise a bit during booms — they did drop notably from 2007 to 2009 —but the latest data don’t show a rebound, despite significant growth and record-low unemployment," he wrote.
Barone did conclude by remarking "these countertrends are just possibilities" amid sustainable growth, which can also bolster the economy by increasing the population and feeding the workforce.
"Since persistently low birth rates lead to population loss, economic stagnation and low creativity, let’s hope some of them come true," he concluded.
© 2022 Newsmax. All rights reserved.