SomewhereInTheMiddle
SomewhereInTheMiddle's JournalElon Musk's one-word take on alarming population decline in India and China
Source: The Times of India
Elon Musk has once again sparked conversation around the issue of global population decline, with a simple yet powerful one-word response that reflects his deep concern about the future of humanity. The Tesla CEO retweeted a post on X (formerly Twitter), referencing a graph that projected a significant demographic shift in the coming decades, particularly in China and India, two of the most populous countries in the world.
The graph, originally shared by the Tesla Owners Silicon Valley account, illustrated the projected population changes from 2018 to 2100, showing a drastic population reduction in both countries. The post captioned the graph, Population collapse is humanity's greatest threat
Elon Musk, to which Musk replied with a brief but impactful, "Yes."
The graph paints a troubling picture: While Indias population is set to decline by roughly 400 million people by 2100, Chinas population is expected to plummet by an even more staggering 731 million, dropping to just 731.9 million. Meanwhile, Nigeria's population is set to soar, with projections showing it overtaking Chinas population by the end of the century.
Musks concise response underscores his long-standing alarm about the global demographic trends. Over the years, he has warned that population decline, fueled by factors like falling fertility rates, aging populations, and emigration, poses a growing threat to the worlds economy and development.
Read more: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/elon-musks-one-word-take-on-alarming-population-decline-in-india-and-china/articleshow/117032603.cms
I am saddened to see Musk continuing to take a growing role as an influencer of public discussion, even policy, around the globe.
I am also shocked by some of the demographic trends in the mentioned graphs. Many people have been calling for population reductions for years, concerned about the stress humanity is placing on the globe and its delicate systems.
This article points out the economic and possible cultural costs of population decline.
Is there a way to balance these two seemingly competing priorities?
'Red Caesarism' is rightwing code - and some Republicans are listening
From The Guardian - Sun 1 Oct 2023
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/01/red-caesar-authoritarianism-republicans-extreme-right
In June, the rightwing academic Kevin Slack published a book-length polemic claiming that ideas that had emerged from what he called the radical left were now so dominant that the US republic its founders envisioned was effectively at an end.
Slack, a politics professor at the conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan, made conspiratorial and extreme arguments now common on the antidemocratic right, that transgenderism, anti-white racism, censorship, cronyism are now the policies of an entire cosmopolitan class that includes much of the entrenched bureaucracy, the military, the media, and government-sponsored corporations.
In a discussion of possible responses to this conspiracy theory, he wrote that the New Right now often discusses a Red Caesar, by which it means a leader whose post-Constitutional rule will restore the strength of his people.
For the last three years, parts of the American right have advocated a theory called Caesarism as an authoritarian solution to the claimed collapse of the US republic in conference rooms, podcasts and the house organs of the extreme right, especially those associated with the Claremont Institute thinktank.
Though on the surface this discussion might seem esoteric, experts who track extremism in the US say that due to their influence on the Republican party, the rightwing intellectuals who espouse these ideas about the attractions of autocracy present a profound threat to American democracy.
Their calls for a red Caesar are now only growing louder as Donald Trump, whose supporters attempted to violently halt the election of Joe Biden in 2020, has assumed dominant frontrunner status in the 2024 Republican nomination race. Trump, who also faces multiple criminal indictments, has spoken openly of attacking the free press in the US and having little regard for American constitutional norms should he win the White House again...
A disturbing but enlightening look at some way-out-there thinking that leads merrily down the road to treason and civil war.
I had been seeing a lot of headlines about a resurgence in interest in Roman history. I did not read any of them because I have always been interested in that period. This article has me thinking that the mentioned rise in profile of the Romans may have a more sinister political meaning that I formerly gave it.
More support for the idea that our republic is at risk.
Pelosi says interim House speaker McHenry has ordered her to vacate her office in the Capitol ...
Source: CNN
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday said the newly named interim speaker, GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, has ordered her to vacate her office in the Capitol building.
She does maintain her regular office in the Cannon House office building.
An email sent from McHenrys office to Pelosis office just after 6 p.m. Tuesday evening that was viewed by CNN, stated, Going to reassign h-132 for speaker office use. Please vacate the space tomorrow.
Pelosi said in a statement that she was not in Washington, DC, to immediately move her belongings.
With all of the important decisions that the new Republican Leadership must address, which we are all eagerly awaiting, one of the first actions taken by the new Speaker Pro Tempore was to order me to immediately vacate my office in the Capitol, the California Democrat said. Sadly, because I am in California to mourn the loss of and pay tribute to my dear friend Dianne Feinstein, I am unable to retrieve my belongings at this time.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/03/politics/pelosi-vacate-office-capitol-mchenry-interim-speaker/index.html
Is it just me or is this petty payback for the Democrats voting against McCarthy? Is Pelosi still the bogart for the GOP House members that they feel the need to strike out against her in particular?
Or is McHenry stuck in a really bad office and just wants to take the opportunity to get a better one while he can? That may be a little too generous given the short deadline he gave her.
Romney proposes sending $1,000 checks to every American to ease coronavirus economic pain
Source: CNBC
GOP Sen. Mitt Romney proposed on Monday sending every American adult $1,000 to ease the financial pain of the coronavirus pandemic that has tanked global markets and threatened to grind U.S. economic activity to a halt.
The proposal from the 2012 Republican nominee for president came as the White House and Congress work to reach an agreement over the necessary stimulus measures to contain the unfolding economic crisis.
National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow, asked on Monday by a reporter whether the White House would support direct cash assistance to American households, paused and said we might.
The answer: could be, Kudlow said.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/16/coronavirus-stimulus-romney-proposes-1000-for-every-american.html
Will the GOP adopt Andrew Yang's idea or is this just a one time thing? IS there any chance this could make it through the Senate? If so would the President sign off?
Senators From Least Populated States Say The U.S. Isn't 'Full'
Senators From Least Populated States Say The U.S. Isnt Full
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-immigration-full-asylum_n_5cacd724e4b0e833aa31dc02
Source: huffpost
WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trumps blunt suggestion last week that the United States is too full to accommodate migrants isnt shared by lawmakers from some of the least populated areas of the country, who maintain that lawful immigrants are more than welcome in their states.
I dont think the countrys full. Weve got a lot of room in North Dakota and theres even more in Montana, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), whose home state of North Dakota boasts just 760,000 people, according to the latest U.S. census estimate, told HuffPost on Tuesday.
During a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border last week, Trump urged migrants fleeing violence in Central America to turn back because our country is full.
Whether its asylum or anything you want ― illegal immigration ― we cant take you anymore, Trump declared, insisting the U.S. immigration system is overburdened and unable to process more asylum requests. Our country is full. Our area is full. The sector is full. Cant take you anymore, Im sorry. Turn around, he added during a round table in El Paso, Texas.
When I first heard the President claim the US was full I was driving through some very lovely but not highly populated areas of western Virginia along Route 17. I looked around and laughed.
Then I thought Why is the President advocating a zero birth rate policy? I mean if the country is full we need to stop all births from citizens as well as eliminating all immigration. I wondered if he was even encouraging abortions for all current pregnancies, if there is no room for the new babies.
Or is there simply no room, is his mind, for a certain type of person? Or perhaps he simply lives in a very different world.
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Gender: Do not displayHometown: Texas, PA, & Elsewhere
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