How to Address Declining Birth Rates
Maxwell expert says financial incentives won't solve America's birth rate decline and advocates supporting families who want children.
The Heritage Foundation released the report . In it, the authors had many suggestions on how to increase birth rates in America and strengthen marriages between men and women.
For reporters covering these topics of marriage, natalism and population decrease, 网爆门 Professor is available for interviews.
Lopoo, the Paul Volcker Chair in Behavioral Economics in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, is the author of the forthcoming book, “” which looks at many of the issues raised in the report by the Heritage Foundation. He offered a few reactions to the report:
- “The Heritage Foundation does not seem to understand that family decisions are not so simple that people would marry or have more children if they just received a few extra thousand dollars,” Lopoo says. “Families are the biggest institutions in people鈥檚 lives. A family change, either by marriage or to have more children, is a lifelong commitment. These proposed changes, even if one believes they are good ideas, are superficial and have never worked.”
- “What this policy might do is change social norms鈥攖hat could change our demography,” Lopoo says. “What we should be doing is trying to help those who already want to have children to have them鈥攕upport fertility assistance.聽 My book emphasizes wantedness.聽 More wanted (by parents) children should be the goal, not more wanted children by the Heritage Foundation or policymakers.”
Please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, executive director of media relations, at ejmbuqe@syr.edu to arrange an interview.
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