Even more shocking – the NY Times notices that all the government programs to increase birth rates have not worked:
That’s because the playbook for boosting national birthrates is a rather thin one. Most initiatives that encourage families to have more children are expensive, and the results are often limited. Options include cash incentives for having babies, generous parental leave policies and free or subsidized child care.
Source: Can China Reverse Its Population Decline? Just Ask Sweden. – The New York Times
This is amusing for two reasons.
One, a number of politicians have proposed that the U.S. should adopt Scandinavian social benefits programs (and similar high taxes too) – even though those programs have not worked. Even the NY Times report acknowledges that.
Second, the media has been convinced it’s a left versus right issue: Attacking the left for choosing childlessness is fertile ground for a certain type of politician – New Statesman
With the NY Times acknowledging reality, will the media spin return to reality too?
Update: Nope. The NY Times is still stuck on stupid and thinks the low birth rate issues will be resolved with childcare benefits (a strategy that has not worked anywhere in the world): To Tap Federal Funds, Chip Makers Will Need to Provide Child Care – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
