A Generation Gap Over Immigration - NYTimes.com

A Generation Gap Over Immigration - NYTimes.com

RAD~ Here are some excerpts from a really interesting article in the NYT....I often find it fascinating to try to understand what influences me to think the way I do about things and why others see things differently.

Demographically, younger and older Americans grew up in vastly different worlds. Those born after the civil rights era lived in a country of high rates of legal and illegal immigration. In their neighborhoods and schools, the presence of immigrants was as hard to miss as a Starbucks today.

In contrast, baby boomers and older Americans — even those who fought for integration — came of age in one of the most homogenous moments in the country’s history.

Immigration, which census figures show declined sharply from the Depression through the 1960s, reached a historic low point the year after Woodstock. From 1860 through 1920, 13 percent to 15 percent of the country was foreign born — a rate similar to today’s, when immigrants make up about 12.5 percent of the country.

But in 1970, only 4.7 percent of the country was foreign born, and most of those immigrants were older Europeans, often unnoticed by the boomer generation born from 1946 to 1964.

Boomers and their parents also spent their formative years away from the cities, where newer immigrants tended to gather — unlike today’s young people who have become more involved with immigrants, through college, or by moving to urban areas.
-----------------------------------
Nicole Vespia, 18, of Selden, N.Y., said older people who were worried about immigrants stealing jobs were giving up on an American ideal: capitalist meritocracy.

“If someone works better than I do, they deserve to get the job,” Ms. Vespia said. “I work in a stockroom, and my best workers are people who don’t really speak English. It’s cool to get to know them.”

Her parents’ generation, she added, just needs to adapt.

“My stepdad says, ‘Why do I have to press 1 for English?’ I think that’s ridiculous,” Ms. Vespia said, referring to the common instruction on customer-service lines. “It’s not that big of a deal. Quit crying about it. Press the button.”

Immigration: Could it solve Social Security, Medicare woes? / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

Immigration: Could it solve Social Security, Medicare woes? / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

I'm glad somebody figured this out! - Immigration is the best way out of the demographic conundrum of the babyboom retirement. Of course Robert Reich could have just read my posting: Two reasons why pragmatism must trump passion on immigration reform (from last October)
 http://wiggiblawg.blogspot.com/2009/10/editorial-comment-on-immigration-reform.html#links

...but late is better than never. Kudos also to the CSM (after I just finished sending them a "sternly worded" email for seeming to have only negative coverage of immigration) I happily stand corrected.

New Americans in the Granite State | Immigration Policy Center

New Americans in the Granite State Immigration Policy Center


From the Immigration Policy Center (IPC)

Washington D.C. -The Immigration Policy Center has compiled research which shows that immigrants, Latinos, and Asians are an important part of New Hampshire and Vermont's economies, labor force, and tax base. Immigrants and their children are a growing economic and political force as consumers, taxpayers, and entrepreneurs. With the nation working towards economic recovery, Latinos, Asians and immigrants will continue to play a key role in shaping the economic and political future of the Granite and Green Mountain States.

Highlights from New Hampshire include:

Immigrants made up 5.1% of Granite Staters (or 67,735 people) in 2007.

The purchasing power of Latinos totaled $902.4 million and Asian buying power totaled nearly $963.2 million in New Hampshire in 2009.


If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from New Hampshire, the state could lose $893.2 million in economic activity and $396.7 million in gross state product.

click the title to see more from IPC

New report on demographic changes in Hillsborough County NH

A new report from the Carsey Institute at UNH discusses the changing demographics of the residents of New Hampshire' most populous region.  It discusses characteristics like age, income & poverty, urban/suburban growth and most interestingly to me immigration.  For instance...

"The Manchester–Nashua area has long been a point of entry for immigrants. Contemporary immigration levels certainly do not compare to historical levels, but immigrants remain an important source of growth for the region. An estimated 8,700 immigrants moved to the metropolitan area between 2000 and 2007. They represent more than one-third of the area’s population gain during the period.


Most of these immigrants settled in the cities of Nashua and Manchester, but a modest number settled
in the suburbs as well. Approximately 9 percent of the metropolitan area’s population is foreign-born, a far cry from the near majority at the turn of the last century, but certainly enough to underscore the continuing importance of immigrants to the region’s future."
 
To see the full report click on the headline or go to : http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/

Census survey show state immigrant population rising despite slight drop in US - The Boston Globe

Census survey show state immigrant population rising despite slight drop in US - The Boston Globe


Massachusetts’ immigrant population rose last year in the middle of the recession, bucking a national trend that showed a decline in foreign-born residents for the first time in decades.

The Changing Faces of New Hampshire: Recent Demographic Trends in the Granite State

Here is a link to a 2007 report on the demographic changes taking place in New Hampshire from 200-2006.  It is from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Kenneth M. Johnson authored the study. I understand that he is collaborating on another study regarding the demographic changes along the Nashua/Manchester Metro area to be released on the 26th of this month at UNH Manchester.

This is important information to know if you are into market research or politics and it is interesting to be aware of even if you don't absolutely need to know. Click on the itle to see the study.  To learn more about the Carsey Institute at UNH click this:

http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/index.html

Boomers may be headed for a Bummer

There are some people in every demographic group who take the position that we as a country should be drastically limiting immigration, but it sure seems to me like the over 50 crowd (Boomers and their elders in the Silent generation) are the driving force behind the nativist political discourse of these times.

It is ironic in a way because those are the very people who will feel the pinch of reduced immigration first. As the baby boomers start to reach retirement age in ever larger numbers -- they will face a shortage of physicians, nurses and other health care workers. Nursing homes and other areas of elder care already have higher than average percentages of foreign born workers. Even if the U.S. government can find a way to keep social security and medicare solvent (which is going to be difficult given the dwindling numbers of U.S. workers per retiree) -- without steady or even increased levels of immigration there will not be enough workers to care for the health needs of American retirees even if they are insured.

According to Census estimates the 65+ population will gain approximately 24 million people by 2025. The 18-64 population, however, will only gain 14 million people over the same span.

Today there are roughly 5 persons of employment age (18-64) for every person 65 or over -- by 2025 that ratio will be closer to 3 to 1. How do you suppose the economy and by extension the baby boomers' retirement investment accounts will perform over that period?


http://www.aamse.org/Resource/trendschp4.asp

http://www.aarpinternational.org/resourcelibrary/resourcelibrary_show.htm?doc_id=805430

http://www.reforminstitute.org/uploads/publications/Old_Promises_New_Blood_Final_11-21-08.pdf

http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/summarytables.html