In the past I've enjoyed guest demographer Ken Gronbach, but he didn't impress me a few nights ago with his take on a couple topics. Early on, he made the statement that the population of Sub-Saharan Africa would be the only place on Earth where population growth would be expected to continue to increase in the future. A few minutes later, a very estute caller asked him about safe drinking water in that part of the world. Gronbach kinda hemmed and hawed
before admitting he hadn't considered that and knew little about water and its role in population growth....other than knowing people need water to live. Very disappointing, reminded me of trying to solve simultaneously equations with more variables that equations. How can he have made such a prediction without considering if there are enough natural resources to sustain the population he's predicting?
Equally puzzling was his prediction our young/new voters will be predominantly leftists who will turn the tide in future elections and ensure liberals/Democrats will be in control for a long time to come. Ironically, I heard the same thing said in the late 60s through the late 70s in light of the anti war and civil rights movements. Yet, from 1968-1992, only one Democrat (Carter) was elected president. He lasted exactly one term, carried just one (not his own) state when he ran for election, and was ran out of office in the largest landslide defeat in the history of the presidency. Guess demographers don't look at history either.
