Dr. Karen Guzzo

So pronatalism is really about raising birth rates at the country level, at the macro level. It's interested in and worried about, are birth rates too low? Do they need to be higher? And there's a lot of debate over what it means for fertility rates to be too low and what might be the best ways to address it. That's really focused on getting the whole country to have more births.

So pronatalism is really about raising birth rates at the country level, at the macro level. It's interested in and worried about, are birth rates too low? Do they need to be higher? And there's a lot of debate over what it means for fertility rates to be too low and what might be the best ways to address it. That's really focused on getting the whole country to have more births.

Well, one of the things that's actually driving low fertility rates in the United States is something that's a good news story, which is that there are fewer teen and unintended births. And so births to people who are in their teens and early 20s typically are births to people that are unintended, so that people themselves would say, this is not really the right time for me.

Well, one of the things that's actually driving low fertility rates in the United States is something that's a good news story, which is that there are fewer teen and unintended births. And so births to people who are in their teens and early 20s typically are births to people that are unintended, so that people themselves would say, this is not really the right time for me.

And so we spent a lot of time and a lot of money in the United States trying to discourage people from having first, when they were not really ready. So when they were too young, and I sort of, too young in quotes, too young, or they weren't stably employed or didn't have a good income or a stable relationship. And so we've made a lot of progress in that realm.

And so we spent a lot of time and a lot of money in the United States trying to discourage people from having first, when they were not really ready. So when they were too young, and I sort of, too young in quotes, too young, or they weren't stably employed or didn't have a good income or a stable relationship. And so we've made a lot of progress in that realm.

But then the flip side of it is people are supposed to wait until they have these things. You know, they're supposed to have enough money and a stable relationship and a good house. And you're right that it's really hard to be able to afford those things. The number one concern over people as to whether they should have kids and how many to have and when to have them is can I afford it?

But then the flip side of it is people are supposed to wait until they have these things. You know, they're supposed to have enough money and a stable relationship and a good house. And you're right that it's really hard to be able to afford those things. The number one concern over people as to whether they should have kids and how many to have and when to have them is can I afford it?

are different potential concerns. I mean, the biggest one really is that the population starts to age on the aggregate when you have fewer young people born, and then it ends up being skewed towards older adults. And older adults need more care, both physical care, but also they take financial resources.

are different potential concerns. I mean, the biggest one really is that the population starts to age on the aggregate when you have fewer young people born, and then it ends up being skewed towards older adults. And older adults need more care, both physical care, but also they take financial resources.

And so in many countries, and not just in the United States, the question is, how do we care for the older adults when the population is aging? And so in the United States, we have a social security system that's built on current workers paying in to support people who are currently drawing from Social Security. And so that's a big concern is how do we actually care for the elderly?

And so in many countries, and not just in the United States, the question is, how do we care for the older adults when the population is aging? And so in the United States, we have a social security system that's built on current workers paying in to support people who are currently drawing from Social Security. And so that's a big concern is how do we actually care for the elderly?

Then there are also labor market concerns. So who's going to be working to pay into Social Security, but also to fuel the economy? And we need workers because we also need people to have incomes to become consumers. And so we do worry about the potential ramifications of low birth rates, although there's other solutions besides potentially low birth rates to fix some of these problems.

Then there are also labor market concerns. So who's going to be working to pay into Social Security, but also to fuel the economy? And we need workers because we also need people to have incomes to become consumers. And so we do worry about the potential ramifications of low birth rates, although there's other solutions besides potentially low birth rates to fix some of these problems.

Well, one of the biggest ones would actually be a change in how we structure Social Security. So the way Social Security works is that there's a cap on income. And so you pay up until, I think it's roughly around $175,000 for single people on your payroll taxes. So up until that, you pay Social Security. Any money you earn above that for a single earner is not taxed for Social Security.

Well, one of the biggest ones would actually be a change in how we structure Social Security. So the way Social Security works is that there's a cap on income. And so you pay up until, I think it's roughly around $175,000 for single people on your payroll taxes. So up until that, you pay Social Security. Any money you earn above that for a single earner is not taxed for Social Security.

And we could raise that cap, or we could eliminate entirely, and that would be a way to increase the monies available we have to fund Social Security. That seems to me more plausible than trying to have this massive behavioral change that would require people to have more births.

And we could raise that cap, or we could eliminate entirely, and that would be a way to increase the monies available we have to fund Social Security. That seems to me more plausible than trying to have this massive behavioral change that would require people to have more births.

We could also change the income who is able to draw from Social Security, so we could limit it to people who have lower incomes. We could change the Social Security age at retirement. There are things we could do that would adjust our need for Social Security.

We could also change the income who is able to draw from Social Security, so we could limit it to people who have lower incomes. We could change the Social Security age at retirement. There are things we could do that would adjust our need for Social Security.