We’re having fewer babies, and some say that’s a good thing.
A report from Pew Social & Demographic Trends offering further evidence that the economy is playing a role in declining birth rates got a lot of Life Inc. readers talking this week — about whether less kids could be good for our country, and our planet.
“That speaks very well for our country. People aren't just randomly cranking out kids. They're waiting for solid economic times so the kids will be safe,” one reader commented.
Many readers seem to feel that the world has enough people already, and complained that they think people who aren’t equipped to raise children are having them.
“This is great, why bring more children into this overpopulated planet?” one reader said.
Still, some argued that without an influx of kids, who’s going to be paying into our Social Security?
Maybe it could be wealthy people.
Another popular post on Life Inc. this week showed that less than 6 percent of workers would be affected if the cap on Social Security taxes were lifted to help pay for a potential funding shortfall.
The vast majority of the more than 11,000 people who voted in our poll felt that people with higher incomes should pay Social Security taxes on at least some of their earnings above $106,800..
“I am normally not for raising taxes, but this does make sense to me,” one reader noted.
Still, others argued that Social Security had bigger problems.
“Social Security is a joke. The whole thing needs to be reworked. Charging those of us whom will never benefit from it is not the answer,” one reader wrote.
On to more immediate pocketbook issues: Peanut butter. A report this week on how peanut butter prices are on the rise got a pretty big rise out of our readers.
Many readers said it wasn’t the only grocery item they seem to be paying more for these days.
“It would be news if you found something that ISN'T going up in price!” one reader wrote on our Today Money Facebook page.