Lawmaker urges condoms for border control

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2247538320070622?feedType=RSS


A congressman is pushing a not-so-quick fix in the debate over illegal immigrants from Mexico: free contraceptives.

"A slower rate of growth of Mexico's population would improve the economy of Mexico. It would also reduce the environmental pressure on Mexico's ecosystem. But a slower rate of growth would also reduce the long-term illegal immigration pressure on America's borders," reasoned Rep. Mark Kirk, who also supports stronger border security in the short-term.

In reality, fertility rates have plunged in Mexico since 1980, when an average couple would have five or more children. Now, the country's fertility rate has dropped to 2.5 children, compared to 2.1 for the United States, according to United Nations data.

Kirk, an Illinois Republican, made the argument on Thursday during a heated debate in the House of Representatives over whether the U.S. government should be allowed to donate condoms and other contraceptives to family planning agencies abroad that also engage in abortion.
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was he elected by people or by cage/machines?

I can't imagine this is just not understanding the cultural milieu of the problem.

Mexican Catholics tend to be more devout as a whole, but they're really not any less likely to tell the Church to mind it's own business on sexual matters, which is why abortion laws are being liberalized in Mexico.

The higher birth rate probably has more to do with lack of access to birth control in rural areas and the need for children to help with farming and other labor than with religion. Likewise immigration has more to do with economic conditions than population- Mexico really doesn't lack for land or food, only for access to both in the lower classes (much like a certain neighbor to the north.)

Birth control can always be helpful, but a longer term solution to this problem is to get our friends in Mexico to have a good economy and a nice life so that they don't have to trek to America and live in a frightening foreign country with people whose language they don't speak.

...this suggestion comes from an ignorant hands dragging reTHUGlican it sounds a lot like eugenics and racism rhetoric to me

<snip>
Mexico: Total fertility rate

Year............................ 1955 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2005 2015 2050
Total fertility rate
(Average number of children) 6.87 6.96 6.82 5.30 3.61 2.75 2.50 2.16 1.85


<link to graph> http://globalis.gvu.unu.edu/indicator_detail.cfm?IndicatorID=138&Country=MX

This guy has a masters from LSE? WTF.

:evilgrin: