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Alex Nowrasteh's avatar

What were these about?

“It was the only setting where I heard frank discussion about immigration and welfare.“

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Brian Chau's avatar

Whether immigration increased/decreased native fertility, whether welfare benefits could be made sustainable at all with declining fertility, whether welfare benefits were causing fertility declines, probably some more that I just don't remember.

It was a sharp debate, as you could expect from some of the different speakers.

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Handle's avatar

Great coverage, matches my impressions and predictions. When's the next DC meetup?

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Brian Chau's avatar

Friday, 6pm! (announced previously): https://lu.ma/3738vjuh

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forumposter123@protonmail.com's avatar

What practical action items came out of the conference?

Is there a policy platform?

Is there a plan for getting it implemented?

Are there private actors with any plan they are implementing?

I care a lot about pro-natalist, but I didn't want to fly out to Austin just to chat.

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Sarah Haider's avatar

Thanks for the write up, I wish I could have gone. Curious , what were the age ranges of attendees / speakers?

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Brian Chau's avatar

Really massive and high-variance. Youngest I met was 19, highest was probably in the 70s or 80s.

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Virginia Postrel's avatar

No women at this natalism conference? That seems like a rather large problem.

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Sarah Haider's avatar

I was invited, but couldn’t because I am in the midst of a tough pregnancy. I was told that a few others dropped out for pregnancy reasons, I presume they were also women.

I think this is one of those issues where female leadership will be uniquely tough to attain!

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Jonathan Brownson's avatar

I don't believe you can separate natalism from the impact of governmental policies on children. Unfortunately conservatives seem to think you can be pro life and anti policies which disproportionately help children (i.e.medicaid)

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Md Nadim Ahmed's avatar

I'm sort of confused. What does immigration and militarism have to do with fertility? Social security, Medicare and the welfare state in general seen like more obvious talking points.

Pardon my ignorance because I don't really follow this intellectual space.

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