Essay on Demographic Trends That Will Shape U.S. Policy in the Twenty-First Century
In the article “Demographic Trends That Will Shape U.S. Policy in the Twenty-First Century”, Janet M. Wilmoth and Charles Longino analyze the current demographic trends of American population that have a strong impact on the existing age-related public policy. The authors of the article are focused on the 21-st century public policy. They provide general background information on the issue, which refers to the current demographic trends, placing emphasis on the key characteristics of the older adult population. It has been found that “demographic trends do set the stage on which public policy decisions will play out” (286). Today it is crucial for policy makers to take into consideration the increased number of older adults in the country, as well as their geographic distribution. Age-related policies should be focused on finding the ways to improve health, reduce mortality rate and disability level. Besides, policy makers should pay special attention to certain changes in the structure of present day American families. According to Janet M. Wilmoth and Charles Longino, “From 1900 to 2000, the population aged 65 or older increased from almost 3 million to nearly 35 million, and it is projected to nearly triple to almost 90 million by 2060” (270). These facts mean that the increasing number of older adult population may have a strong impact on public policies. The major reason of the growth rate is “the aging of the baby boom cohort” (Wilmoth & Longino 270). The authors of the article highlight not only older adult trends, but also current trends among young adults and middle-aged adults. The authors state that women’s labor force participation has been changed over the past decades. The increased women’s labor force participation influences family structure. Thus, policy makers should not overlook the variation in women’s labor force participation. In general, the authors of the article place emphasis on several important unpredictable factors that shape the U.S. public policy in the 21-st century, including the economic growth in the U.S., the projected characteristics of the population, the political climate in the country, and other factors. These factors can be regarded as the so-called “wild cards”, which “increase uncertainty about the social implications of population aging and make current policy debates more challenging” (Wilmoth & Longino 288).
My response to this article is positive. The authors discuss significant issues, which have direct relation to current situation in the U.S. It is very important to understand the nature of challenges, which affect shaping the U.S. public policy in the 21-st century. Policy makers should be ready to take imperative action in order to avoid considerable cuts in spending or “more substantial tax increases” that may have negative impact on the ability of the U.S. government to solve problems caused by some unexpected events, such as war actions and financial crisis. This article is worth reading and analyzing as it provides much important information on planning for policy changes. The authors use valid sources, which contribute to better understanding of the key demographic trends that affect the formation of the U.S. public policy in the 21-st century, e.g. statistical data, peer-reviewed journals, documentation on public policy, and official websites of the relevant institutions. Due to the general background information on the issue of public concern, it is possible to assess the role of current demographic trends that are associated with shaping the age-related public policy in the U.S.
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