Mark Steyn has a great piece in the corner, on his recurring theme of the aging population of the Western world (which does now include Japan and Korea, for all intents and purposes).

Japan’s population peaked in 2004 at about 127.8 million and is projected to fall to 89.9 million by 2055. The ratio of working-age to elderly Japanese fell from 8 to 1 in 1975 to 3.3 to 1 in 2005 and may shrivel to 1.3 to 1 in 2055. “In 2055, people will come to work when they have time off from long-term care,” said Kiyoaki Fujiwara, director of economic policy at the Japan Business Federation.

 

In the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges — (applause); an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. (Applause.) Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people’s everyday lives.

Was it Ronald Reagan, about Nicaragua?

That’s the question I’d like to consider for a while. Of course the question itself may be suspect to some people. In asking this particular question I’m assuming that America is great, and I’m well aware that there are some people in America today that just don’t accept that premise. To those people, I’d like to offer up a suggestion – do like so many other people do and vote with your feet.

I’m not saying “America, love it or leave it.” here, and I’m not simply hoping to get rid of dissenters. Instead, I’m saying that one of the measures of a country’s greatness might be found in the flow of emigrants and immigrants. If more people are emigrating from a country than are immigrating into it, that says something about conditions in that country don’t you think? And if the opposite is true, doesn’t that say something about it as well?

Below is the canned (I assume, please correct me if I am wrong) email I received from the Pierce County GOP, concerning Reichert’s Cap and Tax vote (on Jun 29):

Thank you for your email regarding Congressman Reichert’s vote on the Cap & Trade legislation.

The passion that everyone is expressing is the grass roots of our political system and it’s good to see so many people involved.

I will be delivering all of your emails this Wednesday to the Congressman!

Please stay in touch with the County Party and all of your legislators from your school boards, city councils, county councils, state legislature to the congressional folks.  It is our responsibility to keep all of these elected officials informed of our thoughts and concerns.    The ability to communicate so freely is unique to our country and a freedom we need to use responsibly.

By now, if you are not aware that Sarah Palin is resigning as Governor of Alaska on July 26, then you simply are not paying attention.