Immigrants and Boomers : Forging a New Social Contract for the Future of America

"This story of hope for both immigrants and native-born Americans is a well-researched, insightful, and illuminating study that provides compelling evidence to support a policy of homegrown human investment as a new priority. A timely, valuable addition to demographic and immigration studies. Highly recommended." Choice Virtually unnoticed in the contentious national debate over immigration is the significant demographic change about to occur as the first wave of the Baby Boom generation retires, slowly draining the workforce and straining the federal budget to the breaking point. In this forward-looking new book, noted demographer Dowell Myers proposes a new way of thinking about the influx of immigrants and the impending retirement of the Baby Boomers. Myers argues that each of these two powerful demographic shifts may hold the keys to resolving the problems presented by the other. Immigrants and Boomers looks to California as a bellwether statewhere whites are no longer a majority of the population and represent just a third of residents under age twentyto afford us a glimpse into the future impact of immigration on the rest of the nation. Myers opens with an examination of the roots of voter resistance to providing social services for immigrants. Drawing on detailed census data, Myers demonstrates that long-established immigrants have been far more successful than the public believes. Among the Latinos who make up the bulk of California's immigrant population, those who have lived in California for over a decade show high levels of social mobility and use of English, and 50 percent of Latino immigrants become homeowners after twenty years. The impressive progress made by immigrant families suggests they have the potential to pick up the slack from aging boomers over the next two decades. The mass retirement of the boomers will leave critical shortages in the educated workforce, while shrinking ranks of middle-class tax payers and driving up entitlement expenditures. In addition, as retirees sell off their housing assets, the prospect of a generational collapse in housing prices looms. Myers suggests that it is in the boomers' best interest to invest in the education and integration of immigrants and their children today in order to bolster the ranks of workers, taxpayers, and homeowners America they will depend on ten and twenty years from now. In this compelling, optimistic book, Myers calls for a new social contract between the older and younger generations, based on their mutual interests and the moral responsibility of each generation to provide for children and the elderly. Combining a rich scholarly perspective with keen insight into contemporary political dilemmas, Immigrants and Boomers creates a new framework for understanding the demographic challenges facing America and forging a national consensus to address them. Contents......Page 8 About the Author......Page 10 Preface and Acknowledgments......Page 12 Chapter 1. Introduction......Page 20 Part I: Immigration and the Great Transition......Page 36 Chapter 2. Knowing and Making the Future......Page 38 Chapter 3. Demographic Transition in California and the United States......Page 55 Chapter 4. A Dismal Future? The Outlook in the Early Transition Period......Page 83 Chapter 5. California Turnaround: A Renewed Basis for Optimism......Page 104 Chapter 6. Immigrant Upward Mobility: Support for a More Hopeful Future......Page 121 Part II. Self-Interest and Governance......Page 140 Chapter 7. The Political Lag During the Demographic Transition......Page 142 Chapter 8. An Evolving Social Contract with Many Strands......Page 170 Chapter 9. Rediscovering the Intergenerational Social Contract for the Twenty-First Century......Page 196 Part III. Mutual Self-Interest for a Hopeful Future......Page 216 Chapter 10. Growing the New Skilled Workforce and Middle-Class Taxpayer Base......Page 218 Chapter 11. Sharing the American Dream: The Linked Interests of Older Home Sellers and Younger Home Buyers......Page 244 Part IV. A Shared Destiny and a New Social Contract......Page 266 Chapter 12. Conclusion: Steps Toward Building a More Hopeful Future......Page 268 Afterword......Page 280 Appendix A: Supplementary Analysis of the Economic Turnaround......Page 286 Appendix B: Supplementary Analysis of Voter’s Opinions......Page 292 Notes......Page 304 References......Page 350 Index......Page 368 About The Author -- Preface And Acknowledgments -- Ch. 1. Introduction -- Pt. 1. Immigration And The Great Transition -- Ch. 2. Knowing And Making The Future -- Ch .3. Demographic Transition In California And The United States -- Ch. 4. A Dismal Future? : The Outlook In The Early Transition Period -- Ch. 5. California Turnaround : A Renewed Basis For Optimism -- Ch. 6. Immigrant Upward Mobility : Support For A More Hopeful Future -- Pt. 2. Self-interest And Governance -- Ch. 7. The Political Lag During The Demographic Transition -- Ch. 8. An Evolving Social Contract With Many Strands -- Ch. 9. Rediscovering The Intergenerational Social Contract For The Twenty-first Century -- Pt. 3. Mutual Self-interest For A Hopeful Future -- Ch. 10. Growing The New Skilled Workforce And Middle-class Taxpayer Base -- Ch .11. Sharing The American Dream : The Linked Interests Of Older Home Sellers And Younger Home Buyers -- Pt. 4. A Shared Destiny And A New Social Contract -- Ch. 12. Conclusion : Steps Toward Building A More Hopeful Future -- Afterword -- Appendix A : Supplementary Analysis Of The Economic Turnaround -- Appendix B : Supplementary Analysis Of Voter's Opinions -- Notes -- References -- Index. Dowell Myers. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [331]-348) And Index. "Many Americans regard the massive influx of immigrants over the past thirty years with great anxiety, fearing new burdens and unwanted changes to the nation's ethnic, social, and economic identity. Virtually unnoticed in the contentious national debate over immigration is the even more significant demographic change about to occur as the first wave of the baby boom generation retires, slowly draining the workforce and straining the federal budget to the breaking point. In this book, Immigrants and Boomers, demographer Dowell Myers proposes a new way of thinking about these issues and argues that each of these two powerful demographic shifts may hold the keys to resolving the problems presented by the other."--BOOK JACKET.