... and here's the rest:
Now... maybe you'll actually respond to my point.
Every country or region will have its natural population growth rate, whether strongly negative, strongly positive or something in between (what I called "X"). Every country will also have individual effects of marriage laws, which presumably vary by culture and region, which will impart some change in population growth, whether strongly negative, strongly positive or something in between (what I called "Y").
Also, presumably, every country has an optimum population growth rate based on its own particular needs and circumstances (let's call this "Z").
How can you be sure that in every single case everywhere, X + Y is closer to Z than X is by itself?
Both countries have growing populations and major societal problems associated with this growth.
In broad strokes, the terms of opposite-sex marriage are:
- both parties give willing consent (including any age tests for consent)
- the two parties aren't close relatives
- neither party is already married to someone else
- the two parties follow the government-instituted procedure to wed (including paying any fees, having a licenced officiant, blood tests in some jurisdictions, etc.)
Two people of the same sex are just as capable as an opposite sex couple in meeting all of these terms.
Nowhere in this is any sort of test or measure for future children. Post-menopausal women are free to marry. There isn't even a "do you plan to have kids? Y/N" box on the marriage licence application form.
Increasing a thing implies that it is greater than what it would have been if the state hadn't intervened. Maintaining the existence of a thing implies that it would cease to exist if the state hadn't intervened. In either case, the sanction is intended to address the part of that thing that would exist because of the intervention, not the part that would exist if nothing was done.Not necessarily, a state sanction may increase a thing, or maintain the existence of a thing. Regardless, the fact a state sanction exists indicates the state sees that thing as something to foster.
Yes, and the state has a very clear interest in sanctioning same-sex marriage.The "purpose" of marriage may be distinct from state interest. State interest is the issue.
Nice creative quoting. Here's what I actually said, including the part just after where you ended the quote where I deal with all possibilities of population growth from positive through zero to negative:This is not the case. There are several countries, particularly in advanced economies, that have negative population growth.
I'll re-phrase: without state sanction of marriage, you'd have some population growth; let's call it "X" (might be positive, might be negative, might be zero - at this point we don't know). Let's call the increase in population growth due to state sanction of marriage "Y" (might be positive, might be negative, might be zero - at this point we don't know). Your argument basically amounts to the claim that for every society, a population growth rate of X + Y is always better for the state and society than a growth rate of X alone. I wonder how you can be so sure of this in all cases.
Now... maybe you'll actually respond to my point.
Every country or region will have its natural population growth rate, whether strongly negative, strongly positive or something in between (what I called "X"). Every country will also have individual effects of marriage laws, which presumably vary by culture and region, which will impart some change in population growth, whether strongly negative, strongly positive or something in between (what I called "Y").
Also, presumably, every country has an optimum population growth rate based on its own particular needs and circumstances (let's call this "Z").
How can you be sure that in every single case everywhere, X + Y is closer to Z than X is by itself?
You are confused. According to the UN's figures, China has gone from a population growth rate in 1950 or 1.87 to a current rate of 0.58 and a projection by 2045 of -0.32. Also by the UN: India has gone from a 1950 growth rate of 1.73 to a current rate of 1.46 to a projection by 2045 of 0.32. Neither constitute run away populations.
Both countries have growing populations and major societal problems associated with this growth.
Nice.Your understanding of world population growth rates is unstudied.
So, what do you consider to be the optimum growth rate for the United States? Give a number, any number.Regardless, The U.S's growth rates while still positive are nonetheless declining along with the world's population growth rates.
No, it's not, but state sanction of marriage doesn't do that.I don't know all the legal systems of all the world so I can't comment on when all the world's legal systems begin doing a thing. I have been exposed to several legal systems. I know several where benefits increase with the number of children produced. Regardless, the basic idea of states wanting to secure a future citizenry and thereby sanctioning a way for that to occur doesn't seem a particularly radical notion.
The rights, privileges and benefits of opposite-sex marriage are not tied to fertility or to the intent to have children. A man and woman incapable of having children themselves are free to marry in California.As to what you posted: the basic point is/was that homosexual marriage and heterosexual marriage are not similarly situated. There is a base difference. Heterosexual marriages may produce new citizens the other cannot. The state may see benefit in having new citizens and their foster: thus the sanction of heterosexual marriage.
In broad strokes, the terms of opposite-sex marriage are:
- both parties give willing consent (including any age tests for consent)
- the two parties aren't close relatives
- neither party is already married to someone else
- the two parties follow the government-instituted procedure to wed (including paying any fees, having a licenced officiant, blood tests in some jurisdictions, etc.)
Two people of the same sex are just as capable as an opposite sex couple in meeting all of these terms.
Nowhere in this is any sort of test or measure for future children. Post-menopausal women are free to marry. There isn't even a "do you plan to have kids? Y/N" box on the marriage licence application form.
They don't need to, because the law already reflects this... as I've pointed out many times.If someone wants to argue there is some great benefit gay marriage brings to society they may make that argument. If enough of their fellow citizens are convinced then the law may reflect that point of view.