Changes

Between the end of World War II and 1964, 78 million baby boomers were born and now are part of the "Boomers" generation. They far outnumbered their predecessors, for the birth rate was low during the [[Great Depression]] years of the 1930s.  They have been retiring in large numbers and greatly increasing the number of people in retirement and receiving assistance from the Depression-era [[Social Security]] program.

Between the end of World War II and 1964, 78 million baby boomers were born and now are part of the "Boomers" generation. They far outnumbered their predecessors, for the birth rate was low during the [[Great Depression]] years of the 1930s.  They have been retiring in large numbers and greatly increasing the number of people in retirement and receiving assistance from the Depression-era [[Social Security]] program.

As of 2015, the [[Millennial]] Generation outnumbered boomers. Like Boomers, Millenials get their name from newspaper and magazine editors and writers and again like Boomers and unlike other generations where a large group of people born in the same era, sharing the same experiences, are not politically united.  Since the Vietnam War of the 1960s when boomers came of age facing a mandatory draft to maintain a [[Keynesian economics]] "full employment budget" of the United States government and reduce [[unemployment]] among large numbers of recent high school graduates and drop outs, Boomers until their senior years never were able to exercise [[political]] power despite their large numbers. The Vietnam War divided them socially, politically, and culturally, basically between those who loved their country with a respect for [[law]] and democracy, and [[radical]] socialist criminals who would rather do [[illegal drug]]s then to go fight and die for other people's freedom, as the Greatest Generation had.  Baby Boomers and older generations have been gradually shrinking, from 61% of the electorate in 2008 to 44% in 2020.

As of 2015, the [[Millennial]] Generation outnumbered boomers. Like Boomers, Millennials get their name from newspaper and magazine editors and writers and again like Boomers and unlike other generations where a large group of people born in the same era, sharing the same experiences, are not politically united.  Since the Vietnam War of the 1960s when boomers came of age facing a mandatory draft to maintain a [[Keynesian economics]] "full employment budget" of the United States government and reduce [[unemployment]] among large numbers of recent high school graduates and drop outs, Boomers until their senior years never were able to exercise [[political]] power despite their large numbers. The Vietnam War divided them socially, politically, and culturally, basically between those who loved their country with a respect for [[law]] and democracy, and [[radical]] socialist criminals who would rather do [[illegal drug]]s then to go fight and die for other people's freedom, as the Greatest Generation had.  Baby Boomers and older generations have been gradually shrinking, from 61% of the electorate in 2008 to 44% in 2020.

[[Image:Babyboom.jpg|thumb|300px|St. Joseph Hospital, Chicago, 1941]]

[[Image:Babyboom.jpg|thumb|300px|St. Joseph Hospital, Chicago, 1941]]

The boomers are much better educated and have higher incomes than previous generations of Americans.

The boomers are much better educated and have higher incomes than previous generations of Americans.

Richard Easterlin is an economist and professor of economics who has researched and published much literature on economic growth in the United States.   

Richard Easterlin is an economist and professor of economics who has researched and published much literature on economic growth in the United States.   

[[Image:BABYBOOM.JPG|thumb|300px|trends in birth rates 1900-1980]]

[[Image:BABYBOOM.JPG|thumb|300px|trends in birth rates 1900-1980]]

In one of Easterlin’s articles, published in 2000, titled, '''Twentieth Century American Population Growth''', he explains the growth pattern of American population in the twentieth century by examining the fertility rate fluctuations and the decreasing mortality rate.  In his article, Easterlin attempts to prove the cause of the Baby Boom and Baby Bust by the “relative income” theory, despite the various other theories that these events have been attributed to.  The “relative income” theory suggests that couples choose to have children based on a couple’s ratio of potential earning power and the desire to obtain material objects.  This ratio depends on the economic stability of country and how people are raised to value material objects.  The “relative income” theory explains the Baby Boom by suggesting that the late 1940s and 1950s brought low desires to have material objects, because of the Great Depression and WWII, as well as huge job opportunities, because of being a post war period.  These two factors gave rise to a high relative income, which encouraged high fertility.  Following this period, the next generation had a greater desire for [[Materialism|material objects]], however, an economic slowdown in the United States, made jobs harder to acquire.  This resulted in lower fertility rates causing the Baby Bust.

In one of Easterlin's articles, published in 2000, titled, '''Twentieth Century American Population Growth''', he explains the growth pattern of American population in the twentieth century by examining the fertility rate fluctuations and the decreasing mortality rate.  In his article, Easterlin attempts to prove the cause of the Baby Boom and Baby Bust by the “relative income” theory, despite the various other theories that these events have been attributed to.  The “relative income” theory suggests that couples choose to have children based on a couple's ratio of potential earning power and the desire to obtain material objects.  This ratio depends on the economic stability of country and how people are raised to value material objects.  The “relative income” theory explains the Baby Boom by suggesting that the late 1940s and 1950s brought low desires to have material objects, because of the Great Depression and WWII, as well as huge job opportunities, because of being a post war period.  These two factors gave rise to a high relative income, which encouraged high fertility.  Following this period, the next generation had a greater desire for [[Materialism|material objects]], however, an economic slowdown in the United States, made jobs harder to acquire.  This resulted in lower fertility rates causing the Baby Bust.

== Religion ==

== Religion ==