Worst Idea Ever

In a recipe for socio-cultural disaster, the Australian government has offered a payoff for all new mothers. At first this idea is kind of cute. The government encouraging citizens to have sex for the sake of the country. But after you get past the fun sex stuff, you realize this is the most bassackwards example of legally sanctioned eugenics ever witnessed by humankind. Population decline is certainly a threat to a nation given modern growth centered economics, but encouraging the stupid to breed with token cash outlays is about as smart as encouraging widespread heroin use in order to prevent violent crime. I am appalled that a nation would decide to create a generation of underprivileged children rather than simply adopt a rational immigration policy. By cutting itself off from the benefits of brain drain while at the same time encouraging those who think $2,100 is enough justification to have a child to breed, Australia is setting itself up to slip into relative economic obscurity; or go to war.

I hate to let my pessimism over the recent Iraq developments slip into other international affairs, but the world is so fucked....