We're getting older now!

Showing that regurgitating press releases is a hallmark of journalism worldwide, there is this story about the rising birth rate being bad for the economy (a link I found via Drudge). I like how the report points to the problem of an aging population as an immediate problem.

"And the women having the babies would be exacerbating the financial impacts on the government of the ageing of the population because the tax breaks offered to parents to have children occur up front, while the cost savings of a bigger
working population and bigger tax base from extra children are deferred until
they are of working age."

Yes, you see, aging is a real problem now. Because we're old. Sure we're still working and being productive, but we're old. This is ridiculous - the problems of the aging population are much larger when the percentage of the population that's retired increases. This is when these new people will become productive members of society.

But it gets better with this brilliant rebuttal by a commenter.

"This is rubbish - as usual, the "experts" regard paid employment as the only real job to have. With more women out of the workforce having babies (an assertion I challenge anyway), there are more jobs for our young people who actually need a job and a start in life. Stop attacking women who know that what is best for their families and therefore the society we all have to live in is to be active in bringin up their own children. Provide your proofs." - Celia of Melbourne

This is what we call the lump of labor fallacy. Bad argument against bad argument. It's election season, all right.