Bacon's Rebellion

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IG of the Day: The South (Atlantic Coast) Shall Rise Again

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by

James A. Bacon
in

VirginiaPop_2040.2
Chart credit: Demographics Research Group. (Click for larger image)

By the year 2040, Virginia will be the 10th most populous state in the country, if projections by the Demographics Research Group at the University of Virginia pan out. The Old Dominion will bump Michigan from the Top 10 list.

Meanwhile, North Carolina will climb ahead of Ohio to take the No. 8 spot, and Georgia will supplant Illinois for No. 6.

The South Atlantic coastal states from Virginia to Florida represent one of the most dynamic regions of the country. The region doesn’t get the credit it deserves from analysts fixed upon traditional regional groupings like “the South” or the “Mid-Atlantic.” Some aspiring geographer could write a great PhD thesis on the topic.

— JAB

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3 responses to “IG of the Day: The South (Atlantic Coast) Shall Rise Again”

  1. Andrew Roesell Avatar
    Andrew Roesell

    Dear Jim,

    Growth to what end? I’m sure I-66 and I-64, and I-95 will all be in worse shape with all this “dynamism.” Why do people still keep thinking that growth is necessarily a good thing? If past is prologue than things will only get worse. Why do we want to make things worse? And why do we insist on calling this badness, “progress”? For whom? Food is only good up to a point. After that, it becomes obesity and debility or in the Sorceror’s Apprentice and all of the mindless brooms hauling their water buckets. Same with population growth, especially the way it has occurred in America since 1945, in already large metropolitan agglomerations. It’s disgusting just pronouncing those last two words. It’s an “onomonopia.”

    Sincerely,
    Andrew

    1. James A. Bacon Avatar
      James A. Bacon

      All good questions. I don’t favor growth for the sake of growth. I don’t favor subsidizing growth. But I recognize that growth brings jobs, tax revenue and business opportunity.

      You may notice a consistent theme on this blog: I tend to be very critical of special subsidies and tax breaks for businesses. I have consistently inveighed against metastatic growth that creates fiscal and environmental liabilities for future generations. And I have consistently argued for a “conservative” vision of smart growth in which growth pays its own way.

  2. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    well.. used to be .. that “good growth” was the kind that increased productivity which in turn would improve the quality of life of those who were beneficiaries of increased productivity.

    so .. for instance.. once upon a time, if a tractor would replace a horse – a farmer could “growth” …produce more, sell more . and enjoy the fruits of his “leveraged” labor .. get a bigger house, send his kids to college, eat steak …. get health care…

    A company that improved productivity – would sell more widgets or the same number for less cost to produce and reap profits which would, in part, be shared with the workers – as well as investors.

    but then things got “complicated”….. and leftists screwed it up even worse with entitlements.. and free goodies for the takers… oh the horror…

    😉 aka Conservative bedtime fairy tales!

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