"You can't make the argument that reducing population is good for an economy (or at least use China as evidence of that)."
- I can't agree with that. Care to take a guess on the current population of China, if not for the birth controls? Think of all those extra hundreds of millions consuming ever more resources, and scarcely able to pay their way economically due the an ever decreasing share of the resources that remain (raw resources plus social resources, welfare etc.). I think DA has a point.
"More people equals more minds equals more human horsepower available to solve problems"
- True - of course, you're not advocating that we 'breed like bunnies' to achieve that end. We would certainty be better off reducing the population and sacrificing the prospect of a proportionate number of geniuses in the process.
"With all 6 billion souls (stabilizing at 9 billion) pushing the human race forward, I don't doubt that we can accomplish some amazing things."
- Your optimism is refreshing, especially the 9 billion bit.
"This is also the reason why the scaremongers have got it wrong in regard to some hypothetical West/China armed conflict. China can't afford to lose it's young - they're too valuable."
- Yet another reason for peaceful co-operation and mutual help.
