Introduction
The United States has a large number of elderly people in its population. This group is associated with a number of social and financial problems. Of these elderly people, a large proportion is in the category of over 65 years that is referred to as the ‘older population.’ According to the latest available data, the older population numbered 40.4 million in 2010 according to the data from the national census in the country (2010 Census 23).
This figure represented 13.1% of the population, which means that over one in eight Americans belong to this category (2010 Census 25). This figure is dynamic. It is set to change as the population of the elderly increases. This population is associated with a number of problems with the bulk of them being the financial implication on the US economy.
Since the population is dependent on the economy with little if any participation in the economic activities, there is a net loss in maintaining them. The cost incurred is mainly in the form of social security and health expenditure. Therefore, the essay proposes that the only way that the elderly in the United States can be of value socially and to the economy is through euthanasia since their remains will be of good use to the US younger generation and the world at large.
The Elderly as a Threat to the US Economy
The elderly population in the United States is associated with more problems than value to the country at large. In an indirect manner, the high population of this age group affects the lives of all the citizens in a way including the innocent children born every day.
As reported in the census report, “The principal sources of income as reported by older persons in 2009 were Social Security (87% of older persons), income from assets (reported by 53%), private pensions (28%), government employee pensions (14%), and 26% earnings” (2010 Census 23). This proves that the population is dependent on handouts from the other age groups to survive. In the end, billions of dollars go to waste each year.
Without this population to cater for, money can be put to good use. According to the 2010 census results, 3.5 million people living below the poverty line include the population of the elderly above 65 years (2010 Census 26). The other significant problem created by having the population of the elderly in the US is the burden on the healthcare system. Persons over 65 years are twice likely to be admitted than the general population (2010 Census 23).
According to the census report, “Older Americans spent 13.2% of their total expenditures on health, more than twice the proportion spent by all consumers (6.6%) in the year 2010” (2010 Census 23). An effective solution to the problem is the euthanizing of the population above 65 years and putting to good use their remains.
Euthanasia as the Way out
Incineration should be the preferred method of carrying out the euthanasia though more methods can be used. The first effect that the euthanasia would have is reducing or ending the number of the elderly in the population along with their problems.
Billions of dollars that would have been used to maintain them could then be diverted to productive areas of the economy such as agriculture, transport, security, and finance. The United States spends over 200 billion dollars each year on crude oil mainly from the Middle East and other oil rich countries (Egendorf 62).
Euthanasia of the elderly in the country would reduce this cost in a number of ways. Since the population also represents a significant number of gas users, their murder would cut the use and cost by a large proportion (2010 Census 28). Another way to make their carcasses of use is through the production of bio fuels as a replacement for the crude oil. This outcome can be achieved by euthanizing them, drying their bodies, and using them to create energy.
There is scientific evidence that the human body produces just the same amount of energy as half a barrel of crude oil if it were to be broken down to the smaller components (Egendorf 46). The elderly population also represents a significant proportion of the unemployed in the US (2010 Census 27). Eliminating them would reduce the unemployment thus creating a whole industry dealing with the euthanasia and fuel production.
The bulk of accidents on the American roads has the population above 65 years as a leading cause (Egendorf 49) based on co-morbidities such as their poor vision, epilepsy, body weakness, and heart attacks among other medical conditions. Road security would therefore be improved by eliminating this age group. Social security funds used to keep the elderly population would contribute to economic growth of the country should the population above 65 years be eliminated.
Conclusion
The population of people above 65 years in the US is recorded to be high and on the increase. This alarming information represents a headache for the country. The elderly people are robbing the economy of billions of dollars each year in terms of social security, health, and other indirect costs. The solution to this problem should be euthanasia of this population. This step is expected to be of more advantage to the US economy as discussed in the paper.
Works Cited
2010 Census. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009. Print.
Egendorf, Laura. An aging population: opposing viewpoints. San Diego, Calif.: Greenhaven Press, 2002. Print.