Originally posted by mnw:
It is a sad fact that the invitation "send me your poor, hungry... etc" is no longer practical.
Why not?
We do have an illegal immigration problem.
Wonder of wonders... in the US we can have a "don't ask, don't tell policy" concerning a soldier who is violating his oath to obey UCMJ... but we can't have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward those who in desparation have come to our country, worked hard, and now are terrified that they'll be deported. Why not give a grace period in which we legalize those who come in with proof of legitimate employment? If there are 11 million illegals in the US... we don't have the resources to deport them.
This silly protest will have very little effect other than what the media spins it into. However, if we could magically whisk away all the illegals, the effects on our economy would be staggering.
Like it or not, many of these immigrants have the drive that used to characterize American workers before liberals convinced them that employment is a right and not a privilege. They work harder... and often for less money than American workers at the same skill level... and that's assuming those American workers won't turn their nose up at the job any way. I speak from personal experience.
I employed a large number of Mexicans through a temp agency at my previous employer. They cost $2 less per hour than black or white American temps... and literally did twice the work with a fraction of the errors or attitude.
Yes they lived in densities that are greater than our "standard" allows. They shared, supported each other,... and either saved the money they saved on housing or sent it to support their families back home.
Good grief! I respect people who are self-sacrificing... I don't resent them. I respect people who work hard... I don't resent them.
Yes laws are important. But the "law" has abandoned the spirit of our founders and certainly the spirit of the quote from the Statue of Liberty.
At some point a nation has to care for its own over those from other nations.
We don't have an "its own". We are a nation of curs and mutts... immigrants from all over the world. As the guy on Stripes said, we've been kicked out of every decent country in the world.
The law needs to be fixed. The immigration laws
and enforcement need to be fixed. I think the most effective thing that could be done on illegal immigration is to make employing or assisting illegals a felony. If business owners start going to jail, demand for illegal labor will dry up.
At the same time, we need these folks and they need jobs. We should streamline the procedures for introducing them to the labor force legally.
It seems 50% of illegal immigrants come to the UK and the rest go the USA.
That's quite a compliment, don't you think? However, a Swiss gentleman I met complained loudly about their illegal immigration problem as well.
I have even met Muslims who openly admitted to faking documents to get VISAs for the UK just to get a foot in the door in the US.
That's kinda scary.
The picture is the same in the UK as in the US. We get so many immigrants from all over the world that our national health and educational systems are becoming unsustainable.
That is a direct evidence that libertarian, free market economics are superior to socialism/statism/welfare state.
It would be great if there was a way that richer developed nations could lift the rest of the world to their standard of living, but it isn't possible by the route illegal immigrants are taking.
I actually disagree with that as well. I know of several Mexican immigrants who came here with the very specific goal of making money and learning skills so they could go home after a few years and start businesses, buy ranches/farms, etc.
All illegal immigrants will do is destroy the productive nations and make them like the places they were trying to escape.
Mexican labor has been a great boost to many American businesses and has probably mitigated some of the losses we would have had to China, India, and developing Asia.
