Immigration
Bush's speech (sic) yesterday brings the question of immigration and border control to the surface once again, and it doesn't look like this issue is going to go away soon. It's a hot topic among conservatives (and some progressives as well), and it looks as though the Rethuglicans intend to milk it to the limit in an effort to pander to the public as the 2006 elections near.
Frankly, I don't have any particularly great insights about whether this should be a big issue or not. I do see plausible arguments for tighter border controls to try to prevent terrorists from entering the country, but nothing I've heard about the conservatives' proposals seems to address this issue in any significant way. I do, however, have a number of serious worries about this movement.
First, it strikes me as pandering to the basest racist prejudices of the populace. It is almost exclusively directed at the "brown hoards," particularly the Mexicans, and secondarily, the Arabs. There seems to be some fear that we will be overrun by the brown hoards and somehow lose our identity as a white Anglo-Saxon nation in the process. You never hear anyone complain to any significant extent about the many eastern European immigrants that are arriving daily on our shores. They, of course, are largely white! In my view, anything that panders to these racist instincts in the population is likely to lead to something bad.
Second, I do not see much to fear about these Mexican immigrants stealing American jobs. Kevin Drum had a piece up the other day noting that, since the Mexican border has been tightened, farmers posting job offerings have gotten no takers for those jobs from U.S. citizens. Nobody wanted the jobs, at least not at the wages being offered, and the farmers appeared unwilling to raise the wage rate in order to attract workers. They apparently preferred to let their crops die in the field. Sure, as an economist I know there is going to be some effect at the margin, but I doubt it is very significant.
Third, the Bush idea about temporary, non-renewable work permits strikes me as absurd. Why should a family that has worked here for a number of years be forced to return to Mexico, just so some other family can replace them? I don't get it.
Fourth, the idea of denying citizenship to children of illegal aliens born in the United States seems to undermine the very strengths that made us a great nation.
And, finally, the idea of building a several thousand mile wall to separate the U.S. and Mexico reminds me of the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall. It stinks. All of which is quite apart from the economic absurdity of it.
Yes, the borders are probably too porous to prospective terrorists, but these proposals are not the answer.
Frankly, I don't have any particularly great insights about whether this should be a big issue or not. I do see plausible arguments for tighter border controls to try to prevent terrorists from entering the country, but nothing I've heard about the conservatives' proposals seems to address this issue in any significant way. I do, however, have a number of serious worries about this movement.
First, it strikes me as pandering to the basest racist prejudices of the populace. It is almost exclusively directed at the "brown hoards," particularly the Mexicans, and secondarily, the Arabs. There seems to be some fear that we will be overrun by the brown hoards and somehow lose our identity as a white Anglo-Saxon nation in the process. You never hear anyone complain to any significant extent about the many eastern European immigrants that are arriving daily on our shores. They, of course, are largely white! In my view, anything that panders to these racist instincts in the population is likely to lead to something bad.
Second, I do not see much to fear about these Mexican immigrants stealing American jobs. Kevin Drum had a piece up the other day noting that, since the Mexican border has been tightened, farmers posting job offerings have gotten no takers for those jobs from U.S. citizens. Nobody wanted the jobs, at least not at the wages being offered, and the farmers appeared unwilling to raise the wage rate in order to attract workers. They apparently preferred to let their crops die in the field. Sure, as an economist I know there is going to be some effect at the margin, but I doubt it is very significant.
Third, the Bush idea about temporary, non-renewable work permits strikes me as absurd. Why should a family that has worked here for a number of years be forced to return to Mexico, just so some other family can replace them? I don't get it.
Fourth, the idea of denying citizenship to children of illegal aliens born in the United States seems to undermine the very strengths that made us a great nation.
And, finally, the idea of building a several thousand mile wall to separate the U.S. and Mexico reminds me of the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall. It stinks. All of which is quite apart from the economic absurdity of it.
Yes, the borders are probably too porous to prospective terrorists, but these proposals are not the answer.
posted by walldon | 2:06 PM
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