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Immigration undoubtedly has many benefits to all wealthy nations. The Economist this week presents a very strong argument in favour of keeping the gates open in Europe and the US.
History has shown that immigration encourages prosperity. Tens of millions of Europeans who made it to the New World in the 19th and 20th centuries improved their lot, just as the near 40m foreign-born are doing in America today. Many migrants return home with new skills, savings, technology and bright ideas. Remittances to poor countries in 2006 were worth at least $260 billion—more, in many countries, than aid and foreign investment combined. Letting in migrants does vastly more good for the world's poor than stuffing any number of notes into Oxfam tins.
Americans object to the presence of around 12m illegal migrant workers in a country with high rates of legal migration. But given the American economy's reliance on them, it is not just futile but also foolish to build taller fences to keep them out. Better for Congress to resume its efforts to bring such workers out of the shadows, by opening more routes for legal, perhaps temporary, migration, and an amnesty for long-standing, law-abiding workers already in the country. Politicians in rich countries should also be honest about, and quicker to raise spending to deal with, the strains that immigrants place on public services.
Immigration undoubtedly has many benefits to all wealthy nations.
No, the borders should not be "open" - at the very least, there are strong National Security issues that need to be dealt with.
However, LEGAL immigration is welcomed. Let those that want to come to this nation do so - legally
OBTW - you hear about the guy from, I believe Egypt, who recently came here (to the US) - he killed his two daughters the other day - didn't like the way they dressed. I think it is called a "honor" killing - something like that.
Absolutely not to open borders. This Country's legislators have already proven their utmost stupidity when, after 9/11, they did not clamp tight on the borders
Keeping "open borders" only increases the threat to this nation.
I have a background in Economics. Actually, I enjoy reading the Economist, the Wall Street Journal as well as other financial publications. I have read many articles about the actual economical impact of immigration (legal and illegal) including the impact of immigration(legal and illegal) on the GDP per head and indeed, it is an issue that is majorly overblown. Even the most conservative estimates point to the fact that even if there was a short-run net negative fiscal impact because of illegal immigration, it would be about 0.09% of U.S. GDP in that year. Geez, I feel so threatened
It is not just about Economics it is also about what kind of Society we would like to live in.
What would the United States be like with totally open borders - which by the way the Economist, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the neocons, George Bush and pals, the liberal multiculti crowd, Ben Wattenberg and others support - ?
The number of immigrants would probably go from about 2 million (legal and illegal now) to 4 or even 6 million a year. There would be a deluge.
By 2060 the population of the US would be as much as 800 million.
What kind of place would the US be like then. You think traffic is bad now - what do you think it would be like with a billion cars on the road?
There would be no way to asssimilate all those people.
I have a background in Economics. Actually, I enjoy reading the Economist, the Wall Street Journal as well as other financial publications. I have read many articles about the actual economical impact of immigration (legal and illegal) including the impact of immigration(legal and illegal) on the GDP per head and indeed, it is an issue that is majorly overblown. Even the most conservative estimates point to the fact that even if there was a short-run net negative fiscal impact because of illegal immigration, it would be about 0.09% of U.S. GDP in that year. Geez, I feel so threatened
Gee - you must not be a taxpayer then -
I guess the additional 5 billion dollar burden on California taxpayers is no big deal to you.
I guess the additional 1+ Billion dollar burden on Arizona taxpayers is no big deal to you
Get real! You have no clue - NONE about the real world - and, it is very obvious -
History has shown that immigration encourages prosperity. Tens of millions of Europeans who made it to the New World in the 19th and 20th centuries improved their lot, just as the near 40m foreign-born are doing in America today. Many migrants return home with new skills, savings, technology and bright ideas. Remittances to poor countries in 2006 were worth at least $260 billion—more, in many countries, than aid and foreign investment combined. Letting in migrants does vastly more good for the world's poor than stuffing any number of notes into Oxfam tins.
We’ve given them the skills, now it’s time for them to go home and use them in their country.
With all the middle easterners that have invaded your country, maybe you should concentrate on your countries problems instead of meddling in ours.
This isnt history this is now. When the American people trusted corporate America to lead us into the World market it had to come with some consessions. While there isnt much we can do now about NAFTA, CAFTA and all the crappy trade deals we have with other countries we can enforce the laws that keep them from flooding our markets with cheap labor. And I dont just mean agriculture, H1Bs, construction the trades many blue and white collar jobs that Americans depend on to raise families are being done by slaves and driving down wages.
Its all over, theres nothing left for labor to give, we fight back now
It is not just about Economics it is also about what kind of Society we would like to live in.
What would the United States be like with totally open borders - which by the way the Economist, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the neocons, George Bush and pals, the liberal multiculti crowd, Ben Wattenberg and others support - ?
The number of immigrants would probably go from about 2 million (legal and illegal now) to 4 or even 6 million a year. There would be a deluge.
By 2060 the population of the US would be as much as 800 million.
What kind of place would the US be like then. You think traffic is bad now - what do you think it would be like with a billion cars on the road?
There would be no way to asssimilate all those people.
We would become a balkanized mess of humanity.
It would be the end of the United States.
None of this EVER enters serious debate about illegal immigration.
Opposition is ALWAYS "racism."
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