America still a "goldene medine"

[cema]

An article in Economist about immigration in the US.

And the very first comment, about Kerala, rings the bell for many of us, I think.

I do agree with some of the comments (there as well as in Hacker News) that a comparison of the US with other "immigrant" countries such as Canada and Australia (and New Zealand; what else? Israel is very specific) could be instructive. But it would require a separate article, I guess.

As a side note, the two discussions of this article (one, two) in Hacker News that I saw were of a lower quality than I have come to expect from HN. Maybe it is because the topic is not one where most of the HN readership has professional expertise. Or maybe it is the timing of the holidays.

Also, the title is unfortunate (The Ponzi scheme that works). I guess the only place where it could fit the definition of a Ponzi scheme is family-based immigration, where one immigrant can bring in more immigrants from the immediate family, but this typically stops after one iteration.

Comments

[duchifat.livejournal.com]

http://aron-turgenev.livejournal.com/171364.html#comments


Пирамида (the Ponzi scheme), по-моему, не в том, что каждый приезжающий должен привезти несколько других (хотя и это бывает), a в том, что нужен постоянный приток новых людей, которые готовы занять нижние ступеньки в социальной иерархии. За счет этого те, кто приехал раньше, смогут поднятся выше, в следующем поколении например. А вообще, не все в этой статье одинаково разумно.

[cema.livejournal.com]

И в статье, и в комментариях не всё разумно, но такого, чтобы всё было разумно, я ещё нигде не видел.

Согласен, что тезис о пирамиде в притоке людей на нижние ступеньки. Но это не часть иммиграционной политики, не обзательно следует из неё, и никак не отличает США в худшую сторону от прочих стран (а может быть, отличает и в лучшую, не знаю).

[eta-ta.livejournal.com]

I haven't read your other links, only the comment by an Indian. But I'll offer another link to a very instructive post and thread, where some of the comments refer to immigration (and some - to a topic you were previously interested in, US involvement in other countries' affairs). For example, here's a proposition I can sign under:

"7) Real immigration reform. End the diversity visa, end the H2 visa programs, no government benefits on any level for illegal aliens, no election ballots in languages other than English, require visa holders to leave the US upon expiration of visa unless they apply for citizenship. Streamline the citizenship and legal entry requirements to speedily allow new citizens and more people who want to enter the US legally to do so. Any illegal alien who wants to be normalized can serve 5 years in the armed forces. No amnesty any other illegal aliens and all immigrant felons are to be deported upon completion of sentence."

[silpol.livejournal.com]

"Any illegal alien who wants to be normalized can serve 5 years in the armed forces." - just in case, they carry on guns there...

[eta-ta.livejournal.com]

...and that's good: it builds responsibility and pride for being honored with it. Don't forget: in this country a lot of people are armed, legally.

[silpol.livejournal.com]

Duh!

[oregosha.livejournal.com]

Хорошая статья, спасибо за ссылку.
It makes me feel less a weirdo. :)