Monkeying Around in the Uberstau
I live in Washington D.C. where most of my life is spent sitting in traffic. I used to live in Chicago and Los Angeles too, so I’m basically the Jane Goodall of traffic. After hours (and hours and hours) of field research, here’s a groundbreaking conclusion: traffic is maddening. Indeed, it drives everyone crazy. Some respond to traffic with Darwinian disregard for the rule of law. They cut people off, make illegal turns, and – in what I regard as the single biggest affront a commuter can commit – bypass congestion by driving on the shoulder. Others respond to traffic by enforcing traffic law. We – err, they – work to ensure that rule breakers are thwarted by denying merges, reporting license plates to the police, and pulling halfway into the shoulder so that “bypassers” are impeded. The result is that no one is happy and everyone is late.
The U.S. immigration system is an überstau. A complex, crowded, and expensive bureaucracy hinders the flow of immigrants into our country. This leads frustrated travelers to break the rules in order to reach their desired destination. Others respond to this with indignation; why should cheaters reap the benefits of incivility while rule followers are punished?
As a Christian, a conservative, and an advocate of free enterprise I am convinced of the value inherent in every human being. The theology of Imago Dei and the conviction that human beings are the most important form of capital are congruous. Therefore, there is no more entrepreneurial act than immigration.
Immigrants founded our country, built it into the most prosperous society ever known, and continue to play a vital role in our economy. For example, a 2002 Brookings paper found that by 2000 more than 25% of Silicon Valley’s highly skilled workers were immigrants. Foreign-born entrepreneurs were running 29% of Silicon Valley’s technology businesses, accounting for more than $19.5 billion in sales and over 70,000 jobs. A report from the National Association for American Policy found that for every H-1B worker hired (high-skilled immigrant), five new jobs were created.
Low-skilled immigrants also contribute to the American economy in an important way. The Perryman Group found that in the 1960s 50% of American men worked in low-skilled jobs. The last 50 years have seen a transformation in education and the nature of the U.S. economy so that today that number stands at just 10%. Yet, there is still a demand for low-skilled labor.
So-called “comprehensive immigration reform” has proven to be a political minefield. Responding adequately to the concerns of communities struggling to adapt to the influx of immigrants into their communities, the interests of specific voting blocs like labor unions, and the millions of illegal immigrants and their families currently here will require a heroic, bipartisan effort. Yet, there are some smaller fixes that could be done in the meantime.
Last January, Arizona Representative Jeff Flake introduced legislation to exempt graduates of American universities with degrees in the high-demand fields of science, technology, engineering, and math and a job offer from a U.S. firm from government immigration quotas. The STAPLE Act is a vast improvement from the $2,500-$4,500 U.S. firms pay in government fees under the current H1-B system.
A 21st century version of the Bracero guest worker program would meet the demand for low-skilled immigrant labor. Guest workers would be granted free access to and from the U.S., taxed appropriately, and given protections from employer exploitation.
America needs and wants an effective immigration system that meets the demands of firms for both high and low-skilled workers and provides opportunities for new citizens and temporary guests to experience personal prosperity while contributing to the common good. The best approach to achieving this end is market-based reforms that validate the humanity of all involved.
LZ Granderson raises a provocative question in a CNN opinion piece,"Does 'secure the border' mean 'keep America white'?" While I do not agree with his previous postings on other issues, this piece is interesting.
We almost have a knee-jerk reaction when we hear about illegal immigrants as meaning people crossing the border between USA and Mexico. We share a much larger border with Canada and according to this writer, illegal immigration is not just from the southern border, but from the northern plains as well. Why isn't this being talked about as much on the campaign trail? I'm afraid of the answer(s). This opinion piece vcan be accessed at
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/opinion/granderson-border-security-canada/index.html?hpt=op_mid
Original Comment edited by Harold Heie
LZ Granderson raises a provocative question in a CNN opinion piece,"Does 'secure the border' mean 'keep America white'?" While I do not agree with his previous postings on other issues, this piece is interesting.
We almost have a knee-jerk reaction when we hear about illegal immigrants as meaning people crossing the border between USA and Mexico. We share a much larger border with Canada and according to this writer, illegal immigration is not just from the southern border, but from the northern plains as well. Why isn't this being talked about as much on the campaign trail? I'm afraid of the answer(s). This opinion piece vcan be accessed at
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/opinion/granderson-border-security-canada/index.html?hpt=op_mid
Original Comment edited by Harold Heie
LZ Granderson raises a provocative question in a CNN opinion piece,"Does 'secure the border' mean 'keep America white'?" While I do not agree with his previous postings on other issues, this piece is interesting.
We almost have a knee-jerk reaction when we hear about illegal immigrants as meaning people crossing the border between USA and Mexico. We share a much larger border with Canada and according to this writer, illegal immigration is not just from the southern border, but from the northern plains as well. Why isn't this being talked about as much on the campaign trail? I'm afraid of the answer(s). This opinion piece vcan be accessed at
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/opinion/granderson-border-security-canada/index.html?hpt=op_mid
Original Comment edited by Harold Heie
The issue of illegal immigration of unskilled labor cannot be uncoupled from the welfare problem. The concept that “America needs immigrant labor” is only valid if you remove from consideration the fact that the US welfare system prevents a huge pool of unskilled yet healthy, American citizens from entering the job market. It is more economical for an unskilled American individual to survive on welfare payments than to take low-skill low-pay jobs, if the short term benefit is the only consideration. But those low-skill low-paying jobs are the entry way to higher-skill, higher-paying jobs in the longer term for almost anyone who will apply their God-given talents and “play by the rules”. The welfare system all too often addicts otherwise capable individuals to itself and then destroys their human potential over time. This is not a loving, Christian thing to do.
I do not believe that any proposed solution to the illegal immigration problem can succeed if it ignores the effect that the current US welfare system is having. The welfare system destroys human potential thus creating an artificial “need” for unskilled immigrant labor. We should fix the root cause, not treat the symptom.
How that "fix" can be made in a Christian manner requires a different and long discussion – a discussion that I believe is badly needed.
The issue of illegal immigration of unskilled labor cannot be uncoupled from the welfare problem. The concept that “America needs immigrant labor” is only valid if you remove from consideration the fact that the US welfare system prevents a huge pool of unskilled yet healthy, American citizens from entering the job market. It is more economical for an unskilled American individual to survive on welfare payments than to take low-skill low-pay jobs, if the short term benefit is the only consideration. But those low-skill low-paying jobs are the entry way to higher-skill, higher-paying jobs in the longer term for almost anyone who will apply their God-given talents and “play by the rules”. The welfare system all too often addicts otherwise capable individuals to itself and then destroys their human potential over time. This is not a loving, Christian thing to do.
I do not believe that any proposed solution to the illegal immigration problem can succeed if it ignores the effect that the current US welfare system is having. The welfare system destroys human potential thus creating an artificial “need” for unskilled immigrant labor. We should fix the root cause, not treat the symptom.
How that "fix" can be made in a Christian manner requires a different and long discussion – a discussion that I believe is badly needed.
The issue of illegal immigration of unskilled labor cannot be uncoupled from the welfare problem. The concept that “America needs immigrant labor” is only valid if you remove from consideration the fact that the US welfare system prevents a huge pool of unskilled yet healthy, American citizens from entering the job market. It is more economical for an unskilled American individual to survive on welfare payments than to take low-skill low-pay jobs, if the short term benefit is the only consideration. But those low-skill low-paying jobs are the entry way to higher-skill, higher-paying jobs in the longer term for almost anyone who will apply their God-given talents and “play by the rules”. The welfare system all too often addicts otherwise capable individuals to itself and then destroys their human potential over time. This is not a loving, Christian thing to do.
I do not believe that any proposed solution to the illegal immigration problem can succeed if it ignores the effect that the current US welfare system is having. The welfare system destroys human potential thus creating an artificial “need” for unskilled immigrant labor. We should fix the root cause, not treat the symptom.
How that "fix" can be made in a Christian manner requires a different and long discussion – a discussion that I believe is badly needed.
Terry – thanks for your comment. I would be wary of attributing the lack of attention to our northern border to racism. In 2006, 11,541,404 Mexicans immigrated to America compared to just 846,913 Canadians that came across. Mexicans accounted for ten times the number of immigrants as the #2 nation: Philippines.
Terry – thanks for your comment. I would be wary of attributing the lack of attention to our northern border to racism. In 2006, 11,541,404 Mexicans immigrated to America compared to just 846,913 Canadians that came across. Mexicans accounted for ten times the number of immigrants as the #2 nation: Philippines.
Terry – thanks for your comment. I would be wary of attributing the lack of attention to our northern border to racism. In 2006, 11,541,404 Mexicans immigrated to America compared to just 846,913 Canadians that came across. Mexicans accounted for ten times the number of immigrants as the #2 nation: Philippines.
Albert – the data simply do not support your claim. Low-skilled immigrants do not take jobs that would otherwise go to American workers. In fact, both high and low-skill immigration leads to net job increases for the economy. Madeline Zavodny at the American Enterprise Institute found that "adding 100 H-2B workers resulted in an additional 464 jobs for US natives." (http://www.aei.org/print/immigration-and-american-jobs)
Albert – the data simply do not support your claim. Low-skilled immigrants do not take jobs that would otherwise go to American workers. In fact, both high and low-skill immigration leads to net job increases for the economy. Madeline Zavodny at the American Enterprise Institute found that "adding 100 H-2B workers resulted in an additional 464 jobs for US natives." (http://www.aei.org/print/immigration-and-american-jobs)
Albert – the data simply do not support your claim. Low-skilled immigrants do not take jobs that would otherwise go to American workers. In fact, both high and low-skill immigration leads to net job increases for the economy. Madeline Zavodny at the American Enterprise Institute found that "adding 100 H-2B workers resulted in an additional 464 jobs for US natives." (http://www.aei.org/print/immigration-and-american-jobs)
Statistic check: According to the Pew Hispanic Center in Mexican Immigrants in the United States, 2008, Figure 1, the total Mexican-born population in the U.S. in 2006 was around 11 million. Legal Mexican immigrants (those granted immigrant visas) in 2006 were 173,763 compared to 18,207 immigrant visas issued to Canadians. [Department of Homeland Security, Annual Flow Report, March 2007, p. 3]. Throwing undocumented Mexicans into the mix, the Pew Hispanic Center estimates 1,050,000 Mexicans entered the U.S. to live in 2006 while 474,000 left the U.S. and returned to Mexico [The Mexican-American Boom: Births Overtake Immigration, p. 3, July 14, 2011.]
Statistic check: According to the Pew Hispanic Center in Mexican Immigrants in the United States, 2008, Figure 1, the total Mexican-born population in the U.S. in 2006 was around 11 million. Legal Mexican immigrants (those granted immigrant visas) in 2006 were 173,763 compared to 18,207 immigrant visas issued to Canadians. [Department of Homeland Security, Annual Flow Report, March 2007, p. 3]. Throwing undocumented Mexicans into the mix, the Pew Hispanic Center estimates 1,050,000 Mexicans entered the U.S. to live in 2006 while 474,000 left the U.S. and returned to Mexico [The Mexican-American Boom: Births Overtake Immigration, p. 3, July 14, 2011.]
Statistic check: According to the Pew Hispanic Center in Mexican Immigrants in the United States, 2008, Figure 1, the total Mexican-born population in the U.S. in 2006 was around 11 million. Legal Mexican immigrants (those granted immigrant visas) in 2006 were 173,763 compared to 18,207 immigrant visas issued to Canadians. [Department of Homeland Security, Annual Flow Report, March 2007, p. 3]. Throwing undocumented Mexicans into the mix, the Pew Hispanic Center estimates 1,050,000 Mexicans entered the U.S. to live in 2006 while 474,000 left the U.S. and returned to Mexico [The Mexican-American Boom: Births Overtake Immigration, p. 3, July 14, 2011.]
I think one of the problems of the immigration debate is that it focuses too narrowly on jobs and wages. Illegal immigrants aren't labor units. They are people who need schools for their children, medical care, and pensions for when they can no longer do the physical labor that they were hired to do. Many Americans are understandably frustrated that these costs are borne by the general public, and not charged to the employers who break the law in hiring the undocumented.
Assimilating mostly poor immigrants, even for a country with as much experience as the U.S., is not easy or cheap. We have to be mindful about how big a job we try to take on.
I think one of the problems of the immigration debate is that it focuses too narrowly on jobs and wages. Illegal immigrants aren't labor units. They are people who need schools for their children, medical care, and pensions for when they can no longer do the physical labor that they were hired to do. Many Americans are understandably frustrated that these costs are borne by the general public, and not charged to the employers who break the law in hiring the undocumented.
Assimilating mostly poor immigrants, even for a country with as much experience as the U.S., is not easy or cheap. We have to be mindful about how big a job we try to take on.
I think one of the problems of the immigration debate is that it focuses too narrowly on jobs and wages. Illegal immigrants aren't labor units. They are people who need schools for their children, medical care, and pensions for when they can no longer do the physical labor that they were hired to do. Many Americans are understandably frustrated that these costs are borne by the general public, and not charged to the employers who break the law in hiring the undocumented.
Assimilating mostly poor immigrants, even for a country with as much experience as the U.S., is not easy or cheap. We have to be mindful about how big a job we try to take on.
Thanks Donald – you're right. I misquoted the statistic. It's total immigrant population.
Thanks Donald – you're right. I misquoted the statistic. It's total immigrant population.
Thanks Donald – you're right. I misquoted the statistic. It's total immigrant population.