Blackjack200
Lifer
- May 28, 2007
- 15,995
- 1,688
- 126
I'm always amazed at the polarized opinions people have about immigration. To me it's one of the very few really difficult issues. Abortion? Easy. It should be legal and encouraged. UHC? Not quite as easy, but I think all of us, save for the most radical libertarians, would agree that at least some level of medical care should be provided to those without means.
But immigration...
One the one hand, how can you stand on this side of the Rio Grande and tell a man that he has no right to come here to try to feed his family? It goes against our empathetic nature, which is a basic part of our humanity.
At the same time, I agree that we cannot simply let everyone that wants to come here, come here. Our infrastructure simply could not support it. Most of the immigrants would be unskilled and many would be unable to find work. That is a reality that I feel many on the left refuse to face. You can make all the jokes about produce and cheap labor that you want, don't doubt for a moment that there are capacity constraints. Ever wonder why it's almost impossible to immigrate to some of the more appealing European countries (Denmark, Holland, etc.)? Even if you marry a citizen it can be difficult.
IMO the only palatable answer is to make sure Central and South Americans are nice places to live too. You never hear anyone complain about undocumented Canadians. That wouldn't be easy, but we could start by legalizing all drugs...
But immigration...
One the one hand, how can you stand on this side of the Rio Grande and tell a man that he has no right to come here to try to feed his family? It goes against our empathetic nature, which is a basic part of our humanity.
At the same time, I agree that we cannot simply let everyone that wants to come here, come here. Our infrastructure simply could not support it. Most of the immigrants would be unskilled and many would be unable to find work. That is a reality that I feel many on the left refuse to face. You can make all the jokes about produce and cheap labor that you want, don't doubt for a moment that there are capacity constraints. Ever wonder why it's almost impossible to immigrate to some of the more appealing European countries (Denmark, Holland, etc.)? Even if you marry a citizen it can be difficult.
IMO the only palatable answer is to make sure Central and South Americans are nice places to live too. You never hear anyone complain about undocumented Canadians. That wouldn't be easy, but we could start by legalizing all drugs...
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