Comments on: Where’s Larry? http://freeinidaho.com/2007/06/07/wheres-larry/ such a gift Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:05:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: BillH http://freeinidaho.com/2007/06/07/wheres-larry/#comment-6 BillH Sat, 09 Jun 2007 00:50:35 +0000 http://freeinidaho.com/2007/06/07/wheres-larry/#comment-6 The economics of the immigration debate is a separate subject from the wholesale amnesty that was to be granted by that bill. Let's begin at the beginning... there is a PROBLEM with being in the country illegally. Blanket amnesty is a horrible idea that goes against the concept of "rule of law", and doesn't work or accomplish what the proponents claim, as proven by Ronald Reagan in the '80s. I don't agree that Mexicans are electing economically conservative governments. I see a corrupt and hypocritical government that cares as little for its own people as it cares for the U.S. I'm not a protectionist, and I am generally a free trader, but with the situation we have now, I don't think we're anywhere close to being able to discuss the open borders arrangement you speak of. When you're having a flood, you have to stop the water first, before you worry about anything else. The economics of the immigration debate is a separate subject from the wholesale amnesty that was to be granted by that bill. Let’s begin at the beginning… there is a PROBLEM with being in the country illegally. Blanket amnesty is a horrible idea that goes against the concept of “rule of law”, and doesn’t work or accomplish what the proponents claim, as proven by Ronald Reagan in the ’80s.

I don’t agree that Mexicans are electing economically conservative governments. I see a corrupt and hypocritical government that cares as little for its own people as it cares for the U.S. I’m not a protectionist, and I am generally a free trader, but with the situation we have now, I don’t think we’re anywhere close to being able to discuss the open borders arrangement you speak of.

When you’re having a flood, you have to stop the water first, before you worry about anything else.

]]> By: Urban Planning Overlord http://freeinidaho.com/2007/06/07/wheres-larry/#comment-5 Urban Planning Overlord Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:26:09 +0000 http://freeinidaho.com/2007/06/07/wheres-larry/#comment-5 I have a better idea. Let's get good border security - and then open the borders to Mexico for the free flow of (non-criminal) people and goods. Mexico's per capita GNP is $7,100 to our $44,200. That 's a big difference, and will undoubtedly lead to a lot of Mexicans moving here. But it won't be as many as you think. Look at the economic differences between various EU countries with open borders. Germany's per capital GNP is $33,000, Poland's is $8,000. Yeah, a few Poles are moving to Germany - but they're not indundating the country. Or France, or Britain, for that matter. If Mexico keeps electing conservative economically responsible Presidents (or even left-wing Presidents if they're in the Lula de Silva mode), and we keep NAFTA humming, Mexico's current GNP growth will be greater. Right now, it's projected at 3.5% annually, while ours is 2.5% annually. If Mexico's economy starts growing faster the economic gap between our countries will narrow, and there will be less incentive for Mexicans to move here. As for "inundating the country," there are over 300 million Americans, and just over 100 million Mexicans. And Mexicans aren't breeding anywhere near as fast as they used to - there isn't going to be a demographic revolution. As the dominant economic power, Mexicans wanting to make it in the U.S. will have to learn English. Right now, 75% of all 3rd generation Mexican-American immigrant descendants don't even speak Spanish. That's not going to change - the pattern set by the Irish, Italian, Jewish, Eastern European, East Asian, etc. migrants as English language assimilators will remain with us. And every economics textbook you read (except for those written by socialists and far leftists) will tell you that free trade and free flow of peoples will bring greater economic prosperity. I have a better idea. Let’s get good border security - and then open the borders to Mexico for the free flow of (non-criminal) people and goods.

Mexico’s per capita GNP is $7,100 to our $44,200. That ’s a big difference, and will undoubtedly lead to a lot of Mexicans moving here. But it won’t be as many as you think.

Look at the economic differences between various EU countries with open borders. Germany’s per capital GNP is $33,000, Poland’s is $8,000. Yeah, a few Poles are moving to Germany - but they’re not indundating the country. Or France, or Britain, for that matter.

If Mexico keeps electing conservative economically responsible Presidents (or even left-wing Presidents if they’re in the Lula de Silva mode), and we keep NAFTA humming, Mexico’s current GNP growth will be greater. Right now, it’s projected at 3.5% annually, while ours is 2.5% annually. If Mexico’s economy starts growing faster the economic gap between our countries will narrow, and there will be less incentive for Mexicans to move here.

As for “inundating the country,” there are over 300 million Americans, and just over 100 million Mexicans. And Mexicans aren’t breeding anywhere near as fast as they used to - there isn’t going to be a demographic revolution. As the dominant economic power, Mexicans wanting to make it in the U.S. will have to learn English. Right now, 75% of all 3rd generation Mexican-American immigrant descendants don’t even speak Spanish. That’s not going to change - the pattern set by the Irish, Italian, Jewish, Eastern European, East Asian, etc. migrants as English language assimilators will remain with us.

And every economics textbook you read (except for those written by socialists and far leftists) will tell you that free trade and free flow of peoples will bring greater economic prosperity.

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