Comments on: Open The Doors. http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:03:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: sleipner http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-380266 sleipner Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:52:58 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/#comment-380266 I love this idea - my ex husband could have saved himself many years of frustration and tens of thousands in legal fees if a system like this had been in place. He used to be a junior executive for Coca Cola, and has a business degree from one of the best schools in Mexico, so easily could have found himself a good career in America. Instead, the easiest way for him to get sponsored was to become a teacher, which he does quite well at, but he doesn't like, and which constitutes a significant level of underemployment for him. Plus the whole "force you to continue working for the same company for as long as it takes to get a green card" (currently about 8 years) is insane. He had to start over with the whole process because he moved from Texas to California, and was lucky enough to find a loophole to do so (usually you run out of time and can't try again unless you live back in your home country again for at least a year.) The only caveat I would have, and that's a minor one, is that some controls and/or limits would need to be put in place to make sure that the influx doesn't seriously damage the work force - if we just open it wide, several million might swarm in too rapidly and cause some significant unemployment until the economy can absorb them. Economic indigestion isn't a pretty sight. I love this idea – my ex husband could have saved himself many years of frustration and tens of thousands in legal fees if a system like this had been in place. He used to be a junior executive for Coca Cola, and has a business degree from one of the best schools in Mexico, so easily could have found himself a good career in America.

Instead, the easiest way for him to get sponsored was to become a teacher, which he does quite well at, but he doesn’t like, and which constitutes a significant level of underemployment for him. Plus the whole “force you to continue working for the same company for as long as it takes to get a green card” (currently about 8 years) is insane. He had to start over with the whole process because he moved from Texas to California, and was lucky enough to find a loophole to do so (usually you run out of time and can’t try again unless you live back in your home country again for at least a year.)

The only caveat I would have, and that’s a minor one, is that some controls and/or limits would need to be put in place to make sure that the influx doesn’t seriously damage the work force – if we just open it wide, several million might swarm in too rapidly and cause some significant unemployment until the economy can absorb them. Economic indigestion isn’t a pretty sight.

]]> By: Jim S http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-380229 Jim S Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:14:59 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/#comment-380229 Michael, The jobs that will be outsourced to India will still be outsourced to India or whoever has cheaper labor because that's what it's all about. There won't be any insourcing to immigrants because to live here you still need to make more than the worker in other countries. Michael,

The jobs that will be outsourced to India will still be outsourced to India or whoever has cheaper labor because that’s what it’s all about. There won’t be any insourcing to immigrants because to live here you still need to make more than the worker in other countries.

]]> By: Michael Reynolds http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-380226 Michael Reynolds Tue, 07 Aug 2007 23:00:05 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/#comment-380226 Pat: I think those are all legitimate concerns. But I think they're minor when compared to the potential benefits. No doubt people will say it depresses wages, but that's nonsense because these are in many cases the jobs that might be outsourced to India. As Mike above says, we'd be in-sourcing. And the overall improvement in our economy would lift all boats. Pat:

I think those are all legitimate concerns. But I think they’re minor when compared to the potential benefits. No doubt people will say it depresses wages, but that’s nonsense because these are in many cases the jobs that might be outsourced to India. As Mike above says, we’d be in-sourcing. And the overall improvement in our economy would lift all boats.

]]> By: PatHMV http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-380223 PatHMV Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:17:41 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/#comment-380223 How long do they have to keep the $20k in the account? I see huge potential for the same wolves who smuggle migrants in from Mexico now to shift their business practice. They "loan" the immigrant $20k, and enforce repayment through violence. As for the highly educated people, the existing American workers will insist, as they do currently under HB-1, that this will severely depress wages, hurting highly educated native Americans and further discouraging young Americans from seeking higher degrees. Beyond that, I worry tremendously about the negative impacts such a massive "brain drain" would have on other countries around the world. If all the smart people leave a country, say a country on the cusp of advancing to the developed world or falling back to banana republic status, then only the thugs will be left. How long do they have to keep the $20k in the account? I see huge potential for the same wolves who smuggle migrants in from Mexico now to shift their business practice. They “loan” the immigrant $20k, and enforce repayment through violence.

As for the highly educated people, the existing American workers will insist, as they do currently under HB-1, that this will severely depress wages, hurting highly educated native Americans and further discouraging young Americans from seeking higher degrees.

Beyond that, I worry tremendously about the negative impacts such a massive “brain drain” would have on other countries around the world. If all the smart people leave a country, say a country on the cusp of advancing to the developed world or falling back to banana republic status, then only the thugs will be left.

]]> By: Michael Reynolds http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-380212 Michael Reynolds Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:04:18 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/#comment-380212 The more I look at it the more I like it. Imagine the effect on housing starts if they announced this policy. Imagine the ripple effect from that. Just think about how this would change our standing in the world. Consider how many new business connections would be forged with China and India. And not only would it cost us nothing, it would be profitable from day 1. The more I look at it the more I like it. Imagine the effect on housing starts if they announced this policy. Imagine the ripple effect from that. Just think about how this would change our standing in the world. Consider how many new business connections would be forged with China and India. And not only would it cost us nothing, it would be profitable from day 1.

]]> By: mw http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-380200 mw Tue, 07 Aug 2007 03:43:04 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/#comment-380200 This may be the smartest thing I've read in a long time. It'll never get through the protectionists on the left and the xenophobes on the right of course. But it is a great idea. An injection of new blood, people who really want to be here, people who would truly appreciate and understand the meaning of freedom, people who are willing to take risks and work hard to build a better life for themselves and their families. Exactly what this country needs. Genius. This may be the smartest thing I’ve read in a long time. It’ll never get through the protectionists on the left and the xenophobes on the right of course. But it is a great idea. An injection of new blood, people who really want to be here, people who would truly appreciate and understand the meaning of freedom, people who are willing to take risks and work hard to build a better life for themselves and their families. Exactly what this country needs. Genius.

]]> By: Mike http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/comment-page-1/#comment-380197 Mike Tue, 07 Aug 2007 02:24:24 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/06/open-the-doors/#comment-380197 This sounds great. So long as corporate America doesn't use them as an excuse to fire Americans and replace them with cheaper labor. What you plan could be is the in-sourcing of American unemployment. If protections are put in place, the plan sounds great. This sounds great. So long as corporate America doesn’t use them as an excuse to fire Americans and replace them with cheaper labor. What you plan could be is the in-sourcing of American unemployment. If protections are put in place, the plan sounds great.

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