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Date Posted: 15:04:10 11/28/07 Wed
Author: Rich
Subject: Re: Educate yourself Pinocchio with Facts...
In reply to: Paul Baker 's message, "Re: Educate yourself Pinocchio with Facts..." on 09:59:47 11/28/07 Wed

Since when is a blog entry from some stupid liberal douche bag fact?




>>PHL 126, Dr. Hauser, Fall 2003
>>
>>Bring ‘em On: Immigration Fallacies and Facts
>>by Jennifer Cornacchione
>>
>>
>>For over 300 years, various ethnic, cultural, and
>>social groups have come to this country to seek
>>economic opportunity, reunite with family members, and
>>find a place where they can be free from political and
>>religious persecution. I suspect a majority of
>>American-born citizens believe that immigration is a
>>bad thing in this country that is harmful. Those
>>particular Americans believe that this country is
>>being infested by foreigners who cannot even speak our
>>own language. However, if one were to look at the
>>truth behind these fallacies, he/she would see that
>>immigration is beneficial to our country and should
>>not be abandoned. Instead, it should be increased.
>>
>>
>>
>>Approximately 800,000 immigrants enter the United
>>States each year. Of this number, 480,000 of them are
>>family sponsored, meaning that they are immediate
>>relatives to American citizens, such as a spouse,
>>child, or sibling. Employment-based immigrants total
>>140,000 each year. This means that they are, “skilled
>>professionals with exceptional ability and other
>>priority workers, immigrating to jobs for which the
>>U.S. Department of Labor has certified that no
>>qualified U.S. worker is available” (“Legal
>>Immigration to the United States”).
>>
>>
>>
>>Contrary to popular belief, only 1% of the population
>>constitutes illegal immigrants. People commonly view
>>these immigrants as “dirty Mexicans” crossing the
>>border, when in fact, six out of the ten illegal
>>immigrants enter the United States legally with a
>>student, tourist, or business visa. Many become
>>illegal when they stay in the United States after
>>their visas have expired (“America is Immigration”).
>>Refusing immigrants into this country will not
>>alleviate the problem of illegal immigration. If they
>>are able to get in now, then how is a decrease in
>>immigration going to stop them? Illegal immigration
>>is simply a problem that will continually have to be
>>dealt with. Although many Americans think of
>>immigration as illegal border hopping, there are
>>people who actually do come here legally to improve
>>their lifestyle or to be reunited with loved ones.
>>
>>
>>
>>Many people who disapprove of immigration base their
>>opinions on arguments that are purely fictitious. One
>>such argument against immigration is that immigrants
>>take away American jobs and are a drain on the U.S.
>>economy. However, the only competition with
>>immigrants is the skilled immigrants versus the
>>skilled natives, and the unskilled immigrants versus
>>the unskilled natives. Therefore, the person with the
>>most skills deserves the job. If that person is an
>>immigrant, then so be it. Obviously stated, the
>>person who works the hardest and has the most
>>knowledge gets the reward. Immigrants only hurt those
>>who are less qualified. Another problem that comes up
>>when talking about immigrants taking away jobs is that
>>immigrants will work for less, so they are hired more
>>often than are the natives who are seeking employment.
>> Of course immigrants will work for a lower wage; they
>>want to succeed in this country and in order to live a
>>decent life, they need an income, and they best and
>>most legal way to do such a thing is to work. If they
>>cannot find employment elsewhere, they will settle for
>>being paid lower wages. Instead of putting the blame
>>on immigrants, people should look to the cause of the
>>problem: the employers. It is not the immigrant’s
>>fault that the employers are willing to pay them less
>>for their work.
>>
>>
>>
>>Furthermore, there is no “set number” of jobs because
>>as the demand for workers increases, the number of
>>jobs will increase as well. As immigrants come into
>>this country, they increase the demand for goods and
>>services through consumption. This in turn increases
>>the number of workers needed to produce those goods
>>and services. Immigration has also been accused of
>>being the cause of wage inequality in the United
>>States. Francisco L. Rivera-Batiz, an economist at
>>Columbia University, states that, “Both theory and
>>empirical evidence suggest that there has been very
>>little, if any, impact of immigration on the wages of
>>high-school dropouts” (“Five Immigration Myths
>>Explained”). After actually looking at the facts, it
>>is quite obvious that immigrants do not take away
>>“American” jobs.
>>
>>
>>
>>Immigrants do succeed in this country. In fact, over
>>the past forty years, the percentage of both male and
>>female immigrant high school dropouts has decreased by
>>thirty-three percent. The percentage of immigrant
>>females who are college graduates has increased by
>>twenty-three percent, while the percentage of
>>immigrant male college graduates has grown by about
>>twenty percent. Since 1990, both male and female
>>immigrants have acquired a higher level of education
>>compared to the education native men and women have
>>received. Being a native of another country does not
>>automatically make one lazy and unsuccessful.
>>
>>
>>
>>Moreover, immigrants tend to have high rates of
>>entrepreneurship, which also leads to the creation of
>>new jobs. In fact, in 1995, Inc. Magazine reported
>>that 12% of the 500 fastest growing corporations in
>>America were companies started by immigrants (“Five
>>Immigration Myths Explained”). If one were to take a
>>look at the engineers, doctors, and scientists in
>>America, he/she would notice that perhaps the majority
>>of them have come from foreign countries.
>>Additionally, from the use of immigrants as employees,
>>American firms benefit from the country the immigrant
>>came from. American businesses market their products
>>in the foreign market by creating a link between
>>themselves and the immigrant’s country (Borjas 96).
>>Because Americans would increase their business
>>overseas, their profits would increase.
>>
>>
>>
>>Another component of the argument that immigrants are
>>harmful to the economy is that those coming from other
>>countries do not pay taxes. On the contrary, all who
>>work in the United States are required to pay income
>>taxes. Immigrants, specifically, paid over
>>one-hundred billion dollars in direct taxes to local,
>>state, and federal governments in 1997. Furthermore,
>>the average annual tax payments made by immigrants are
>>roughly the same as natives: $6,300 for immigrants
>>opposed to $6,500 for natives. In fact, the National
>>Academy of Sciences states that, “Over the long run an
>>additional immigrant and all descendants would
>>actually save the taxpayers $80,000” (qtd. In “Five
>>Immigration Myths Explained”). University of
>>California, Berkeley economist Ronald Lee concluded
>>that forty-nine out of the fifty states benefit
>>fiscally from immigration. Supporting immigration,
>>56% of economists believed that increased immigration
>>would have the most positive impact on the American
>>standard of living, whereas 33% believed that the
>>current immigration rate had the most favorable
>>impact. Therefore, immigrants do not harm the economy
>>in general or when it comes to taxes.
>>
>>
>>
>>Another common myth about immigration is that America
>>is being overrun by foreigners. It is true that the
>>number of immigrants living in the United States has
>>grown since 1910; however, the percentage of the
>>population they comprise has decreased from 14.7% to
>>11%. Also, in 1913, during the peak of immigration,
>>there were 13 immigrants per 1,000 U.S. residents, and
>>currently there are three legal immigrants per 1,000
>>U.S.-born residents entering the United States. As
>>one can see from this data, America is not being
>>flooded by those coming from other countries.
>>
>>
>>
>>Immigrants contribute considerably to American
>>society. According to a Manhattan Institute report,
>>immigrants are more likely than natives to have an
>>intact family, college degree, and also to be
>>employed. Legal immigrants also attend school longer
>>than natives. The median years of schooling for
>>immigrants is thirteen compared to twelve for
>>American-born citizens, according to the New Immigrant
>>Survey. In addition, from that same report, we learn
>>that immigrants are no more likely to commit crime.
>>Yet another way immigrants contribute to American
>>society, as explained earlier, is through their
>>assistance in the growth of innovation. Foreign-born
>>scientists and engineers make up a significant number
>>of individuals with PhDs. Immigrants are also
>>involved in defending our country. According to the
>>U.S. Department of Defense, “More than 60,000 serve on
>>active duty in the U.S. armed forces, make up five
>>percent of all enlisted personnel on active duty in
>>the U.S. armed forces, and nearly seven percent are
>>enlisted in the U.S. Navy” (“Five Immigration Myths
>>Explained”). Being born in another country does not
>>mean that one is uninterested in and/or does not
>>contribute to American society.
>>
>>
>>
>>The current immigration policy of the United States
>>rests on the assumption that it is the community’s
>>right to decide on a person’s membership (Singer 255).
>> But who are we to tell those who are suffering or
>>seeking a place to be free that they may not enter?
>>As I explained earlier, many people believe that
>>immigrants are a drain on the economy. The result of
>>their feelings would be that we do not need immigrants
>>in this country. Many Americans do not know the facts
>>about immigration, so why should they have any right
>>to decide if immigrants should or should not enter the
>>community/country? Chances are, with the obvious
>>opinion of many, immigrants would be refused into this
>>country. America is not short on resources, and can
>>support many more people who want to live in this
>>country, as our ancestors were able to do. While most
>>of us are living in luxury in America, there are many
>>immigrants who just want to live in this country.
>>Many people feel that we have enough problems in this
>>country and we cannot even care for our own
>>inhabitants. However, we could. And we could support
>>immigrants in this country, as well. The fact that we
>>do not forgo our luxuries to help others suggests that
>>we regard our luxuries as more important than the
>>lives of immigrants (Rachels 76). The immigration
>>policy should be based on the interests of those
>>affected-- immigrants and natives. Equal
>>consideration should be given to each party in the
>>areas where their interests conflict. This would mean
>>that more fundamental interests take priority over
>>less fundamental interests (Singer 256). For example,
>>a person wanting to live in the United States to seek
>>refuge would take precedence over a citizen who wants
>>to live in a multi-billion dollar home. One is a
>>necessity, the other is not. If our resources are
>>supposedly so scarce that we cannot allow immigrants,
>>then why is it okay to waste these resources on
>>unnecessary materialistic goods? I agree with Singer
>>in that those with the most fundamental needs should
>>be the ones whose wants are to be granted.
>>
>>
>>
>>Another theory that supports increased immigration is
>>Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative. This theory
>>states that one should, "act only according to that
>>maxim by which one can at the same time will that it
>>should become a universal law" (Rachels 121). This
>>means that if we close the doors to those seeking
>>refuge, then the doors would be closed on us as well
>>if we were ever in need of assistance. The
>>Categorical Imperative also states that we, “should be
>>helpful to people regardless of our particular wants
>>and needs” (Rachels 121). If people are seeking some
>>sort of aid, we should help them. According to Kant,
>>we are obliged to allow immigration.
>>
>>
>>
>>This country was founded on the principles of equality
>>and tolerance. Refusing immigrants into the United
>>States would refute everything this country is based
>>on. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled
>>masses yearning to breathe free," is not rhetoric, it
>>is America's oath to ensure that those people who face
>>the prospect of ethnic cleansing, religious
>>oppression, torture, and even death have a place to
>>live (“America is Immigration”). If we were allowed
>>freedom from Great Britain and elsewhere, then why
>>can’t others have freedom from where they have come
>>from? No one should take precedence over another when
>>it comes to deciding who should be able to live in
>>this country. Everybody deserves to be free and to
>>live life in the manner that they want to. I think
>>most people forget that they are here as a result of
>>immigration. We are all here for the same reasons:
>>our families wanted to give themselves, and their
>>future generations, a better life and greater
>>opportunities. If it had not been for immigration,
>>none of us would be in the position we are today.
>>
>>
>>
>>WORKS CITED
>>
>>
>>
>>· “America is Immigration.” American
>>Immigration Lawyer’s Association. Internet. 10
>>November, 2003. .
>>
>>· Borjas, George J. Heaven’s Door:
>>Immigration Policy and the American Economy.
>>Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999.
>>
>>· “Five Immigration Myths Explained.”
>>American Immigration Lawyer’s Association. Internet.
>>10 November, 2003. .
>>
>>· “Legal Immigration to the United
>>States.” American Immigration Lawyer’s Association.
>>Internet. 10 November, 2003. .
>>
>>· Rachels, James. The Elements of
>>Moral Philosophy. 4th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill,
>1999.
>>
>>· Singer, Peter. Practical Ethics.
>>2nd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

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