On Sun, 30 Dec 2001 02:52:01 -0800, you wrote:
>> In spite of the fact that most Americans are descended from
>> people who took advantage of relatively open borders.
>> In part this is natural human xenophobia and in part this
>> is simple economics -- wanting to preserve the advantages
>> (position, connections, environmental adaptations, etc.)
>> that one has developed over one or more generations.
>>
>
>But that bit of reasoning assumes relative scarcity and static
>models of wealth. Both of these are increasingly dated.
"Dated"? You mean unfashionable? You mean inconvenient? You mean
inexpedient? You think scarcity models are dated? That's a good
one...
Yes, in some respects, in some areas, scarcity models are not
applicable, but in some areas, like labor, they rule...
>> The immigration system by its very nature was designed to
>> promote production -- ~200 years ago it was designed to
>> promote the production of furs. ~100-150 years ago it was
>> designed to promote the production of metals and food.
>> ~50-100 years ago it was designed to promote industrial
>> manufacturing. It is my sense that the immigration policy
>> is now passed on because those of us whose ancestors at one
>> point were able to use it as a point of leverage feel it
>> is only just that others should be able to do so as well.
>> In other words its a "generous gift" and not a "right".
>>
>
>This also seems not terribly relevant. If we have open borders
>and there are no jobs doable by the immigrants then they will
>not continue to come in. If we have jobs and training
>opportunities then we get benefit and competitive advantages by
>letting them in. Gift vs. right has nothing really to do with
>it as I see it.
Yes, but you look at it from a classical economics perspective, which
is the perspective of the wealthy property owner. Instead, look at it
from the perspective of the janitor named Joe who rents a crummy
apartment across town from your condo. Joe's grandparents helped
build this country. Their votes helped build a stable country that
attracts capital and investment. Joe's parents' taxes built the
infrastructure that attracted capital and investment One of Joe's
grandfather's died in WWII, fighting to stop imperialism and enforce
Pax Americana, which established America as the world's premiere
superpower and the world's most stable country. America benfitted from
this--everyone wants to invest their money in the best....
The company that he works for would rather pay Joe $7/hr with no
benefits as opposed to the inflation adjusted $11/hr he got in 1978
(with benefits). I hope that is no surprise to you...the money not
paid to Joe and the benefits unpaid mean more money for the executives
and the stockholders. For them, that added money is a Good Thing.
The darn problem was that the company got no takers with the low
wages/no benefit job.
But they still wanted to keep that extra money instead of paying it
to Joe....now how could they get it? Well, how about this-- they form
organizations with other businesses where member pays a little money
monthly over the years to lobbyists who use the money to do all sorts
of neat things, such as write press releases, lobby congressmen, and
spread memes through such avenues as prime time TV and movies. What
kinds of memes are spread? Why, memes that will allow them to increase
the supply of labor, so that Joe will have no choice but to accept the
$7/hr no benefits jobs. You know why? Because his competition for the
job are people who come from Mexico where $7 is a whole day's pay. If
they can even find a job there.
Why is $7/hr unheard of for janitorial work in Mexico? Lots of supply
of labor, for one. It's that darn supply-demand equation thing again.
That silly, outdated thing just won't go away! There are not that many
jobs in Mexico because investors would rather invest in stable and
powerful countries like the USA. They would rather invest in
countries where the dominant culture reflects accountability and
honesty (remember I said I was a "culturisy" and not a "racist"?). So
therefore there was a demand for labor in the USA, as compared to
Mexico. And guess who reaps the rewards of that demand? Our friend,
Joe the Janitor! Lucky him! His grandparents would be glad to know
that the country they built has given him a good living.
But what about those memes being spread by those organized groups of
businesses and investors? What kind of memes could lower Joe's wages
by increasing the supply of labor? What kind of memes could persuade a
reasonable populace to give away the livelihood of all those Joe's out
there? Well, ya see, ya gotta tap into guilt and shame. Ya gotta
*socialize* them, and get to them young, using attractive role models
to spread those memes. You pay scriptwriters of sitcoms, and the
memes are mouthed by toothsome young guys and gals. Use labels
like...ummm..."xenophobe". ("Xenophobe" is the "commie" of today,
dontchaknow...). And ya know, if you keep pounding home those memes,
you even get little religions sprouting up around them....like
umm...Comucopianism, and umm...related religions.
So now those business/investor organizations have got what they
want--lower wages for all those Joe's (if they can even find a job as
a janitor. Which is highly doubtful--over the years I have had many
many janitors traipse into my office to vacuum and take out the
trash...every single one has been from Mexico and Central America. Ya
see, why hire Joe when you can hire an illegal over whom you have
leverage?). Everyone is happy, right? Americans get to help out all
those poor third worlders with enough money to buy a more varied diet,
etc. But what about Joe? Well, he was a little overweight, anyway.
Too much rich food. The investors and executives are better able to
deal with that extra money anyway--what about their Mercedes'
payments?! Also, the increased labor supply benefits others besides
the investors ,etc. Young urban professional get cheaper nannies and
cheaper prices at the restaurants (some Joe's work as busboys, and
some Jane's work as nannies...but they were overweight, too...)
So everyone is happy. Well...there are a few nasty old contrarians
that point out that the social contract has been busted--Joe is your
fellow citizen, and you must value your contract with him and look out
for him (just as he would look for you) before you go helping people
in other countries, even though they had nothing to do with building
the country that provided the environment that provided the jobs in
the first place, even though Joe's ancestors left this country, the
country they built, to him, and not to foreigners.
Why, hell, contracts is meant to broke...that's just "bidness," as
they say here in Houston....onwards and upwards...
But is our story finished? Not yet....let's get back to Joe. Well, he
adapted, he did finally find a job as a janitor...for 7/hr... no
medical, though. And he lived on rice and beans, and he was happy.
Until his 53rd year, when he found a lump under his arm. Well, with
no benefits, and with no savings (at $7/hr?), Joe succumbed to the
cancer....and now instead of playing with his grandkids, he has
returned from whence he came...the dust, and that, my fellow
worshippers, is a Bad Thing. He was your fellow citizen, and you
broke a contract with him. There will be consequences...eventually.
There are laws of thermodynamics that apply to societies, as well as
coffee cups.
Has my sarcasm penetrated your skull? I doubt it. Better I should take
the route of the businesses and investors and indoctrinate you over
the years using bought and paid for mass media....unfortunately, I
have not those kinds of resources. And really, in almost all
circumstances, those memes are being spread for PROFIT. That is why
the money is there in the first place. No free lunch, etc.
There is no black and white here. Immigration can have benefits. But
let's face one thing--the Extropian Institute is actually positioning
itself as a player in the field of...spreading those darn memes I
mentioned above....of JUSTIFYING theft of Joe's inherent (penumbral)
rights of citizenship--namely, and most explicitly, the right to FIRST
DIBS on whatever work is available to him in the country his
ancestors. His right takes precedence over ALL foreigners. Period.
Maybe I should shut up....maybe the Extropian Institute and the
principals involved would use the money garnered therefrom in order
to spead life extension memes, thereby benefitting me (and, IMO, all
human beings) in manifold ways. Or maybe they will use the money to
buy a Mercedes, who knows....
But, I am just one of those nasty old contrarians who just LOVE to
lance the pustulent boils of hypocrisy that infect the buttocks of all
societies....wow, look at that pus flow....
[Posted to Extropians mailing list, numerous Usenet newsgroup and my
state and federal congressman and senators (hey, this is a 2 hour
rant...I can't just let it rot in the Extropians mailing list...not
that it will likely do much good anywhere :-)]
Hey, Joe, this one is for you...my fellow citizen....
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