3 ms·

The alternatives you mention are things that could happen in the future. The alternative 'p1necone brought up is the status quo.

by twtw 8y ago

sonnyblarney 8y ago
The 'status quo' is to further develop a 'serf economy' of non-citizens, further ingraining sectarianism, division ... in addition to even racism, massive legal headaches and grey areas, and a burgeoning populism. Asking people to follow very basic and normative laws is the central social artifact of any civilization. Without it ... it's going to be bad. Just enforce the laws. If laws or policies need to be changed, then change them! Say for example, if there's 'very low unemployment' in Cali, and they really need workers, then maybe 1) allow more immigration. 2) have a temporary worker system that's reliably enforced. But otherwise, don't create two sets of laws, two economies, two classes of people. Also, the US should be making considerably more material effort to develop adjacent economies, right across the border - and I mean more than military aid for the federales, and more than just economic aid which is inefficient. A major US investment initiative for example in Baja, in the South, focusing on travel, manufacturing, that ensured physical security, financial security etc.. and maybe a lot of money and effort would come flushing in. Aside from historical narratives of colonialism etc. it could be done, and done well, and it'd be a huge win-win. And FYI this means considerably better healthcare for those living there as well, frankly, probably almost as good as American healthcare for pennies on the dollar. If it were up to par ... you'd even see a boon of medical tourism, for which there is a huge unmet demand simply because it's very risky for folks to go to 'some random place' in Central America they've never heard of that may have no standards. Imagine a set of hospitals and clinics with a high operating standard, and some brand equity, with cheap prices? Now that's a business! But it can only be facilitate with core civic stability which the US (and Canada?) could feasibly help provide. When NAFTA was re-negotiated, I wish they'd have addressed these new, 21st century issues instead of rehashing tariffs on steel and milk ...

The alternatives you mention are things that could happen in the future. The alternative 'p1necone brought up is the status quo.

by twtw 8y ago

The alternatives you mention are things that could happen in the future. The alternative 'p1necone brought up is the status quo.

sonnyblarney 8y ago

The 'status quo' is to further develop a 'serf economy' of non-citizens, further ingraining sectarianism, division ... in addition to even racism, massive legal headaches and grey areas, and a burgeoning populism. Asking people to follow very basic and normative laws is the central social artifact of any civilization. Without it ... it's going to be bad. Just enforce the laws. If laws or policies need to be changed, then change them! Say for example, if there's 'very low unemployment' in Cali, and they really need workers, then maybe 1) allow more immigration. 2) have a temporary worker system that's reliably enforced. But otherwise, don't create two sets of laws, two economies, two classes of people. Also, the US should be making considerably more material effort to develop adjacent economies, right across the border - and I mean more than military aid for the federales, and more than just economic aid which is inefficient. A major US investment initiative for example in Baja, in the South, focusing on travel, manufacturing, that ensured physical security, financial security etc.. and maybe a lot of money and effort would come flushing in. Aside from historical narratives of colonialism etc. it could be done, and done well, and it'd be a huge win-win. And FYI this means considerably better healthcare for those living there as well, frankly, probably almost as good as American healthcare for pennies on the dollar. If it were up to par ... you'd even see a boon of medical tourism, for which there is a huge unmet demand simply because it's very risky for folks to go to 'some random place' in Central America they've never heard of that may have no standards. Imagine a set of hospitals and clinics with a high operating standard, and some brand equity, with cheap prices? Now that's a business! But it can only be facilitate with core civic stability which the US (and Canada?) could feasibly help provide. When NAFTA was re-negotiated, I wish they'd have addressed these new, 21st century issues instead of rehashing tariffs on steel and milk ...