4 ms·

> upend the local economy Are the governments really that upset with illegal immigrants that (typically) don't commit crimes (aside from immigration/taxes) and

> upend the local economy Are the governments really that upset with illegal immigrants that (typically) don't commit crimes (aside from immigration/taxes) and spend (by local standards) crazy amounts of money in the local economy?

steele 4y ago
Don't commit crimes aside from crimes
- tgsovlerkhgsel 4y ago
  Immigration and tax evasion generally don't directly hurt someone who'd be pissed off that the government let the crime happen, unlike e.g. theft, robbery, rape, or even just loitering around drunk in public.
  - steele 4y ago
    White-collar crime is crime. Tax evasion while relying on tax-funded infrastructure is theft.
    - tgsovlerkhgsel 4y ago
      I'm not talking about philosophy, I'm talking about what gets people angry at the government. Imagine that you're running a pub. There's a regular that dresses funny, runs a small show, drinks like a hole, and at the end of the day, always runs out without paying his bill. He's stealing from you. However, there are many people who go to the pub just to watch his antics. The food and drinks he steals are nothing compared to the extra money you make from that. You have every right to kick him out, and you might do it out of spite because you will not tolerate thieves... but the pragmatic thing to do is to look the other way, so it's not surprising when that's what happens.
      - steele 4y ago
        Your hypothetical is hollow sophistry while taxation is both law and social contract. Miss me with that "I'm not talking about philosophy, now imagine you're a cowboy riding a dinosaur" bollocks.
kyleee 4y ago
no, not really, unless it is politically expedient for them to appear to care. most politicians view themselves much closer to the digital nomads in terms of class/social status as opposed to their constituents / regular folk, ex. politicians already mostly live in gentrified/fancier areas, dine at the higher end restaurants, and fancy themselves world travellers
asdadsdad 4y ago
It's not just that. In policy making, being lax about a particular thing for a particular group (in this case, border control) opens up a pandora box of problems by legitimizing that very thing for everyone else.

steele 4y ago

Don't commit crimes aside from crimes

tgsovlerkhgsel 4y ago
Immigration and tax evasion generally don't directly hurt someone who'd be pissed off that the government let the crime happen, unlike e.g. theft, robbery, rape, or even just loitering around drunk in public.
- steele 4y ago
  White-collar crime is crime. Tax evasion while relying on tax-funded infrastructure is theft.
  - tgsovlerkhgsel 4y ago
    I'm not talking about philosophy, I'm talking about what gets people angry at the government. Imagine that you're running a pub. There's a regular that dresses funny, runs a small show, drinks like a hole, and at the end of the day, always runs out without paying his bill. He's stealing from you. However, there are many people who go to the pub just to watch his antics. The food and drinks he steals are nothing compared to the extra money you make from that. You have every right to kick him out, and you might do it out of spite because you will not tolerate thieves... but the pragmatic thing to do is to look the other way, so it's not surprising when that's what happens.
    - steele 4y ago
      Your hypothetical is hollow sophistry while taxation is both law and social contract. Miss me with that "I'm not talking about philosophy, now imagine you're a cowboy riding a dinosaur" bollocks.

kyleee 4y ago

no, not really, unless it is politically expedient for them to appear to care. most politicians view themselves much closer to the digital nomads in terms of class/social status as opposed to their constituents / regular folk, ex. politicians already mostly live in gentrified/fancier areas, dine at the higher end restaurants, and fancy themselves world travellers

asdadsdad 4y ago

It's not just that. In policy making, being lax about a particular thing for a particular group (in this case, border control) opens up a pandora box of problems by legitimizing that very thing for everyone else.