4 ms·

US Immigration: When Only 'Geniuses' Need Apply

15 points by dreamz 17y ago

jgrahamc 17y ago
That's the route I took to get my green card. Not sure I'd say I was a genius though.
- o3p 17y ago
  you had an o-1 visa?
Kadin 17y ago
I don't even think the Minutemen types (and I know a few) really oppose this sort of immigration. This is exactly the sort of thing we should be encouraging; highly skilled individuals should be encouraged to come to the U.S. and work. It's the flood of low-skilled workers that essentially drop the bottom out of the labor market that present a problem.
- eru 17y ago
  > It's the flood of low-skilled workers that essentially drop the bottom out of the labor market that present a problem. Do they? Any statistics to support that point? Edit: Added the line I was questioning.
  - falsestprophet 17y ago
    I don't think there have been any comprehensive studies about Minuteman-types on this subject, but I can offer some anecdotal evidence from my Minuteman chapter in Clint, Texas (near El Paso). We are a little divided. JerryD and Greg do not like it at all. Dan, Zach and I don't have a problem with it. Jared, our leader, has adopted an intermediate position; he supports such immigration, as long as they're not Mexicans. I'll bring up the question at the next county-wide meeting in August. I'll tweet the results.
    - o3p 17y ago
      "as long as they're not Mexicans." i can think of a few adjectives other than 'intermediate' to describe that position.
    - biohacker42 17y ago
      I'm guessing you're being downvoted because you're memember of the Minutemen. But I am genuinely curious about his: he supports such immigration, as long as they're not Mexicans. So even geniuses are not welcome if they happen to be Mexican?
      - eugenejen 17y ago
        Or Mexican billionaires who made his/her wealth not from drug business and wants to leave his/her estate to be taxed by U.S. Government?
      - eru 17y ago
        By the way: What are Minutemen?
        biohacker42 17y ago
        Civilians who "guard" the US/Mexico border.
        eru 17y ago
        Against those evil Mexicans, I guess? Do the Mexicans also have guards on their site?
        greyboy 17y ago
        Is there really a problem with people streaming across the border in that direction? Could be, for all I know.
        deleted 17y ago
        [deleted]
  - nazgulnarsil 17y ago
    you dont need statistics. if a worker contributes less in taxes than we spend on him it is a net drain on the economy.
gojomo 17y ago
I'd make these available to anyone above average. As long as a person is not a criminal or an immediate drain on common resources, more competent people mean more opportunities, more production, more efficiency. And if they're not here, they'll be expanding possibilities elsewhere, eroding the US's relative position. So admitting anyone who brings up our averages is the truly patriotic policy.
- yummyfajitas 17y ago
  From the perspective of maximizing the economy within the current borders of the US, you are correct. However, this completely neglects the potential cultural and political aspects. Immigration, particularly in large amounts, will dramatically change the cultural and political face of the US. We need to account for these changes before making decisions on immigration.
  - gojomo 17y ago
    Not if we're only accepting 'above-average' immigrants. If we have cultural or political aspects that can't survive the arrival of more highly-educated, self-sufficient, productive, law-abiding residents, we should eagerly discard such parochialisms.
    - yummyfajitas 17y ago
      Just because a person is smart and productive doesn't mean they aren't racist, sexist, authoritarian or superstitious. A large number of such people could be harmful. A highly educated, self-sufficient and productive person said this: "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want." If we import 50 million such people, the "parochialism" we discard may well be democracy and freedom. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan#Comments_during_2009_Boao_Forum_for_Asia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan#Comments_during_200... ). This is one example that springs to mind, and is (I hope) fairly non-controversial.
      - 17y ago
xiaoma 17y ago
If they truly are at the top of their fields, why require a degree? Would it really make any sense to deny a modern day Edison or Hemingway over a degree?

15 points by dreamz 17y ago

jgrahamc 17y ago

That's the route I took to get my green card. Not sure I'd say I was a genius though.

o3p 17y ago
you had an o-1 visa?

Kadin 17y ago

I don't even think the Minutemen types (and I know a few) really oppose this sort of immigration. This is exactly the sort of thing we should be encouraging; highly skilled individuals should be encouraged to come to the U.S. and work. It's the flood of low-skilled workers that essentially drop the bottom out of the labor market that present a problem.

eru 17y ago
> It's the flood of low-skilled workers that essentially drop the bottom out of the labor market that present a problem. Do they? Any statistics to support that point? Edit: Added the line I was questioning.
- falsestprophet 17y ago
  I don't think there have been any comprehensive studies about Minuteman-types on this subject, but I can offer some anecdotal evidence from my Minuteman chapter in Clint, Texas (near El Paso). We are a little divided. JerryD and Greg do not like it at all. Dan, Zach and I don't have a problem with it. Jared, our leader, has adopted an intermediate position; he supports such immigration, as long as they're not Mexicans. I'll bring up the question at the next county-wide meeting in August. I'll tweet the results.
  - o3p 17y ago
    "as long as they're not Mexicans." i can think of a few adjectives other than 'intermediate' to describe that position.
  - biohacker42 17y ago
    I'm guessing you're being downvoted because you're memember of the Minutemen. But I am genuinely curious about his: he supports such immigration, as long as they're not Mexicans. So even geniuses are not welcome if they happen to be Mexican?
    - eugenejen 17y ago
      Or Mexican billionaires who made his/her wealth not from drug business and wants to leave his/her estate to be taxed by U.S. Government?
    - eru 17y ago
      By the way: What are Minutemen?
      - biohacker42 17y ago
        Civilians who "guard" the US/Mexico border.
        eru 17y ago
        Against those evil Mexicans, I guess? Do the Mexicans also have guards on their site?
        greyboy 17y ago
        Is there really a problem with people streaming across the border in that direction? Could be, for all I know.
        deleted 17y ago
        [deleted]
- nazgulnarsil 17y ago
  you dont need statistics. if a worker contributes less in taxes than we spend on him it is a net drain on the economy.

gojomo 17y ago

I'd make these available to anyone above average. As long as a person is not a criminal or an immediate drain on common resources, more competent people mean more opportunities, more production, more efficiency. And if they're not here, they'll be expanding possibilities elsewhere, eroding the US's relative position. So admitting anyone who brings up our averages is the truly patriotic policy.

yummyfajitas 17y ago
From the perspective of maximizing the economy within the current borders of the US, you are correct. However, this completely neglects the potential cultural and political aspects. Immigration, particularly in large amounts, will dramatically change the cultural and political face of the US. We need to account for these changes before making decisions on immigration.
- gojomo 17y ago
  Not if we're only accepting 'above-average' immigrants. If we have cultural or political aspects that can't survive the arrival of more highly-educated, self-sufficient, productive, law-abiding residents, we should eagerly discard such parochialisms.
  - yummyfajitas 17y ago
    Just because a person is smart and productive doesn't mean they aren't racist, sexist, authoritarian or superstitious. A large number of such people could be harmful. A highly educated, self-sufficient and productive person said this: "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want." If we import 50 million such people, the "parochialism" we discard may well be democracy and freedom. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan#Comments_during_2009_Boao_Forum_for_Asia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan#Comments_during_200... ). This is one example that springs to mind, and is (I hope) fairly non-controversial.
    - 17y ago

xiaoma 17y ago

If they truly are at the top of their fields, why require a degree? Would it really make any sense to deny a modern day Edison or Hemingway over a degree?