[1rudeboy]

Milton Friedman said that free movement of labor across borders would only work if countries equalized their respective social safety nets, thus removing the incentive for a person to cross a border simply looking for freebies.

Anyone who suggests that free traders must necessarily be in favor of open borders without understanding (or recognizing) the above is just a protectionist looking for a phony argument, and finding a particularly weak one.

[Will88]

Milton Friedman said that free movement of labor across borders would only work if countries equalized their respective social safety nets,

Lol, and it's only a disparity in social safety nets that lures illegals to the US? What about the disparity in wages and salaries?

And real free markets and free trade corrects those disparities by allowing the free movement of labor until things are more in balance. That's how real free trade and free markets work. You're advocating a huge advantage for ownership by allowing the free movement of capital, but restricting the free movement of labor.

It takes a little integrity and courage to be a real free trader, and not many have what it takes to openly advocate real free trade.

[pbmaltzman]

Milton Friedman said that free movement of labor across borders would only work if countries equalized their respective social safety nets, thus removing the incentive for a person to cross a border simply looking for freebies.

Milton Friedman is also credited with pointing out that you cannot have a welfare state and also have open borders... a view with which I am in agreement.