Posted on 04/25/2011 7:59:44 AM PDT by Paladins Prayer
At a gathering some years ago, I had a political conversation with a man who had recently arrived here from Denmark. He was advocating his home country's socialist system, which, of course, led to profound disagreement. He was good natured and cordial, however, so the debate ended on a polite note. Yet it also ended on an ironic one: When asked if he wanted to return home, his answer was no.
This is a common phenomenon. We see it, for instance, in liberal northerners who move to the South for the lower taxes and cost of living and greater freedom, but then continue to vote for the kind of politicians who made the Northeast a nice place to leave. And while this befuddles many, it's simply man's nature. Of course people want that which is good, such as a better lifestyle, but wanting and attaining are two different things. Everyone wants good health, for example, but many nevertheless are too attached to unhealthful foods and practices to relinquish them. Oh, they might move into your healthy body if they could, but they would likely do to it what a government-subsidized project does to a good neighborhood.
Now, there is a reason why I'm talking about how a change in location doesn't equate to a change in ideology. In the Financial Times recently, Richard McGregor reported on the latest population data, writing:
The electorate has become less white and more Hispanic more rapidly than predicted, according to the national census, two trends that will influence elections for decades.
... Mr Obama and the Democrats have long had a significant lead among minority voters, [and these demographic changes are] lifting their chances of taking states such as Nevada, Georgia and Arizona [which were] lost in 2008.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
The anecdote about the guy from Denmark — I had the exact conversation/experience with a guy from Sweden. He gave the old “The-US-is-too-harsh-on-the-poor” shtick, ranted about our healthcare, we aren’t green enough, etc.
A few weeks later he announced to the office that he had just become a citizen. Dumbfounded, I later asked him why he wasn’t going to return to Sweden — he stated he couldn’t make the same money or live as well in Europe.
It took every ounce of self control not to say something.
I agree with you. A lot of people here say “I have no problem with immigration, as long as it’s legal”. 2 points, with the stroke of a pen, the illegal are now legal. Next, most of the world is at best socialist and leave their country to come here and try to recreate their homelands failings. We’re suicidal.
Riding the train for free is all fun and games - until the engine breaks down in the middle of the desert.
A few years back, my uncle closed the doors of his small IT company because he couldn’t compete against companies that could import dozens of H1B workers.
Could be restated as: "they've left the producer's strike in their own countries for America, which still hasn't had it's producer's strike."
Take the profit out of it. We need a law requiring 18 years of citizenship to vote. I had to be a citizen for 18 years before I ever voted, and these people are not better than I am.
I believe in creaming off the best and brightest from other nations, as much as possible...
We don’t need their dregs, though. We have enough of our own.
Obama didn't lose Nevada in 2008. I know; I went up there and worked on McCain's campaign for a week, only to see Obama win by more than 12%. A humiliating ass-kicking in a state that should have been close.
Be of good cheer, however! We have some up-and-coming conservative Hispanics such as Susana Martinez, Marco Rubio, Brian Sandoval, Bill Flores, Francisco Canseco, Jaime Herrera, Raul Labrador and David Rivera. We only need to peel off 35% or 40% of the Hispanic vote to make life hell for the Democrats.
Good point.
The statement I have no problem with immigration, as long as its legal is boneheaded.
Our current immigration system allows in a large number of “legal” immigrants who have nothing to contribute to this country other than to become Dim voters and parasites on our welfare system.
I DO have a problem with a lot of our L-E-G-A-L immigrants. We have too many and a great number of them are not needed here and will only become criminals or welfare addicts.
Enough already.
For anyone who says I have no problem with immigration, as long as its legal, visit NumbersUSA and educate yourself.
You should have said something. ;-)
What you fail to see is that once "the best and brightest" are here they bring in loads of their less than bright relatives, who then apply for a variety of government handout programs. This appears to be common practice among Indian and Asian immigrants. It's chain migration. I've seen it for years here in California and it's one of the engines that has transformed CA from a Reagan stronghold into the Obama stronghold that it is now.
“I’ve seen it for years here in California and it’s one of the engines that has transformed CA from a Reagan stronghold into the Obama stronghold that it is now.”
More than anything else the breeding habits of Americans are to blame.
Blame Americans if you want. That’s not my first choice.
Okay, so maybe chain migration needs to be fixed. Or maybe the welfare state needs to be gutted so that they can’t bring their families here and support them on social security and welfare.
Its still a good idea to recruit the best folks you can, whether you’re a business or a country.
In Asia they sell books on how to game the American social security and welfare system. It must have been at least 15 years ago when I first became aware of very well off Asians bringing over their parents and getting them social security benefits. I’ve seen friends and relatives brought over as visitors and then never go home. They also manage to access a variety of government programs.
One year I had an entire house full of Korean kids next door brought over as “helicopter kids” to attend the local high school. They simply overstayed visitor visas. The schools either don’t or aren’t allowed to ask about immigration status. Just one more hidden cost to California taxpayers from a government that does nothing to enforce immigration laws.
This article is epoch.
So is this one:
It may not have been written by Walter Williams. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s true.
See also “America Alone” by Mark Steyn
It could have been worse - it could have been Somalis...
Hasn't happened...actually poor religious southern blacks are still most likely to buck the black trend
Fact is and one many here refuse to face is that outside the non hispanic white group that precious few vote right wing
Sikhs, Cubans..older ones, some South Americans
Maybe a handful of others...
It is cultural suicide to leave the gates wide open...has been for nearly 100 years now
Gotta do something replace the generations we’ve aborted and keep the Social Security ponzi scheme alive...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.