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The Impact of Immigrant Innovators
Ramakrishnan writes "The Wall Street Journal is carrying a report on immigrant innovators and entrepreneurs. According to the piece, nearly a quarter of all California startups which went into business between 1995 and 2005 had an immigrant as a founding member. These businesses, together, employ almost half a million workers and generated about $50 billion in sales in the year 2005. The study seems quite topical, given recent discussions in the U.S. capital. From the article: 'Supporters of an immigration bill are likely to use the study to argue the importance of foreign-born workers to the U.S. economy. An immigration bill passed by the last Congress and heavily lobbied by business groups would have greatly increased the number of green cards available to skilled workers. Business has long argued that the U.S. schools aren't turning out enough scientists, mathematicians and engineers, and that the economy will lose its competitive edge without more skilled foreign workers.'"
In the UK, minimum wage is on a sliding scale. People under 18 have the lowest rate, then people between 18 and 22 a slightly higher one, and people over 22 the top rate (a little under $10.50/hour at today's exchange rate). The rational for this is that younger people will take part of their income as training.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
"I'm from a Mexican-American family that immigrated here two generations ago (legally) so I realize the opportunities this country can offer but at a certain point (that I believe we are *way* beyond) we have to look out for our own country's own national interests and be fair to those who have waited years to immigrate legally. I guarantee that for every brain surgeon climbing the fence there are a million unskilled workers behind him. And we wouldn't dare to create a law that allowed people in based on skill level (not that we would bother to enforce it anyway) because the ACLU would say that it is unconstitutional profiling or something similar."
"In California our schools and hospitals are not collapsing because of an influx of English-speaking rocket scientist either. I can safely say that California (and now the wider South West) is the primary social welfare system of Mexico and I believe that it is the root cause of the issue. It's not really a national immigration policy debate it's a U.S.-Mexico relations debate and whether or not the distinction between the two countries should still bother to be made or whether they should be melded into one entity. Pro-immigration policy activists are generally not fighting tooth and nail to allow Ethiopian nationals to receive U.S. entitlements; they are looking out for Mexican interests. Its that seldom mentioned detail that I believe makes the entire concept of pro-immigration policy unfair to all foreign nationals waiting their turn to immigrate legally. Is there anyone among us who is not pro-immigration? No. This country was born by immigrants (including Mexican). But I'm not pro-"illegal"-immigration."
nearly a quarter of all California startups which went into business between 1995 and 2005 had an immigrant as a founding member.
Being that California's population is more than a quarter non-native born, this statistic does not mean much.
Table-ized A.I.
According to some reports, there are a couple tens of millions of undocumented workers in this country. Given the maximum number of visas allocated in any given year, it would take on average about 4,000 years for someone to legally enter this country from the less-favored areas of the world. I don't know about you, but I would have a hard time waiting that long.
Of course they do! They aren't stupid, despite the stereotypes. That's why they want a path to citizenship.
This country has a long and proud history of civil disobediance concerning unjust laws. I don't know about you, but I'm doing that right now every time I watch a DVD on my MythTV box. I'd say our new neighbors are learning quite quickly, wouldn't you?
Classic fear-mongering argument. Are you really so afraid of other people? How sad.
Our responsibility is to our fellow human beings, regarless of race, creed, country of origin or any of the other silly things we use to divide ourselves against each other
You really don't understand the difference between legal and illegal immigration, do you? The parent is talking about illegal immigration, and you respond about legal immigration.
People cannot discuss things rationally with you when you resort to non sequiturs.
Don't blame me, I didn't vote for either of them!
The US produces 8.1 million barrels of its own crude per day. It imports 55% of the oil it needs. Certainly, there would be a major hit to the average American lifestyle were we to lose all foreign sources of oil (including Mexico), but we could still survive.