Elana from DMI @ 15

Its an important question. I know that the think tank I work for put together a two part litmus test to see whether proposed immigration legislation would help the American middle class and all the people working their way into the middle class. http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/library/35.html.

There is a way to build an immigration policy that works for all of us. Certainly addressing the trade crisis that contributes to the current situation is key (gooooo Tula!).

Elena, thanks for closing the circle.

“Trade crisis” – love that phrase.

Congrats to the wordsmith.

And Tula, good on ‘ya for fighting the Trade fight.

The only thing we have to fear from the Trade crisis is losing our jobs, industries, national wealth – and our health.

Thanks for fighting back.

I blush. Yer too kind (and feel free to use that phrase freely)

Any self-described expert doing more than idly speculating on the role of genetic factors in social interactions is either selling a book or writing a grant proposal.

Love it.

Are you in academia – that insight is just perfect?

Thanks. I’ve never technically worked in academia, just sorta skirted around the edges a lot. I’ve got a science background and I’ve worked with enough medical genetics researchers to know how badly the topic of genetics is handled in the popular press.

Most sociobiology “theories” would be funny, if people didn’t take them so seriously.

The use of religion as an epithet at 12:14 is extremely offensive.

Troll alert.

[Mod: got it, thanks]

Any self-described expert doing more than idly speculating on the role of genetic factors in social interactions is either selling a book or writing a grant proposal.

:~)

spurious @ 32

What right way? For a hungry poor person in Mexico with no relatives who are US citizens, there is effectively no legal way.

I know Somalis here in Columbus, Ohio that didn’t have a dime when they arrived, but they filed the proper paperwork and got their green cards.

If it were up to me, I’d have the US companies and agri-business apply to the State Department for a permit to hire guest-workers, and then the company would go down to Central and South America, hire folks there, and bring them back. Wouldn’t cost the workers a dime.

So many of those seeking workers are not from large companies. I’d guess they’d require anyone joining them on a trip to the U.S. to pay for the pleasure, rather than the company absorbing the cost. The lure to begin with is cheap labor with no strings attached.
I know this wouldn’t be a short-term help, but it does seem we need to help the home countries so that their residents aren’t quite so desperate for survival.
This, clearly, is a heart-wrenching, no-easy-answer situation that calls for that rare combination of compassion and smarts: wisdom.

spurious @ 32

What right way? For a hungry poor person in Mexico with no relatives who are US citizens, there is effectively no legal way.

I know Somalis here in Columbus, Ohio that didn’t have a dime when they arrived, but they filed the proper paperwork and got their green cards.

The number of people permitted on immigration visas varies by country, and also by category (immediate family member, refugee, etc.). The waiting time for a non-refugee applicant with no immediate family who are US citizens to obtain a green card might be decades long.

Bearclaw

Any self-described expert doing more than idly speculating on the role of genetic factors in social interactions is either selling a book or writing a grant proposal.

Love it.

Are you in academia – that insight is just perfect?