Immigration

A friend posted what I think is a really, really good article on Immigration over on FB.  It's from the Economist and is very comprehensive.  If you follow the link at the bottom of the article you can get to the whole thing.  It's a long read but, in my view, a very good and thought provoking look at Hispanic immigration.  You can get to it here.

I've written about this before and it continues to flummox me.  Let me start with the obvious.  As a country we really, really need to get our shit together regarding immigration.  We are a country of immigrants.  We must not retreat from that principle.  We must have a system to accept people into this country and encourage their assimilation.  That is how it's always been.  But in the last several decades, this whole subject has become a political football and there is simply no courage on the part of our elected leaders to develop comprehensive immigration reform.

Let me also be blunt about many of my fellow Americans.  You have your head up your ass when it comes to welcoming people to the country.  Like I said, I've written about this before so if you've been reading at all, you know I have no time for illegal immigration.  But we seem to have put all immigrants, especially Hispanic immigrants, into this giant bucket of criminals and drug dealers.  Many people, and especially my fellow baby boomers, are blind to the obvious trends in the country.  Simply put, white people are getting older and Hispanics are increasing in numbers in the younger population and we (old, white people like me) have to change our views and be open to solutions that will welcome people to the country.

I don't have all the answers.  But it's obvious that the issue isn't going away.  Most folks come here to better themselves and their families.  And living in So Cal I can testify that most are taking jobs the rest of us don't want to do.  So why not come up with an innovative guest worker program that is welcoming and expansive.  Not amnesty.  Not citizenship.  But take folks out of the shadows and give them some dignity.  But that's just one thing.  We've got to figure out how to ensure that the young folks who are here and are coming here have a chance at the American dream.  We also can't kid ourselves that there isn't a big problem with drugs and gangs.  And those things need to be attacked aggressively.  I know that there are many who don't believe this, but I think Trump is heading in this direction.  At least I hope he is.  Because, as I said, it's not going away.  And sticking our heads in the sand is not an answer.