Immigration and the Welfare State
Immigration is a complex and emotional topic. But often the discussion gets sidetracked. A few recent threads on Facebook among my friends illustrates this. Many expressed no problem with individuals coming to America to make a better life. They just don’t want them mooching off of productive citizens by using government schools, government health care systems, and government welfare. Most of those commenting don’t want Americans mooching off productive citizens either. So, the real issue isn’t immigration, but the welfare state. Immigrants are made a scapegoat for the failures and immorality of the welfare state. The solution then, isn’t more restrictions on immigration. The solution is abolishing the welfare state.
Immigration and the Echo Chamber
I listen to conservative talk radio programs, read Leftist blogs, and regularly go to mainstream media websites. Perhaps no issue better illustrates the echo chamber than immigration, and conservatives are particularly bad in this regard. Conservatives love to point out every atrocity committed by an illegal immigrant while ignoring the millions of illegal immigrants who commit no violent crimes. They routinely mention that entering the country illegally is a crime, and thereby treat all illegal immigrants as morally equal. But there is a significant difference, morally and legally, between entering the country illegally and killing someone. There is a difference between trespassing and murder. But in the echo chamber of conservative talk radio, this distinction is lost.