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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPaul Krugman destroys arguments against Obama’s immigration plan
Paul Krugman destroys arguments against Obamas immigration plan
JANET ALLON, ALTERNET
23 NOV 2014 AT 05:08 ET
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President Obamas new immigration initiative, Krugman says, is a simple matter of human decency.
Krugman goes on to parse the issue, and to point out that supporting the humane treatment of children born in this country to undocumented immigrant parents is not the same as supporting completely open borders. Under F.D.R., he points out, Once immigration restrictions were in place, and immigrants already here gained citizenship, this disenfranchised class at the bottom shrank rapidly, helping to create the political conditions for a stronger social safety net. And, yes, low-skill immigration probably has some depressing effect on wages, although the available evidence suggests that the effect is quite small.
Yes, it is normal to be conflicted about immigration issues, Krugman allows. What is not normal is the desire to punish innocent children, who are already here, for their parents decision to bend the rules to give them a better life. Predictably, as we all know, there are far too many right-wing zealots and haters in politics and the media who are quite happy to exact this punishment. Krugman:
What should we do about these people and their families? There are some forces in our political life who want us to bring out the iron fist to seek out and deport young residents who werent born here but have never known another home, to seek out and deport the undocumented parents of American children and force those children either to go into exile or to fend for themselves.
Krugman gets downright sentimental about the issue, stating his belief that Americans are simply not that cruel. And anyway a crackdown on these families would cost money, which Republicans dont want to spend. (One hopes.) The real question is how they should be treated, he asks. his answer is not only humane but economical.
But more importantly, its the humane thing to do.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/paul-krugman-destroys-arguments-against-obamas-immigration-plan/
CTyankee
(63,912 posts)I am one of his biggest fans because he shows his humanity so much.