Illegal immigration

I was thinking about Illegal immigration for a while. I find it interesting, the Solow growth model, indeed every growth model, states that "more people is better." So from a purely economic standpoint I'd argue that more people will help out. Now I know the first critique to come at this will be the "welfare argument" they come here for health care and welfare from the state.... Well you're kind of right, but I submit to you that argument does not hold up entirely.

Part of what makes illegal immigration so economically effective is the (Note: this is especially true before 1986 and the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) illegal nature of it. By virtue of which these people may get a social security card to work, but only a precious few of them will actually be able to claim their SS and Medicare benefits. So you see it is precisely due to the illegal nature of this that we benefit the most. The immigrants that come across have to work, which benefits us because we have a great many sectors where we do not have large labor pools willing to work for cheap.

And then there is the higher education component, so popular here in Oregon right now. More skilled labor.... yeah ..... that's a problem. I've heard the "they're criminals here illegally" argument so much and read it in the Op-Ed section so many times my ears and eyes bleed. My question is simple "Do you consider the Louisiana Purchase in accordance with the laws at the time?" Hell even now? Hell no it wasn't a legal move, but it was damn sure a smart one. So why are we trying to ostracize talent? Because they broke a law? Well hell I shatter the speed limit laws, I broke under-age drinking laws, I even like to fight, I am therefore a criminal. I did most of this by choice, most immigrants are victims of circumstance as far as their illegality goes.

Now as for using your tax dollars to do this the Q&A is really simple: do you gain more than you lose? One would be hard pressed to successfully demonstrate that higher education subsidies do not replace the loss of revenue.

Abortion does affect crime rates

Levitt's Abortion paper I am known to hate unicorns. If I found one I'd consider sawing off the horn should it not produce any magical results. I believe that people will sell out their principles faster than Charlie Sheen makes cocaine disappear, if the price (sex, drugs, whatever you value) is right. Its simply cost-benefit analysis of crime.