I fully agree that the problem needs to be addressed at the root so these people stay home. But it is important to note that the US would rather have these countries poor and allow in a few rather than make the investments into their countries to build up their economies. They want the cheap labor. Look at how we use Mexico as a low labor sweat shop.
I have an issue with your video because of the way the person in it presented his "data". It is inauthentic and he acts as if Congress is just setting arbitrary numbers for no reason. Not true. The numbers were agreed to by both parties because America projected the need for these people in our workforce. Remember we have an aging population that does not pay taxes any more. Who is going to pay into social security?
He does not talk about the reasons they have at all.
Further, the video was designed to be a show. This is an aside but it is important. You notice how when he adds the additional piping to the piping on the desk how he cannot reach then he needs a stool which at first he can't find, then he needs a ladder which he can't find. Its a show meant to get people excited about his topic instead of focusing on the facts. Again an aside but important and one of the reasons I cannot take him seriously. Sam thing with the curtain.
This is important because for me it detracts from his points. Tell me what resources he is talking about coming into short supply when immigrants are adding not subtracting from the bottom line of the US?
Back to your point and I agree. We should do all we can to get them to stay home, but you have to remember that capitalism requires someone to be on the low end of the totem pole and who cannot have the same level of lifestyle of those on the top. In other words we cannot do what you are asking and maintain the type of lifestyle we have. It is impossible with the current system. Travel like I have to places like China and India and see 13 year old boys making iphones and you understand. We want consumable crap cheap. That means low quality of life for many. There is no compromise on this. One must go. Which one do you think it will be?
Thanks and I appreciate your comments and share your frustrations.
Dude, I love the way you talk.
Unfortunately, I haven't seen shit in my life as far as the unfairness out there goes and I have never seen or experienced the aftermath of communism/socialism.
So I'll stick to capitalism as a topic that I know and understand.
It works, not because it abuses those who fail to take on the challenges and responsibilities of their own failures, but because it rewards effort and results.
All the rest is pure and utter BS.
PS. Maybe I have seen bits and pieces of this world where the shit hit the fan and they all blame everyone else for it. But that is irrelevant in a conversation with someone who has seen it all.
I have experienced the aftermath of communism/socialism and I definitely prefer things as they are now.
I don't miss this "socialism & peoples republic" crap even a tiny little bit even that what we had over here was quite liberal version thereof.
All this "socialism" doesn't work at all and we were used to say that socialism is just a longer and very bumpy road back to capitalism.
There was also another saying: socialism is like a cheap toilet paper - long, grey and only good for wiping your ass (pardon my French) 😉
I agree overall but I think we have to be careful with titles. There are elements of socialism that work quite in society (healthcare in many European countries and Canada and Australia), the social services system including things like social security, early childhood development programs, drug abuse programs, even government financial assistance for innovative businesses that guys like Elon Musk benefit from greatly. These are all socialist schemes. But when it is all socialism and the government gets in the middle of everyone's business it always goes bad.
Again, I am a capitalist but I am really concerned that capitalism today is creating a bubble. capitalism has to be fed and it's favorite food is suppressing people. Look at how France still treats many of its territories like colonies. They take billions from these places yet does next to nothing to build up these economies because in building them up these places would take their freedom and end the money grab. I am not singling France out, only the mentality.
In my humble opinion capitalism has to be restrained. The markets are too easily manipulated and there are too many bad people or people who simply do not care to say that everything will just work out. History has shown it will not. And not everyone is equal. In any system there will be those who prosper in such a disproportionate way, that it threatens the system. I think we are almost there now. In the US today the top 10% income earners take home 50% of al the income generated in the country. and the top 1% take home 20% of the income. The top 1/10 financially own more than the bottom 75 %. This is not only a US phenomenon by the way. Globally, the 8 richest people own more than 50% of the world's population.
Now I am not trying to count anyone's money, but imagine the influence this small group has over markets and governments. We, the average people cannot get represented and the needs and agendas of the people are never met. So I say that the same conditions you talk about for communism are here for most during capitalism.
What is the solution. It is complicated but has to take into account intervention that works on this issue. By the way, this is not jsut an issue for those who are not in the top 10%. They should be worried too. Because when the power cannot eat they attack the rich. Think of the story of Marie Antoinette. So ti is in all our interests to get this right.
Thanks and sorry for the long post.
"So this is in all our interests to get this right."
I agree :-)
I agree and let's do it. Thanks for the chat.
I took it upon myself to travel because I wanted to see not just talk about it. I tell people don't listen to me or anyone else, take a trip. But let me be clear I am not anti-capitalism, I made a lot of money in the US, but I am a realist. You want what you have, someone will have to do without. And so any ideas of fixing up the rest of the world will not happen. i.e. welcome to continued immigration and understanding why it will not stop. The only way things will change is how they have historically, those who have less will get tired of it and take from those who have a lot. So it has been and so it will continue to be as long as we don't learn these lessons. Thanks and God bless.
OK. I suggest you go write a book on the topic.
Unfortunately no time but if I had some time I just might. thanks.
You are correct on both counts. I often see resource wealth as being a bit like energy. The Earth doesn't have any more than it already has so in order for some to have more than they need, then others must go without and in order for the top one's to have WAY more than they need millions have to go without. Such is the concentration of wealth in one direction.
However, I also believe that the world population could all live in relative comfort if the balance wasn't so extremely one sided and there would still be those who could have their bit more than others. One of the biggest problems with capitalism is when there is loss of empathy.
While I'm more in favour of capitalism than socialism, I do think that a balance of the two works out better than one method alone. A central path, so to say.
@minismallholding. Thank you for your comments and I agree that there is enough and it is disproportionately aimed at one group. But my comments are that capitalism in facts needs this imbalance in order to thrive. Think about it, people in the west are not sold on having enough to be comfortable, we are constantly benig pushed to have more than enough. We already have enough but instead are pushed a new iphone every 9 months and a new car ever 3 to 4 years. This is what drives growth. In order to maintain this agenda, there has to be an imbalance. This amount of consumption by the world is impossible.
Capitalism has this built into itself and it is self-perpetuating. In a business, you can only remain successful if you both increase revenues and reduce your own spending. There is no such scenario in capitalism. As a result it only pushes increasing revenues and increasing spending. Look at the governments and how they operate. No one ever talks about slowing down even though we have too much crap already.
So yes a balance is needed, but also a different mindset because all we currently do is create bubbles and then create bad solutions that push the ball down the road but never solve anything. This cannot go on indefinitely. And in the meantime, the lowest in the western countries get less and less. All in the name of unabated consumption.
There are no easy answers but the answers must include some sort of shifts in policies and thinking by those who have so much. Historically, these types of situations cause revolutions followed by periods of extreme chaos. Let's hope it does not come to that. Thanks again.
Yes, we do seem to go in cycles. Lets hope that we also evolve and learn from each one, although I don't see it happening in my life time.