Comments on: Missing the Big Picture

By: Fair and Balanced at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics

Thu, 06 May 2010 12:53:27 +0000

[...] the scales with this clip of a thoughtful and literate three-way conversation about Arizona’s anti-immigration statute, featuring Judge Andrew Napolitano, the journalist Jack Hunter, and my hero, George Mason [...]

By: Cos

Cos — Thu, 06 May 2010 02:05:19 +0000

Tim Dougherty: You’ve really got to learn something about statistics, if you want to make sense here.

By: BigNate

BigNate — Sun, 02 May 2010 06:28:48 +0000

I may not so eloquent with big words, but it seems to me that those that are opposed to this immigration law forget that it’s to enforce laws that are set by the federal government. I live in Tucson, AZ, and used to be a juvenile corrections officer. While I was working there at any given point there were at least 10 young men there that were illegal border crossers. They were there til they were taken back across the border, and wouldn’t you know it they would be back in the facility within 3 weeks. They would come back and commit the same crimes they committed to get in there in the first place. They thought it was fun to do. They placed a burden on the tax payers in AZ to care for them, and for what? This law is to keep those out that come here illegally. I am all for those that want to come to America to live, work, and enjoy the freedoms we share. But to come here illegally to enjoy that is wrong no matter how you look at it. America without any immigration law is saying that it’s ok to break the law and not have to pay for your consequences. While those that live here as American citizens have to pay the consequences for the crimes we commit. Where is the fairness in that?
I see a lot of you saying where is the crime that is happening from illegal crossers? How about the law enforcement officer that was shot just a day ago? Or the farmer that was murdered on hos property near the border? Many of you don’t have to live with that. Is it wrong for the state government to care for the safety of it’s citizens? Where is the federal government to protect those that are in harms way like that farmer? So don’t go throwing out the terms racist, or discrimination. I am neither, but I do care for the safety of all.
I welcome those that come here properly and legally. I say hurray for them. Welcome to the land of opportunity. I do have to ask those that oppose this. What would you do to solve this? How will you find a way to protect us from those that seek to do harm? Yes I know not everyone who crosses are dangerous threats, but how can you tell one who is and one who isn’t? It’s not as easy to make everyone happy is it? So until a better solution arises this will have to work. So say what you want about this post, because I don’t care if you like it or not. This is my belief.

By: dave

dave — Sun, 02 May 2010 01:12:52 +0000

more or less governance reduces crime?
rules are made to be broken. best thread evar. ;]

p.s. grats doc.

By: Tom Dougherty

Tom Dougherty — Sat, 01 May 2010 20:05:19 +0000

Cos,

I can’t vouch for the immigration status of those on the list below. But I’m sure it is just my mistaken perception that 90% of them are hispanic.

http://www.lapdonline.org/all_most_wanted

Or how about the Pima County, Arizona most wanted.

http://pimasheriff.org/index.php?cID=69

On second thought Cos. You better not look at those links. Ignorance is bliss.

By: Cos

Cos — Sat, 01 May 2010 18:11:35 +0000

Addendum: I realize that some people may object, “hey, violating immigration law is a crime”. Some of these people probably believe they have an actual point, and that their objection actually means something about the substance of my analogy.

To those people, I will amend my proposal: Instead of applying to *all* native-born Arizonians, these efforts to force them out of state should be limited only to those Arizonians who have violated copyright law by sharing things such as music files, movies, or computer software without paying for them.

By: Cos

Cos — Sat, 01 May 2010 17:46:36 +0000

I see several commenters asserting that hard-line efforts to fight immigration violations are somehow about “protecting” residents. These commenters seem to take it as axiomatic that immigration increases crime, but present no evidence. Since we actually know that no such evidence exists, I consider that position racist, even if it’s not intended to be so. What it boils down to is “if any person who violated immigration law also commits some crimes in the place where they’ve moved to, then we should fight crime by putting more resources into deporting all people who have violated immigration law.” To that I say, “if any person who was born in Arizona commits some crimes in Arizona, we should fight crime working to pass laws to force all native-born Arizonians to leave the state.” It makes just as much sense.

By: Weekend Roundup at Steven Landsburg | The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics

Sat, 01 May 2010 06:05:49 +0000

[...] Buy « Missing the Big Picture [...]

By: Tom Dougherty

Tom Dougherty — Sat, 01 May 2010 02:02:30 +0000

Steve,

You seem to be allergic to the word illegal. The law is not an anti-immigration law. It is about criminals who have broken the law and are here illegally. It is also about employers who are trying to obtain a competitive advantage by breaking the law over those employers who play by the rules. Let’s see, if I hire an illegal alien I can pay below the minimum wage, I don’t have to pay the employer’s share of payroll taxes, no medical plan, no retirement plan. While, on the other hand, if you are an employer who follows the rules you certainly are at a competitive disadvantage. Employers who break the law to receive a competitive advantage should be penalized. Just as an employer who dumped its toxic chemicals in a nearby creek to receive a competitive advantage should be penalized.

By: Jonathan Kariv

Jonathan Kariv — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 22:33:12 +0000

Ken, somehow missed that line the first time, see it now, sorry.