An eBay solution to immigration, part I
This is guest blogger Wile E Coyote.
Immigration has fallen off the media and political radar screen. Curious how an issue so serious that it required a 1,300 page legislative fix and accelerated consideration no longer merits a peep from Congress or the press.
Since government and MSM have struck out, the blogosphere must step up to the plate. This is the first of two posts.
I propose that natural-born Americans be allowed to sell their citizenship on eBay, on condition they quit the country forever. Buyers would have to pass a background and medical check, and would receive a green card convertible into citizenship in 10 years.
Sellers will probably clear at least $100,000. Assuming 5% interest, they will enjoy an annual income of $5,000, which should suffice to live comfortably in Panama, Costa Rica, or West Africa.
Companies will no longer have to worry about getting H1-B visas for key foreign staff from an uncaring bureaucracy. The reparations crowd will get what it wants. The American tired and poor will become the rested and middle class of their new domiciles. And the country will get a fresh injection of the successful and ambitious; in fact, I expect banks to lend green-card-purchase money to these people in the same way banks offer automatic school loans to entrants at top business schools.
Sound like a crazy idea? What's wrong with a trial run of 10,000 transactions?
On my next post -- how to solve the problem of illegal immigrants currently in the country.
Immigration has fallen off the media and political radar screen. Curious how an issue so serious that it required a 1,300 page legislative fix and accelerated consideration no longer merits a peep from Congress or the press.
Since government and MSM have struck out, the blogosphere must step up to the plate. This is the first of two posts.
I propose that natural-born Americans be allowed to sell their citizenship on eBay, on condition they quit the country forever. Buyers would have to pass a background and medical check, and would receive a green card convertible into citizenship in 10 years.
Sellers will probably clear at least $100,000. Assuming 5% interest, they will enjoy an annual income of $5,000, which should suffice to live comfortably in Panama, Costa Rica, or West Africa.
Companies will no longer have to worry about getting H1-B visas for key foreign staff from an uncaring bureaucracy. The reparations crowd will get what it wants. The American tired and poor will become the rested and middle class of their new domiciles. And the country will get a fresh injection of the successful and ambitious; in fact, I expect banks to lend green-card-purchase money to these people in the same way banks offer automatic school loans to entrants at top business schools.
Sound like a crazy idea? What's wrong with a trial run of 10,000 transactions?
On my next post -- how to solve the problem of illegal immigrants currently in the country.
posted by LadybugUSA at 9:27 AM
5 Comments:
I heard a similarly ingenius solution for border security and illegal immigration from, of all people, irreverent comedian Carlos Mencia. I wish I could get a hold of a YouTube because it's hilarious.
Here's Mencia's solution: Take currently illegal immigrants and give them jobs guarding the border. If anyone gets through illegally, they personally have to go back from whence they came. One in, one out. It's sort of an international red rover game, but it solves two problems at once.
Of course, when Mencia tells it, it's also quite funny.
Well, it's certainly a clever idea. Somehow I doubt that it could be pulled off satisfactorily. Look at it this way: what if you stripped out the part about a citizen selling his citizenship and just had the government sell citizenship for $100K a pop? That would look pretty sordid, wouldn't it? And it would tilt citizenship toward rich people. Whatever happened to "Give me your tired, your poor..."?
I propose that natural-born Americans be allowed to sell their citizenship on eBay, on condition they quit the country forever.
That's a very creative idea, but I'm just wondering whether or not the supply will meet the demand.
Even the most hard-core liberals in the USA... believe it or not... wish to remain citizens. I'm not sure if there would be enough people willing to sell.
On the other hand, no one has yet had a monetary price put on their citizenship.
One thing is certain - a market would develop and buyers may hold onto their new citizenship until they can resell it at a higher price.
There would also be a need to halt legal immigration as well. All these immigrants who have got a Green Card and become US citizens can then sell it. In essence, they're getting money for nothing.
Still... it's an intriguing idea.
Wile E Coyote here.
Economics 101 -- When demand outstrips supply, the price will go up.
Also, remember an alien can currently obtain a green card by showing he has a certain amount of money to invest and that it will create a certain number of jobs. (The numbers used to be $1 million and 10 jobs.)
Coyote again.
Please note that only natural-born citizens can sell.
Would some immigrate here, have 10 kids and then sell? Possibly, but these and other details can be worked out.
Post a Comment
<< Home