Quote: (01-29-2014 04:13 PM)speakeasy Wrote:
^^^ Groups like Indians may be successful in the US because of selection bias in which ones are allowed to immigrate. Poor Mexicans and Central Americas can walk across the border, but if you're Indian, the only way here is a very expensive plane ticket which is out of reach for most the population. Thus those that make it here will be skimmed off the more educated and well-off demographic.
If it was a matter of Indians being smart and industrious, then India should be a first world country.
I discuss 3 main issues here:
1)There has been a craziness in India about coming to India. This was huge in the 70's, 80's, 90's, etc, but thankfully it is a bit lower today. People would go back to visit India, and boast and amaze their relatives about the greatness of this country. People are learning the truth that America may no more be the greatest nation in the world/provide the greatest lifestyle.
Still, the proportion of Indian immigrants who are not Doctors or Scientists, or in Finance, etc , who are poor/lower-middle class, who take on massive massive debts, sell their life, just to get to this country is still great with delusional dreams.
Even immigrants is high paying white collar jobs with college degrees etc have to do the same, or more work than their "Citizen" colleagues, but for much lower pay. they work on H1-B visas, and bust their ass for years, often leaving their families back home, waiting for a green card so that they can get equal(ish) pay. Being someone from a highly competitive country like India (and probably China, etc) it takes MUCH longer to get a Green card, sometimes 10 years, after you have been living in the USA. At this point you are under constant threat, because the instant you lose your job/your project ends, you can be sent back to India, and it's all for nothing.
With that background, I am completely against illegal immigrants getting a free pass. At the most they can be sent to the very back of the Green Card process, because realistically, how are you going to enforce millions of illegals out of the country?
2)Now, my BIGGEST problem is with the college admissions/aid process.
I remember there were some cases where the children of illegal immigrants were given resident status. I think these kids were not even born in the states, just were brought here at an early age. There was a very emotional campaign during the last election about how this was a big emotional problem. Rick Perry was very much against this, and that is the correct policy.
Why? I lived in the same US state throughout HS on a visa, no greencard. My scores etc were good enough to get me a full ride to the state university. I didn't end up going there however, because not only would I have had to pay full tuition and not get the scholarship, but I would have had to pay full OUT OF STATE tuition. So instead of $0, by merit, I would have had to pay ~$40k a year. 160k$ for college extra. For being legal. FUCK THAT.
3) With Narendra Modi almost locked to take over power this year in India, the road to being the new superpower/ not taking shit from the US/Pakistan/China is on.