Reason.tv: Shikha Dalmia Discusses Immigration at 2011 Students for Liberty International Conference

In February 2011, Reason Foundation senior policy analyst Shikha Dalmia spoke at the International Students For Liberty Conference about immigration.

Calling for open borders, Dalmia argues that immigrants create more wealth than they consume and that an increasingly globalized economy inevitably means that people, like goods and services, will be crossing borders in growing numbers. While nativists and protectionists may view such developments with alarm, allowing people to move more freely is a great advance both for human rights and economic progress.

Approximately 33.50 minutes. 

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Comments

[MS-13]

"While nativists and protectionists may view such developments with alarm, allowing people to move more freely is a great advance both for human rights and economic progress."

So true, esse, so true.

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[Fist of Etiquette]

...even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased

The "time of the end" people will run "to and fro". People moving freely around will signal the End Time. You know what that's from? That's right, Mein Kampf. Think about it.

[SamDiego]

I am about as libertarian as one can get without getting looney. Open borders is looney. If you wanted to destroy the greatest nation on earth that has ever been, then throw open our borders.

Nation states have lives, too. Violating the borders of a nation state is the same as raping it. Entering into the territory of a nation state is dependent upon the will of the citizens of that nation state.

I remember in Atlas Shrugged that the new community has a shield to hide itself from the authorities and has means to ensure that the right people enter. This is from Ayn Rand, the mother-god of Libertarians. Even Ayn Rand knew that communities, however large or small, need to be protected from those who would do it harm.

We have borders because there are many, many nasty people out there. Rand terms them "Moochers", "looters" and "parasites". How does one keep them out? If too many of the wrong type come in, how do we stop them from changing our government into a type that existed in "Atlas Shrugged". If there were no nations and only one "United nation" where would one go to escape a world totalitarian state? If one wanted to, as in "Atlas Shrugged", create an isolated community, how would control of immigration into that community work?

Shakhia Dalmia, you are a first class fool in Libertarian clothing. You are why so many people like libertarian philosophy, but refuse to take it seriously and refuse to vote for libertarians. They are afraid of electing someone like you.

[polly wanna cracker]

what are your opinions on open trade?

[MikeP]

Or open investment?

[MikeP]

Even Ayn Rand knew that communities, however large or small, need to be protected from those who would do it harm.

How one could think that hiding the private (small) Galt's Gulch is analogous to denying individual rights by prohibiting entry into the unowned (very large) US is beyond me.

[Joe R.]

If one wanted to, as in "Atlas Shrugged", create an isolated community, how would control of immigration into that community work?

Through a bizarre, obscure, little-known concept called "private property." It comes from Scottish Common Law, I think. Or maybe Sumerian.

Anyway, if you can find someone in that community willing to sell or rent property to you at a mutually agreed price, then you can immigrate into that community.

[Hooha]

I'm completely on the same page, Sam, but I also see where the other libertarians are coming from. While 'open boarders' is really the only acceptable stance from a 'pure' libertarian perspective, it is foolishly idealogical. In the case of a successful, wealthy libertopia, the resulting allure would inevitably attract those that would eventually undermine the very political infrastructure that allowed such a nation to rise to greatness in the first place. (indeed, this is arguably what has happened to America in the last 95 years) Then you don't have a libertopia anymore at all. A self-terminating system is no solution.

What if 'borders were open', but a sort of fractal voting system reduced/eliminated political corrosion, and subsequently fallout from immigration? i.e., owning land in the nation increases the weight of your vote, paying taxes is an increase, (you could even make government employment REDUCE the weight of a vote), etc etc. In theory, this helps ensure that only those 'invested' in the country (citizens) can affect political change. Immigrants could still 'assimilate' and have as powerful a vote as anyone else. Or they could come, sleaze around for awhile, and not have any adverse impact on the framework of the system, which is as it should be.

[Troy]

I am one of those open borders nuts. I really don't give a fuck about all those imaginary lines folks draw in the sand. And I really don't give a fuck about nation states.

[Federal Dog]

Yeah, well many of us do give a fuck about being looted by anyone who can make it past the border.

[MWG]

You're being 'looted'? Oh, you mean welfare. Yea, I'm generally opposed to that regardless of where they come from. You only care when it's from someone across the border?

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[LibertyBill]

Immigration is a tricky issue. On one side we got the Buchananites (Paleocons) who scream about the brown tides whos sole purpose is to kill all white people, and the other side full of retarded leftists who are just against anything the right is for.

Its funny how many Paleocons scream about them being on the welfare rolls and then when Libertarians suggest that it's way over due to eliminate the entitlement system they scream that it's unrealistic and impossible. Which shows the double standard among Paleocons have. Then again I don't put much stock into people who consider Pat Buchanan a leader of liberty.

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[Ralph]

Key Libertarians are working worldwide for free working residency via a treaty process. See http://www.Libertarian-International.org and some of the articles.

[sophie]

Last quote heard from Toni's dad after abruptly leaving for good upon hearing that his wife was pregnant with their one and only child.

[edsparks]

The world's population increases by some 80 millions per year despite high infant mortality rates in poor countries where most of the population stays in a very low income state until they die.

Climate change is causing more droughts and less fresh water.

Immigration that increases net population may result in net average economic increase but if the richer are getting richer while the poor are losing jobs to immigrants and are getting poorer, and the natural resources are shrinking, then the seeds of social unrest will grow.

Border security and controlled immigration is becoming more important than ever to a civilized society.

[Jan]

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