If you are still trying to work out where you are on the immigration debate, you probably should take some time to think through issues as Dani Rodrik has. Reading this on guest workers, I realize I do put a non-zero weight on the welfare of immigrants (even though I'd argue it should be less than the weight on citizens). But the issue is whether or not a guest worker program is workable. I wish I had had that thought when I did the interview with Captain Ed. It does in fact clarify for me that, if I want to argue against the bill (as I do) I need to sharpen my own argument about how unworkable enforcement is. In short, we need someone to answer George Borjas' first question: "What guarantee is there that the guest workers will in fact be temporary workers? How can such a guarantee be enforced in the United States?"

Cost benefit analysis often focuses the mind this way.

Labels: economics, immigration