Aside from that, I had recently done some significant (to me) style changes that I felt were a little easier on the eyes… and I hope to do a few more… so instead of doing it incrementally, I’m going to have to do some sweeping revisions. I’m just glad to have something to limp through on until then.

About the blog - I accidentally deleted the theme when I upgraded to WP 2.5

Why don’t you use the template/files from the old link?

http://smijer.com/blog/

Any time people talk about property rights, or the distantly related border issues, I’m reminded of a passage from Breakfast of Champions - one that I can’t quite quote from memory, and one that I can’t find a complete enough quote from on the internet. Here’s the best page I could find with some of the quote and some further explanation:

“Every bit of land on the islands was owned by only
about forty people, and, in the story, Trout had those
people decide to exercise their property rights to the full.
They put no trespassing signs on everything.”
“This created terrible problems fro the million other
people on the islands. The law of gravity required that they
stick somewhere on the surface. Either that, or they could
go out into the water and bob offshore.”

Eventually, someone hits on the idea of giving everyone
a helium balloon so they can hover over the islands without
actually touching the ground. However, the residents of the
island are dehumanized by money and property rights to the point
where they can no longer even walk on the ground.

Which brings us back to what you said: “Others don’t object to illegal immigration, but think human rights extend beyond citizenship.”

I agree that human rights extend beyond squabbles over imaginary lines called “borders”. To the extent that an artifice like a border can be used to further worthwhile goals, such as the protection of basic human rights, I embrace the notion and will support action to protect those imaginary lines. Naturally, such action would have itself to be consistent with those worthwhile goals being pursued.

Currently, as Fred points out, the incentives exist to create a few big winners (stockholders of agri- & service businesses that employ illegal immigrants), a multitude of marginal winners (the immigrants themselves who manage gainful employment at the expense of basic labor protections and devalued compensation), and a multitude of losers who together don’t have enough political clout or consensus of will to even make a dent in the current system.

However, unlike Fred, I don’t see it as an existential crisis by any stretch. Just another among a host of problems caused by people and gravity.

I do believe it is a good idea to make learning English mandatory. I wouldn’t think of going to live in Mexico without at least knowing some Spanish.

And I understand the arguments that illegals depress wages and put a strain on public services but hell, I figure if you are giving away public services just make it a first come first serve kind of thing. The doctor gets $1,000 bucks and the patient gets his knee hit with a rubber hammer. Who gets the best deal there?

Wealth redistribution. It is what government is all about.

And I don’t believe that anybody is going to cross that river to be exploited. They know which side of the bread their butter is on.

You realize, don’t you, that it’s not enough? Get ready, your taxes are about to go up.

Mark.
My.
Words.

Y’see, it’s your fault. You’re too successful & need to pay your fair share. The government decides, after all.

As to the nanny-state…. about the most I see of them is when they send around the garbage trucks on Friday, and I’m actually kind of glad to have that.

My wife and I paid 5 figures in taxes last year and I don’t even have garbage pick up. I have to haul my trash to what they now call a “convenience center” and pay for little stickers that you put on the bags before you toss them into the dumpster.

But I know I need to quit my bitchin’. At least I am riding on paved roads.

Can’t argue with him, there. Was reminded of the latter last month as I filed my taxes & detailed the “good” spending (to the penny).

As to the nanny-state…. about the most I see of them is when they send around the garbage trucks on Friday, and I’m actually kind of glad to have that.

Just two more reasons to love him.

It has never occurred to me that Fred Reed might be rich.

I’ll have to check into that.