There’s a kingdom where outsiders are welcomed warmly and with open arms, but only if they present the proper credentials. Upon presenting themselves for admission, they are thoroughly inspected to check the validity of their travel documents and ensure that they have no contraband. Once in this kingdom, the outside visitors must follow strict rules of decorum and pay for their own support. When the visitors’ time is up, their departure is carefully monitored and the kingdom checked to ensure that no one has improperly stayed behind.
So, naturally, it makes sense that President Obama is visiting that kingdom today to announce that he will gut the controls on foreign tourists seeking to visit the United States (sorry, “increase tourist visa processing in China and Brazil”). I mean, it’s not like visitors entering on visas ever stay when their permission to be here expires. Instead of a photo-op at Cinderella’s Castle to kiss up to travel-industry lobbyists, why doesn’t he hire Disney to run our border systems; part of the contract would stipulate that the firm pay a penalty for each visa overstayer, like a building contractor paying a penalty for cost overruns or delays. That’s a Mickey Mouse border-control system that I could get behind.
Anyone thinking Obama's policies will work must be living in Fantasy Land.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObama becomes more "Goofy " by the day.
OK, I’m confused. I am down with the concept that Americans view immigration too romantically. That “job Americans won’t do” is a dodge for employers who want cheap labor. That the influx of low-skilled immigration has depressed wages of poor Americans. Even that while we should focus immigration on skilled labor, that the benefits of run-of-the mill foreign BA degree holders is overstated by advocates. I also see a justification for extra restrictions on all types of visas from certain parts of the world that have links to terrorism. But please explain why specifically streamlining the tourist visa process is gutting our laws and a bad thing? China and Brazil have growing middle classes looking for places to spend money. I would guess visitors from there are going to be increasingly less likely to try to stay over as economic prospects improve at home. I’m also unsure that middle class foreigners, with many tourism options, will view the ability to overspend at Disney as an irreplaceable privilege that no inconvenience can deter them from. Mark, do you favor restricting goods exports as you apparently do service exports (that’s what international tourism is). Do you at least acknowledge that—just like rejecting the keystone pipeline is a job killer—rejecting efforts to aid global tourism are job killers for places like Florida that should require compelling reasons *not* to do? Versus vague worries about overstays? Moreover, do you have any evidence that the inefficiency of the system has been helpful in preventing overstays? If the mayor of a city said he was going to streamline the DMW, would the natural reaction be that we’ll have more road accidents? Or is it possible that there are ineffectual bureaucracies that can use streamlining?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNot just tourists could apply for tourist visas, no?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo by your logic maybe we should stop issuing tourist visas period? You know, just in case. The one thing we shoouldn't do is bring any facts or data into the debate, right?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo, by my logic we should vet people seeking tourist visas and not just rubber-stamp them. Like we've always done from many countries.
I'm not sure 'facts and data' are at issue here, since you are feebly challenging my "logic." And you certainly brought neither in your initial post, nor did I challenge your lack of it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnd of course when the next 9/11 happens due to this, or similar weakening of our borders, it will be a failure of the Intelligence community, again, right?
The Left's obsession with getting a new American public to replace the one they don't like uber alles.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo, seriously, Mark Krikorian objects to a possible increase in foreign tourists to Disney World?
I understand the complaints about illegal immigration, and I can at least recognize that Krikorian opposes legal immigration as well. But now we can't even have visitors? If the anti-immigration lobby wants to look respectable, instead of cranky, this kind of post doesn't help much.
Appreciate the link to the NPR story, at least. It's actually totally unrelated to Krikorian's point about Disney World and says nothing about any connection between tourist visits and visa overstays. But it's nice to know that after six years or so, these archived pieces are still up on the website and easy to find.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThose believing this latest program from Obama will work must be living in Fantasy Land.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSomeone remind me, when we "increased visa processing" in Saudi Arabia about ten years ago, what was it we got in return?
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo problem with Brazilians and Chinese, whether they stay on or go home. Big problem with Saudis, Pakistanis, Somalians, Yemenis, certain Egyptians...you get my drift.
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