[Dane]

If someone is already here, and working, in some vague legal status, why in the world would he uproot himself, and maybe a family, leave the country, and file paperwork to see if he can get back in? Especially when he is by definition too much of a lowlife chickenshit to file for citizenship in the first place?

Well gee with a guest worker program, only the guest worker is allowed to work and his/her family is not eligible for residency and the guest worker knowing he has a permit will have his family stay home, while he works and doesn't have to worry about sneaking over the border and paying a coyote thousands of dollars to do it.

It would be much better than the mess we have now, IMO.

[lemura]

the guest worker, knowing he has a permit, will have his family stay home

Buddy, do you get paid to write this stuff, or do you really believe it? I'm not sure which one is more troubling. Friedman famously said that you can't have open immigration and a welfare society.

In your world, guest workers are automatons that don't want a meaningful social/home life. In effect, what you're saying is that guest workers don't have the same feelings & desires as you and I: coming home to a nice meal, sit down with a beer and talk to the missus, play with the kids, (maybe) get a little action in bed, and then crash.

Isn't that just a wee bit racist?

[dennisw]

WRONG!