What would you define as a rational immigration policy?

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

How about one that actually benefits the natives of the country the immigrants are coming to?

How about one that actually benefits the natives of the country the immigrants are coming to?

And short of making the newcomers slaves, how would that happen?

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

Yes, a suicide in 1987 by a mad woman is an excellent and totally rational way to point up bad immigration policies.

Jesus.

I threw that in to provide a little human interest. Feel free to rationally address the "no economic benefits".

And the counterpoint is that countries are always being transformed.  Yes, it can be painful (just ask the former residents of the Roman Empire), sad, and confusing.  But it happens.  Shit, there are plenty of things that confuse and sadden me about this modern world.  To paraphrase Skeeter..."Change Happens".

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

How is that a "counterpoint"? And mass immigration isn't something that "happens" on its own. This is being done deliberately.
 

Deliberately by whom?

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

Yes, I echo Lou's comment.

Immigration just happens unless something is done to prevent it (which comes with it's own problems), or filter it (which also has its own problems).  Right now, the US does a bit of both, and frankly I'm personally really pissed off about how they do things.

But, other than areas where immigration is encouraged due to lack of skills, where is mass immigration being encouraged?

"other than areas where immigration is encouraged due to lack of skills"

What does that mean?

The governments of the US and the UK have been encouraging immigration for decades. The UK is required by the EU to accept immigrants, and there's been no enforcement against illegal immigrants. In the US the current president is pro-immigration. Obama and Clinton are pro-immigration. McCain was pro-immigration, now he's pretending not to be until he gets elected.

What does it mean?

Sorry, I should have made myself more clear.

I meant to say that US immigration policy allows people in who bring needed skills to this country.  Like me.  I think it's because of my erudition.

As far as this administration being pro-immigration, I won't get into details in a public forum, but after spending many years in the US, I still do not have landed immigrant status.  And I can pick strawberries faster than anyone.

Last year:

"The nation's immigrant population (legal and illegal) reached a record of 37.9 million...  

Immigrants account for one in eight U.S. residents, the highest level in 80 years. In 1970 it was one in 21; in 1980 it was one in 16; and in 1990 it was one in 13."

If people should be free to carry fire arms, why shouldn't they be free to travel where ever they want?

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

So the entire third world should be allowed to move to the United States?

Now really, Gord.  Is the entire third world coming to the US?  If that were so, imagine how much it would cost for folks to keep flying back and forth to their terrorist training camps.  Seriously dude...sometimes you are so impractical.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

A really good falafel is juicy, not dry: chick pea flour made into balls, deep-fried, then served wrapped in pita bread with a bit of tomato, maybe tabouleh, and smothered with garlic sauce.

Yum!

Falafel is great. There used to be this really good falafel place over by Melrose and LaCienega. You could get a beer and a good meal for under $10 which was amazing for the area...and probably why it closed.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.