Can Immigrants Save Your City?
Dying cities like Detroit think immigrants will save them. They want more immigrants to move in.
But wait, this Op-ed piece at Bloomberg.com says no:
The author makes a strong argument that immigrants may not want to move into such cities:
So what then, more immigrants? How about we start having children?
Oh, right, people don't have more children because the economy's rotten. But how can the economy become healthy if we have fewer and fewer people. If an economy consists of people exchanging goods and services, doesn't a dying population mean fewer people to make and exchange goods and services? Doesn't a dying population mean a dying economy?
But wait, this Op-ed piece at Bloomberg.com says no:
Immigrants Can't Save U.S. Cities
The author makes a strong argument that immigrants may not want to move into such cities:
"It turns out, immigrants aren’t pioneers whose survival depends on conquering an inhospitable frontier. Yes, they can put up with far greater hardship than the native-born, but they aren’t clueless ingenues who are easily seduced. They have word- of-mouth networks that alert them to places that offer them the best economic and social fit, making it difficult to plunk them anywhere and expect results.
"So what should Detroit, Baltimore and other struggling cities do to become more attractive to immigrants? Offer them a decent quality of life at an affordable price. This means improving schools, tackling crime, creating an entrepreneur- friendly climate and keeping taxes reasonable.
But is it just these dying towns and cities whose economies are all screwed up that are the crux of the problem? Even if the economies of these dying cities turn around, and immigrants move in and start up businesses, and all the rest, the plain fact is people aren't having enough children. The U.S. is barely one step from slipping below replacing its population - one step from having a dying population problem like all the European countries are facing. And studies show that after immigrants settle in and become successful, they stop having children too.
In short, fix the economic engine first."
So what then, more immigrants? How about we start having children?
Oh, right, people don't have more children because the economy's rotten. But how can the economy become healthy if we have fewer and fewer people. If an economy consists of people exchanging goods and services, doesn't a dying population mean fewer people to make and exchange goods and services? Doesn't a dying population mean a dying economy?
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