Evidently, a recent Federal court ruling upholding Alabama's recent law requiring identification is causing fear among the undocumented persons who are living there.
Given the state's record on race relations, I can understand. But I can also understand that the state's residents TODAY are trying to push back against the wave of immigration TODAY, and it has nothing to do with the past.
An article on the ruling is here, posted by an immigration attorney. There must be big bucks in this immigration stuff, huh?
Showing posts with label immigration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label immigration. Show all posts
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Housing Riots: Why would we expect anything different?
A note from the Atlanta Urinal-Constip... er, Journal-Constitution about a "riot" at a housing voucher giveaway.
Why should we expect any different? Here allocation was by standing in line. Not by need (very flawed, but better than queue-standing). Not by who had the highest grades (error-prone, with grade inflation), or made the most effort (also flawed).
"People began lining up at the shopping center two days ago, and by Wednesday morning the crowd had grown to over several thousand people."
"The Housing Choice Voucher Program, called Section 8, subsidized the rents of low-income families living in apartments and houses that are privately owned. The federal program makes up the difference in rent that the poor can afford and the fair market value for each area.
In Somalia, food allocation is done by who has the guns. Same with plenty of other places in Asia and Africa.
Whenever I hear the term "Third World" I laugh. Poverty is among other things a mentality, a deficit of spirit. In this country we have some who choose to stay in that place, and some who don't. In fact, lots of immigrants, legal or otherwise, come here and succeed all the time. Over & above those who were here by birthright. Strange? No, not strange at all -- if we continue to give people things, they eventually forget how to do it themselves. And come to expect it. And riot and complain when they don't get it. Same with education, food stamps and lots of other things.
It's a moral hazard problem. Just like subprime lending and HUD home loans. It doesn't HAVE to be, but that's how it ends up.
People will do what they have incentives to do. They will not do what they have no incentives to do. How hard is that to understand, folks? To paraphrase Larry Summers: People never wash rented cars.
Why should we expect any different? Here allocation was by standing in line. Not by need (very flawed, but better than queue-standing). Not by who had the highest grades (error-prone, with grade inflation), or made the most effort (also flawed).
"People began lining up at the shopping center two days ago, and by Wednesday morning the crowd had grown to over several thousand people."
"The Housing Choice Voucher Program, called Section 8, subsidized the rents of low-income families living in apartments and houses that are privately owned. The federal program makes up the difference in rent that the poor can afford and the fair market value for each area.
The federal government has specific standards for its subsidized properties but at the same time landlords are assured an income.
Only families with incomes no more than half the median income for the area qualify. The median income for the East Point area is less than $32,000, according to Census data. It is up to the renter to find a place that meets HUD standards, which includes being 90 percent to 110 percent of the “local fair market rent.”
But in Hotlanta, if you're willing to stand in line (and have nothing better to do with your time) you can get this special coupon that discounts your already discounted public assistance rent. If you're out looking for a job, or a better job, or taking care of your kids, etc. you don't have time to get the discount. Wonderful.
[Sounds like some landlord welfare is going on here. How cosy! Hey, how can the rest of us get in on the game? After all, we're the ones paying the bills around here.]
In Somalia, food allocation is done by who has the guns. Same with plenty of other places in Asia and Africa.
Whenever I hear the term "Third World" I laugh. Poverty is among other things a mentality, a deficit of spirit. In this country we have some who choose to stay in that place, and some who don't. In fact, lots of immigrants, legal or otherwise, come here and succeed all the time. Over & above those who were here by birthright. Strange? No, not strange at all -- if we continue to give people things, they eventually forget how to do it themselves. And come to expect it. And riot and complain when they don't get it. Same with education, food stamps and lots of other things.
It's a moral hazard problem. Just like subprime lending and HUD home loans. It doesn't HAVE to be, but that's how it ends up.
People will do what they have incentives to do. They will not do what they have no incentives to do. How hard is that to understand, folks? To paraphrase Larry Summers: People never wash rented cars.
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