Flit(tm)

I'm a Furriner

I've noted elsewhere that I was raised in the US but I was born in Romania. So when I read about how only the natives are losing jobs I wonder how I'm categorized. The study author, Dr. Camarota, was kind enough to clarify that I'm personally one of those job stealin furriners. At least he was honest. Then again, Arnold Schwarzennegger apparently is one of us too, taking poor Gray Davis' job away from him.

The actual study finds that sectors which have the largest influx of immigrant competition will have the largest number of native born job losses. Increased supply of labor increases competition and increases the chance that you'll lose out to a better qualified worker who wasn't born here. It seems obvious on the face of it but that doesn't say much about whether or not immigration is good or bad. It's just a truism that increased competition will mean the bottom performers will be pushed out of the field and into something else.

It's just refreshing to have it made clear that any job loss I may suffer doesn't really count because I myself was an immigrant. At least that's the message of the immigration restrictionists.