A few years ago, the popular political narrative was all about Russia, Russia, Russia. Meanwhile, Trump warned us all of China.
Turned out, despite the urge that many have to simply gainsay anything that came out of his mouth, Trump was right. China has proven to be a ‘bad actor’ on the international stage.
While I’ve taken issue with Trump’s responses and policies toward China, I can, today, say that it’d be a good idea for the incoming administration to remain China-wary rather than become China-philic. Biden et al could make a bold first move that would signal that intention, loudly and publicly, and let Xi Jinping know he’s not going to just sit idly by while China continues its ways. Ways that include the crushing of liberty in what used to be one of the freest places on the planet.
That move?
Open the borders (as the Democrats have been loudly demanding) to every citizen of Hong Kong who wants to emigrate to the United States, as many, including free marketeer Ben Powell and committed lefty Matthew Yglesias, (as well as UK PM Boris Johnson for his country) proposed last spring.
Hong Kong has long been one of the freest economies in the world, and its citizens have overwhelmingly shown a love for the purportedly Western values of liberty. Moreso, they’re educated, entrepreneurial, skilled, productive, and motivated – exactly the sorts of people that Charles Koch meant when he said
I would let anybody in who will make the country better
Many conservatives and Trumpists, falsely buying into a zero-sum belief regarding immigration, have resisted and argued against a robust immigration policy. Their cross-the-aisle counterparts, at least some thinking about partisan advantage rather than the general good of the country, put forth the opposite notion, i.e. one of wanton and unchecked open borders and the elimination of ICE. Opening the floodgates to Hong Kong should, at least partially, appeal to both those constituencies, along with the rest of us who believe that ‘good immigration’ is good for the country in general.
More importantly, it’s the right thing to do, and it’d be a big thumb in Xi’s eye. That’d be a good way for Biden to start his term.
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But as we can see from college admission policies, Asians are not among the most favored minorities.
That’d be part of the compromise, no?
“Many conservatives and Trumpists, falsely buying into a zero-sum belief regarding immigration, have resisted and argued against a robust immigration policy.”
I take the middle ground. I stand firm in my opposition to open gated unfettered illegal immigration. But I welcome properly vetted legal immigrants who can demonstrate that they can contribute to society and not become liabilities.
Thus my qualifier “many.”
I’ve had, over the years, more conversations than I can count with people of the Right who took great pains to make the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. The thing is, that distinction is only whatever our lawmakers say it is. From a forward-looking perspective, I’ve found that, if I suggest immigration law be reformed to make it easier for people (under whatever vetting is decided) to come in on a path to eventual citizenship, far more express disapproval, with various reasons such as “we’re full enough,” “it’ll simply give the Democrats more votes,” or “we don’t need more burden on the economy.”
There’s a strain of nativism that runs through Trumpism, that’s more averse to immigration (of any sort) than the more traditional conservatives held.
Of course that’s not everyone on the Right, but it remains that Trump’s first big differentiator was his tough talk on immigration.