There is a long history of cycles in immigration to the US. There were discrete periods of high immigration, followed by resulting social stress and unrest, and then long periods of zero net immigration. From the 1880s through the 1910s there was mass immigration and near the end of that period something like one in five native born supported the KKK. It was too much, too fast, and immigration was shut down. From 1924 to the late 1960s net immigration was zero and this was a period of improving social cohesion, and great economic progress.
We are in the midst of an immigration wave unprecedented in length and volume. The number of people who have come here since the late 1960s and their more pronounced differences from historical immigrants do not compare. An immigration time out is clearly called for, as it was in 1924.
I also can't wrap my head around people being OK with the idea of the US population growing to over 500 million. Why are folks in a hurry to turn this place into India?
>We are in the midst of an immigration wave unprecedented in length and volume. The number of people who have come here since the late 1960s and their more pronounced differences from historical immigrants do not compare.
What percentage of the population is currently foreign-born, something like 10%? Is the late 1800s it got up to almost 15%, so this certainly isn't "unprecedented".
>I also can't wrap my head around people being OK with the idea of the US population growing to over 500 million. Why are folks in a hurry to turn this place into India?
Without even considering the differences in infrastructure, we have more than 3X the land area with about a quarter of the population...I think we'll be fine!
Comments
There is a long history of cycles in immigration to the US. There were discrete periods of high immigration, followed by resulting social stress and unrest, and then long periods of zero net immigration. From the 1880s through the 1910s there was mass immigration and near the end of that period something like one in five native born supported the KKK. It was too much, too fast, and immigration was shut down. From 1924 to the late 1960s net immigration was zero and this was a period of improving social cohesion, and great economic progress.
We are in the midst of an immigration wave unprecedented in length and volume. The number of people who have come here since the late 1960s and their more pronounced differences from historical immigrants do not compare. An immigration time out is clearly called for, as it was in 1924.
I also can't wrap my head around people being OK with the idea of the US population growing to over 500 million. Why are folks in a hurry to turn this place into India?
>We are in the midst of an immigration wave unprecedented in length and volume. The number of people who have come here since the late 1960s and their more pronounced differences from historical immigrants do not compare.
What percentage of the population is currently foreign-born, something like 10%? Is the late 1800s it got up to almost 15%, so this certainly isn't "unprecedented".
>I also can't wrap my head around people being OK with the idea of the US population growing to over 500 million. Why are folks in a hurry to turn this place into India?
Without even considering the differences in infrastructure, we have more than 3X the land area with about a quarter of the population...I think we'll be fine!
What percentage of the population is currently foreign-born
12.9%
http://www.census.gov/how/infographics/foreign_born.html
Cool page, thank you.