Welfare Reform Versus Immigration Reform
Q&A Radio: 24 February 2013, Question 3
I answered a question on welfare reform versus immigration reform on 24 February 2013. You can listen to or download the podcast of just this question below – or check out the whole episode of Philosophy in Action Radio.
Is the welfare state a good reason to restrict immigration? Conservatives – and even some Objectivists – claim that immigrants are flocking to the United States for our welfare benefits. They claim that immigration must be restricted until the welfare state is curtailed. Doesn't this view amount to punishing would-be immigrants for our own welfare state?
My Answer, In Brief: Restricting immigration due to concerns about welfare evades the core problem of the welfare state, while massively violating the rights of would-be immigrants and everyone else.
Tags: Activism, Conservatism, Immigration, Justice, Law, Politics, Rights, Welfare
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- Duration: 11:26
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Relevant Links
- Philosophy in Action: Proper Immigration Policy
- The Objective Standard: Immigration and Individual Rights by Craig Biddle
- Cato Institute: Podcast Interview: The Myths of Immigrants on Public Assistance and The Use of Public Assistance Benefits by Citizens and Non-citizen Immigrants in the United States by Leighton Ku and Brian Bruen
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About Philosophy in Action
I'm Dr. Diana Brickell (formerly Diana Hsieh). I'm a philosopher, and I've long specialized in the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. I completed my Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2009. I retired from work as a public intellectual in 2015.
From September 2009 to September 2015, I produced a radio show and podcast, Philosophy in Action Radio. In the primary show, my co-host Greg Perkins and I answered questions applying rational principles to the challenges of real life. We broadcast live over the internet on Sunday mornings.
You can listen to these 362 podcasts by subscribing to the Podcast RSS Feed. You can also peruse the podcast archive, where episodes and questions are sorted by date and by topic.
My first book, Responsibility & Luck: A Defense of Praise and Blame, can be purchased in paperback and Kindle. The book defends the justice of moral praise and blame of persons using an Aristotelian theory of moral responsibility, thereby refuting Thomas Nagel's "problem of moral luck." My second book (and online course), Explore Atlas Shrugged, is a fantastic resource for anyone wishing to study Ayn Rand's epic novel in depth.
You can also read my blog NoodleFood and subscribe to its Blog RSS Feed.
I can be reached via e-mail to [email protected].
