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Emma Heffernan
Chonburi
Thailand

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Would you vote yes to open borders?

What would a world with unrestricted movement be like?

Topics: ending poverty politics

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Chad D
- 0
Mar 8 2012: Yes, but only under certain conditions: 1) a consumption tax replaces the income tax and payroll taxes. An immediate influx of citizens would create chaos of paper work. 2) If they want to vote, they must be required to take a citizenship test, approved by all branches of government. I think that's it.
Robert Bartlett
- 0
Mar 5 2012: It is the people, not the borders that create cultural identities. An open borders policy would not erode the cultural, ethical or historical differences amongst nations. Open borders has been practiced across parts of Europe for years now without descending into a single homoginised culture.

An open border policy would also allow people who live in daily fear of persecution from a tyrannical government to escape to a better life.

I would definitely vote yes
- edward long 100+
  - +1
  Mar 6 2012: You are citing Europe as an example of successful nations without borders? That seems inappropriate to me since the E.U. is teetering on the brink of social, political, and economic implosion. Thanks Mr. Bartlett.
  - Robert Bartlett
    
    0
    Mar 6 2012: You're welcome Mr Long. PIIGS nations aside I think 'teetering on the brink of social, political and economic implosion' is a bit of a hyperbole. However, if you look closer you'll see that I never mentioned social, political or economic issues, I was simply stating that the different cultures found across Europe have not amalgamated into one as a result of the open borders policy. It has also allowed citizens from a lot of the former Soviet territories to move west towards Germany, France and the UK in search of a better life.
    - edward long 100+
      
      0
      
      Mar 6 2012: I know you did not mention social, political, or economic issues, I mentioned them in response to your glowing recommendation of the E.U. as a model of success. Opening borders improves nothing
Shaina Ng
- 0
Mar 3 2012: I vote no.

I feel that socially speaking, it would be very difficult to manage a world without borders. Going by the concept of a democratic nation, there has to be a hierarchical system to governing. Therefore there will be decentralised clusters of control. What could happen, then, as they get further away from HQ, they reform into different groups of people with different mindsets. Given that each place or region already has its own culture and history, I feel that it would be more comfortable and easier for individuals to identify with their existing national identities than the concept of simply belonging to the human race. :)
Robert Winner 50+
- 0
Mar 2 2012: Emma, There are problem that are specific to nation states and those cannot be solved here, How about if we do this on a small scale. Say you build a house and you have neighbors to the right and left. The neighbor on the right is employed, hard working and maintains high ethics. The neighbor on the left is not employed and believes that you should share your wealth with him. The neighbor on the left has no problem in taking items from you without permission. The neighbor on your left would cause you to build a fence around the whole property even though you would welcome right neighbor onto your property and in your home. So it is with borders. Your country has laws and policies that others may not. I may have provisions that would allow you to come temporarlly or permanent of you obey or become subject to our way of life and consequences for disobedance.

Having said all of that I would say that open borders disrupt the government and cause programs to be burdened by those not contributing to the upkeep and maintence of the programs.

Unrestricted movement would be like locust. Feeding and depleting one area and move to the next with no responsibility to restore or offset costs.

It is a sad commentary to humans, but I must say that borders are necessary and I would vote no.
edward long 100+
- 0
Mar 2 2012: Borders function to exclude malicious or parasitic people. I would not vote to open them.
- Robert Bartlett
  - 0
  Mar 5 2012: Borders also function to contain malicious or parasitic people.
  - edward long 100+
    
    0
    Mar 6 2012: The natural born, or naturalized citizens who are malicious and/or parasitic cannot be deported, but the border is open for them to leave America voluntarily. They are not held in by the border.The border helps to keep more of their kind from sneaking aboard the American gravy train.
    - Robert Bartlett
      
      0
      
      Mar 6 2012: I find it interesting that you refer to America as a gravy train given the high unemployment rate, trillion dollar debt, skewed distribution of wealth, unaffordable private health care system, collapsed housing economy and military activity in 130 countries. I'm curious who it is that is onboard this gravy train.
      
      Also let's not forget that one of America's most popular holidays, Thanksgiving, is a result of 'natural born citizens' accepting immigrants who have crossed borders. I find it odd that one would be against open borders, considering that a vast majority of the population is a descendent of someone who once crossed a border.
  - edward long 100+
    
    0
    Mar 6 2012: Welfare; free medical care; unemployment compensation; tax dodging; and free education are the names of some of the cars on the American Gravy Train, which keeps running on schedule despite the serious problems you point out. Remember the word "parasitic" from earlier? Many of the passengers on this train are not American citizens. That is because the border is virtually open to them. The results are altogether negative for our nation.Yes, the USA was founded by people fleeing their homeland in search of religious freedom. Those founders were not illegal aliens because North America was not a nation. The Indian nations did not establish and protect borders. Some folks like open borders, some don't. Each should live where their preferences are best met. Please let us keep our borders Mr. Bartlett.
Ken brown 30+
- 0
Mar 2 2012: I will vote no, on the grounds of ethnic rights though i agree on principle.

How would one account for those areas that will bottleneck?
Mostafa Elshafey
- 0
Mar 2 2012: yes i will vote

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