Re:My thoughts on the Startup Visa bill
by pchristensen on Friday February 26, 2010 @04:15PM
(#1154162)
Here's a shot.
Economic growth is mostly based on big factors but those are often controlled or influenced by a strikingly small number of people (like Henry Ford, William Shockley, Fred Terman, Carnegie, Sears, Rockefeller, Mittal, Napoleon, Franklin, Eli Lilly, etc). When it's winner-take-all (or -most), the country/city/state that hosts the winner benefits greatly. So stacking your odds to grow or attract these pivotal individuals is a valid economic strategy.
Even if you presume that low skilled immigrants are a drain on the economy (I think that's up for debate), how many would you trade to make sure that Elon Musk lived in your country? How about the Brin Family? etc, etc, etc. Smart, driven people around the world want to come to America to live, work, and build companies because it's where they think they have the best chance of success. Losing even a handful of them could cause America to lose the fight for the next great industry, especially since China, India, and the EU are much more prosperous than they were for much of America's 20th century boom.
I don't think the Startup Visa is enough, but I think it's a concrete, feasible place to start.
Economic growth is mostly based on big factors but those are often controlled or influenced by a strikingly small number of people (like Henry Ford, William Shockley, Fred Terman, Carnegie, Sears, Rockefeller, Mittal, Napoleon, Franklin, Eli Lilly, etc). When it's winner-take-all (or -most), the country/city/state that hosts the winner benefits greatly. So stacking your odds to grow or attract these pivotal individuals is a valid economic strategy.
Even if you presume that low skilled immigrants are a drain on the economy (I think that's up for debate), how many would you trade to make sure that Elon Musk lived in your country? How about the Brin Family? etc, etc, etc. Smart, driven people around the world want to come to America to live, work, and build companies because it's where they think they have the best chance of success. Losing even a handful of them could cause America to lose the fight for the next great industry, especially since China, India, and the EU are much more prosperous than they were for much of America's 20th century boom.
I don't think the Startup Visa is enough, but I think it's a concrete, feasible place to start.