"The Census statistics are both better and worse than advertised. They're better because the middle class isn't vanishing. Many middle-class families achieved large income gains in the 1990s and -- despite the recession and halting recovery -- have kept those gains. They're worse because the increase in poverty in recent decades stems mainly from immigration. Until our leaders acknowledge the connection between immigration and poverty, we'll be hamstrung in dealing with either. "The question, or better yet, point I'd like to make is: If the United States is such a terrible place, why do all these immigrants CHOOSE to come here?
Additionally, the numbers used in this piece demonstrate how deceiving statistics can be. Samuelson does a good job at looking beyond basic figures to show that we, as a population, are not declining into poverty. Others, with a social agenda, use the same figures to paint a different picture. When the population is increased by immigrants who come in to the United States and accept a lower standard of living (but higher than what they came from) than those of us who are already here, the percentage of people living in poverty will increase, but it won't change the condition of anyone. The immigrants who come to this country are looking for a better life, and more times than not, they find it. What we, as a country, need to accept is that we offer an 'opportunity to succeed' for immigrants, not a 'guarantee'. Later in the op-ed piece, this paragraph raises some political questions:
Now, this poverty may or may not be temporary. Some immigrants succeed quickly; others do not. But if the poverty persists -- and is compounded by more immigration -- then it will create mounting political and social problems. One possibility: a growing competition for government benefits between the poor and baby boomer retirees.
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