118 books
—
41 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Melting Pot or Civil War?: A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders” as Want to Read:
Melting Pot or Civil War?: A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders
by
"A clarion call to everyone who cares about the American nation and
every person who calls it home." --J.D. VANCE, author of Hillbilly Elegy
Why would a son of immigrants call for tighter restrictions on immigration?
For too long, liberals have suggested that only cruel, racist, or nativist bigots would want to restrict immigration. Anyone motivated by compassion and egalitar ...more
every person who calls it home." --J.D. VANCE, author of Hillbilly Elegy
Why would a son of immigrants call for tighter restrictions on immigration?
For too long, liberals have suggested that only cruel, racist, or nativist bigots would want to restrict immigration. Anyone motivated by compassion and egalitar ...more
Get A Copy
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Melting Pot or Civil War?,
please sign up.
Recent Questions
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Melting Pot or Civil War?: A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders
Some relatively well supported arguments for reforming immigration policy — specifically, amnesty combined with effective future enforcement, a points based system instead of primarily family unification, and some other reasonable modifications. Unfortunately none of this is at all likely to happen, and thus the negative consequences he identifies (that a long term underclass of relatively-excluded immigrants and their descendants will seize power and be resisted to the detriment of all) is more
...more
An excellent and compassionate view at a hybrid immigration policy that would please both ends of our divided political landscape.
Nov 24, 2019
Maya
marked it as to-read
Very interesting, nuanced discussion with the author about the complex and difficult topic of immigration, assimilation, ethnic identity, individual immigrant experience in the US context: https://youtu.be/mM2xyQ8ejIw
...more
He makes a lot of good points here, but it seems like he keeps tearing down straw man arguments. I've never heard "the left" propose complete open borders. The only group pushing that are liberal libertarians. Also, the two choices don't seem to be only melting pot or civil war? Seems like there are some in-between scenarios? His argument rests on the fact that poor kids grow up to be poor adults. This is a problem to be sure, but seems like maybe we can fix that problem instead of just saying n
...more
Full disclosure - I went into this expecting it to be some conservative, right-wing defence of strict immigration reform and US protectionism. What I came to find, instead, was an extremely passionate and centrist (as centrist as can be) look at immigration in America today, who it benefits, who is left out, and most importantly, how we can modify it to better serve Americans of today and the future.
There is a lot of information in this book that we don't get from the mainstream media, who pres ...more
There is a lot of information in this book that we don't get from the mainstream media, who pres ...more
This was a very dry book but had a lot of good ideas. "We should admit immigrants only if we are fully committed to their integration and assimilation." The median age of non-Hispanic white is 43 while the Hispanic is 28."The median age for backs is33 and Asians 36. "A more selective, skills-based immigration system.... would make the challenges we face more tractable." "We could reduce migration pressures by raising income from source counties."
...more
If you get past the ridiculous, hyperbolic title and the straw man arguments, Salam has some interesting ideas. Too bad we won't actually implement them because when we debate issues, we end up using hyperbole and straw mans.
...more
Reihan Salam makes a good case for pro-immigrant, restricted compromise on immigration. While his solution leans towards more restrictive entry than now, it likely ruffles feathers on left and right. He calls for a one-time amnesty, support for building up opportunities in home countries, and government efforts to lessen immigrant poverty with tougher enforcement of the laws and a points-based system that prioritizes skill. Salam accounts for counter-arguments and doesn't engage in the typical f
...more
I found this to be a very thought-provoking and worthwhile read, despite having some fundamental political differences of opinion. The book is strongest in assessing the overall social impact that different immigration policies may lead to and considering potential alternatives. Where I tend to disagree severely is on some characterizations of “mainstream” culture (which is seems assumed to be fully good and fully worth assimilating into).
Reihan Salam, American son of Bangladeshi immigrants, introduces much needed civility and nuance into the heated debate on immigration, a debate where the two sides today barely listen to each other. Salam's central argument is that continuously high levels of immigration from particular source countries condemn low-skill immigrants into ethnic enclaves that are repeatedly replenished with fresh arrivals, and that such an environment with little incentive for integration is not conducive to the
...more
This is a prime example of top-notch public policy/think-tankery. Salam has spent a long time thinking about these issues. The book covers a lot more than the current immigration crisis (dare I say "emergency"? Hear hear!). It discusses assimilation, offshoring, robotics, poverty, reverse-immigration, retirement, welfare, and more. Salam offers the sort of smart solutions that will keep immigration from getting out of hand while still meeting the economic needs that low-skill immigrants currentl
...more
From the executive editor of National Review comes this important treatment of U.S. immigration. The author himself is the son of Bangladeshi immigrants to the United States who grew up in a liberal enclave of New York City, in Brooklyn. Thus he has seen and experienced firsthand the challenges and benefits of immigration and brings a keen and insightful perspective to the issues facing this country at a time of heightened sensitivities surrounding the dilemma. The U.S. has let in far too many l
...more
The book could have been an article. It was too repetitive.
Salam never articulates what open borders are: anyone can come with family connections? No quota numbers per year? I think we should up the number of refugees allowed in and H-1 visa recipients. We should take in more skilled immigrants and prioritize those applicants over non-immediate family. We should also legalize everyone living here today through a 1-2 year process.
No one can say if low-skilled jobs will be drastically reduced by ...more
Salam never articulates what open borders are: anyone can come with family connections? No quota numbers per year? I think we should up the number of refugees allowed in and H-1 visa recipients. We should take in more skilled immigrants and prioritize those applicants over non-immediate family. We should also legalize everyone living here today through a 1-2 year process.
No one can say if low-skilled jobs will be drastically reduced by ...more
Probably the strongest argument I've read favoring immigration restrictions. Salam favors a switch to a system that favors more high-skilled immigration while lowering overall numbers. He largely focuses on economics, assimilation, and technology in making his case. His take is fairly nuanced, in such a way that individuals favoring open-borders would actually find themselves nodding to some of his arguments, while also finding plenty to disagree with. Maybe most interesting are some of his prop
...more
This is a thoughtful analysis of the current immigration situation with recommendations for immigration policies. The author favors the melting pot ideal for America, and he wants policies that favor immigrants that are likely to be employed and assimilated into American society, rather than remaining as a separate underclass. There is a heavy emphasis on economic aspects of the issue, with lots of relevant statistics. As a compromise the author suggests an amnesty for most current illegal resid
...more
a very fresh(for me) perspective on the value of immigration and the immigrant experience, I find this perspective very authentic and the author knows the experience very well. I still do not Like Katar as a country though, Singapor is a benevolent facist dictatorship..
children who grow up second-class citzens will have alot of contempt for their society is spot on I think and will take any slight insult and magnify it, that is true.
and i find his optimistic view of the irreplacable nature of ...more
children who grow up second-class citzens will have alot of contempt for their society is spot on I think and will take any slight insult and magnify it, that is true.
and i find his optimistic view of the irreplacable nature of ...more
Salam presents a very nuanced, maybe overly so, argument in favor of immigration restrictions. His arguments seem to me to stand in contrast to the stereotypical version of the restrictionist argument, favoring offshoring, increased spending on domestic social services and welfare and increased economic aid to developing countries as substitutes for immigration-as-economic-aid. The ideas are worth engaging with, even if one disagrees.
I can recommend the audiobook as it is narrated by the author.
I can recommend the audiobook as it is narrated by the author.
Remember that paradox you heard in Philosophy 101: "This sentence is false"? If its false then its true and if its true then its false. Reihan's book is like a post-Trump version of that. On the one hand, he is against open borders so you want to call him a racist, but on the other hand he is an immigrant person of color so he can't be racist... Are you the racist? We probably won't be able to wrap our heads around this paradox until a democrat takes office who, like in the past (Obama), opposes
...more
Everyone should read this book right now. It nicely and very compactly lays out a lot of the arguments and learning and impacts of both open and closed border immigration. I wouldn’t call it comprehensive but it’s accessible and doesn’t go in for sound bites and it gets around both (or all) sides well. He offers some possible solutions and lots of things to think about. I wish everyone could take about the immigration debate in these matter of fact, fact based ways. We’d likely be doing better t
...more
Advocates same failed policies of the past: grant amnesty for 15 million illegals while getting the democrats to promise border strengthening measures. We tried this in the 80s and Democrats didn’t keep their word. Once we grant citizenship to 15 million illegals we become a one party nation. We can’t make that mistake. Also wants Americans to spend their money to raise the standards of living for other countries. When is enough enough? Author tries to offer practical solutions but comes off as
...more
The author admirably stated and explained many options and case examples to improve and reform immigration in the United States. As someone who's right of center, I usually resort to rule of law. However, the current administration's draconian approach just won't work. So, kudos to Salam for his thoughtful and important work. I just struggle, however, to envision these reforms happening anytime soon.
...more
Full disclosure: I had to return this one to the library before I was completely finished, but it is good enough that I will check it out again or get myself a copy. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to look past headlines and try to understand impacts of immigration policy. I think it's an accessible read for most. I wouldn't say it aligned with my ideas one hundred percent, but I really appreciated its grounding in research and reality.
...more
My instincts favor increasing (legal) immigration, but Reihan Salam’s Melting Pot or Civil War?: A Son of Immigrants Makes the Case Against Open Borders makes a strong argument for “rebalancing” — i.e., placing “a greater emphasis on skills and a lesser one on extended family ties.” Some thoughts here:
The Case for “Rebalancing” Immigration ...more
The Case for “Rebalancing” Immigration ...more
A very good, very readable analysis of America’s immigration environment. Salam comes at the issue as a conservative-an intelligent and humane conservative. In the book he proposes several solutions that require each side to yield a bit in order to create a rational and effective immigration policy that emphasizes high/skill immigration. I’m in agreement with him on most counts. I’m not optimistic that politicians can set aside their partisan warfare to move forward.
Hilary Clinton in 2013 during a multi-year wave of speeches to Wall Street and international business and banking institutions netting her about $26 million in speaking fees:
" "My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, some time in the future with energy that is as green and sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere," Mrs Clinton said. "
...more
" "My dream is a hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders, some time in the future with energy that is as green and sustainable as we can get it, powering growth and opportunity for every person in the hemisphere," Mrs Clinton said. "
...more
Well thought-out, and compelling. While Salam could have done a better job citing his sources at times, overall this was a great quick read that offers a synthesis of both sides of the imigration debate.
It’s a WONK book for sure, and this dry ... but at least he is trying to find a long term solution to impoverished immigrant children in America. And if you think USA immigration policy is rough, we got nothing on Mexico, Canada, Singapore, or Qatar
A good listen/read.
The author has presented various perspectives on immigration issues and proposes some novel approaches to addressing the problem.
Financial issues are huge if you support the Globalist perspective of the issue.
The author has presented various perspectives on immigration issues and proposes some novel approaches to addressing the problem.
Financial issues are huge if you support the Globalist perspective of the issue.
The author is very well versed in the minutiae of the immigration debate. He gives very detailed and well thought out explanations and recommendations to create a system that will help create a possible better future concerning the U.S. and it’s immigration system.
Different take on current discourse about immigration
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Reihan Morshed Salam (pronounced /ˈraɪhɑːn səˈlɑːm/) is an American conservative political writer and journalist. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast, is a policy advisor at e21: Economic Policies for the 21st Century, and is a fellow at the New America Foundation. He has written for numerous publications, including the National Review, Foreign Policy, Slate, The Spectator, The Weekly St
...more
News & Interviews
Looking to read about the Roaring Twenties, the Spanish flu pandemic, World War II, or the grunge era? These new historical fiction books will...
30 likes · 8 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
